How to retell a text
What is its main topic? What field is it in? What is its main idea?
Start with...
| “It’s an abstract from the (research) work of a famous/well-known/major/ scientist(historian, linguist, economist, theorist, analyst, practitioner, etc.) |
| The article I’ve just read deals with the problems of... |
| The article might be regarded a part of a bigger research which deals in... |
| The main topic of this article is... |
| This chapter is devoted to... |
| The main questions touched upon by this chapter/article/work are numerous. They are... |
| This original paper/article/work addresses itself to some of the central issues in (the relevance theoretic research, modern economic theory of... etc) |
| The aim of the article is to investigate/explore/show/help understand/ some of the issues of... |
| This chapter/article provides an outline of the theoretical basis of... |
2. Now read the text more carefully. What parts can you divide it into? How many parts are there?
3. Work on the parts of the text one by one (the parts the text falls into may show as paragraphs). What is the main idea of each part? Try to find the topic statements or sentences in each part and put them down. They might be 1-2 sentences at the beginning of each paragraph but not necesserily.
Use...
| Several paragraphs of the article investigate...(the distinction, the features, characteristics of..) | |
| In (the) other part(s) of the article/chapter the author explores.. (the role of the theoretic notion of...) | |
| Some of the central issues dealt with in this part are..... | |
| The author | shows... |
| combines ideas of... | |
| assumes that... | |
| further develops the idea that... | |
| examines the data received from.../the matter/major theoretic perspectives of... | |
| explores the methodological issues of... pays tribute to.... | |
| By concentrating on....., the authors analyze how..... | |
| This exploration provides a description of......, and also reveals the nature and significance of..... | |
|
| |
4. Now add some details to the sceleton. They can be from the text - some interesting facts that illustrate the theory or what not. Think of some opinions of your own: what do you think of this or that idea of the author? Does this matter seem interesting to you? Does it go with your own research? Do you agree with the hypotheses presented? Let your statements be noticeable, expressive and persuading, and logical.
Use:
Let’s see how the author proves (that).....
I would like to point out that...
I would like to attract your attention to the following...
To my opinion this supposition/idea/ is...
We should bear in mind that...
I would rather prefer to consider.... /take it like this:....
As for me I don’t think that...
I’m afraid but...
I do not quite agree that...
I cannot but praise...(the work of this author.. etc.)
V. Now you seem ready. Start to speak and...good luck!
Here is a good example of the annotation of a book:
By the analysis of different theories, following a similar outline for each of them, this book permits a critical reflection on these questions. It also aims at making the current research in which these theories are present more accessible for the reader. Moreover, this research, by considering issues on (the dynamics of the processing of information, its contextualisation, and the fundamental cognitive abilities of the speaker,) is also in line with broader issues concerning, for instance, different domains of (computer science or also cognitive) sciences. The different theories dealt with are (First Order Predicate Logic, Intensional Semantics, Boolean Semantics, General Semantics (Vanderveken), Dynamic Semantics, Situation Theory and Cognitive Grammar).
Аннотирование и реферирование
New Webster’s Dictionary definitions
New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language:
Annotation – the act of making notes on; a critical note on some passage of a book.
Annotate – to comment upon; to make remarks on by notes.
Resume – a summing up; a summary; a condensed statement, as a short history of a job applicant’s qualifications and experience.
Synopsis – a brief or condensed statement giving a general view of some subject, as a novel, play, or movie; a compendium of heads or short paragraphs so arranged as to afford a view of the whole or principal parts of a matter under consideration; a conspectus.
Synopsize – to summarize in a synopsis.
Либерман Н.И. Английский язык для ВУЗов искусств. - 2-е изд. – М.: Высш. шк., 1989:
Чтение иностранной литературы по специальности направлено на получение нужной специалисту информации. Работа с целым текстом является программным требованием для неязыковых вузов: ставится задача обучения студентов беспереводному чтению, составлению рефератов и аннотаций статей.
Аннотация – предельно краткое изложение основного содержания текста, составленное в результате компрессии (сжатия) текста оригинала и в нескольких строчках дающее представление о его тематике. Ее назначение – составить мнение о целесообразности детального ознакомления с данным материалом. Аннотация включает 3-4 предложения и должна дать очень краткую, обобщенную характеристику материала, определить круг содержащихся в нем проблем. Аннотация должна:
- дать выходные данные материала
- определить главную тему материала
- перечислить, в случае необходимости, второстепенные вопросы
- определить возможную ценность информации
В текст аннотации рекомендуется вставлять клише, приводимые далее.
Реферат – текст, построенный на основе смысловой компрессии первоисточника с целью передачи его главного содержания. Материал в реферате излагается с позиций автора исходного текста и не содержит никаких элементов интерпретации или оценки. Реферат включает:
- выходные данные реферируемого материала
- основная тема, проблема, основные положения реферируемого материала
- доказательства и подтверждение основных положений автора
- выводы автора
Реферат состоит минимум из 15 предложений. В текст реферата рекомендуется вставлять клише и клишированные выражения.
