Summarising: example from Architecture
time to complete: 20 minutes
Now, you are going to look at an example of summary writing from architecture.
Task: Read the original source text and the three summaries and consider the following question: which summary is the best summary of the original source text: 1, 2 or 3? Check your answer under the summaries.
Original Source Text
The limits of architecture are variable: each decade has its own ideal themes, its own confused fashions. Yet each of these periodical shifts and digressions raises the same question: are there recurrent themes, constants that are specifically architectural and yet always under scrutiny – an architecture of limits?
(47 words)
Adapted from: Tshcumi, Bernard. “Architecture and Limits.” Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory. Kate Nesbitt, ed. New York: Princeton University Press, 1996.
Summary 1
The limits of architecture vary: each decade has its own ideal themes and confused fashions. Yet every shift and digression raises the same question: are there recurrent themes that are specifically architectural but are always being scrutinized – an architecture of limits? (Tshcumi, 1996).
(43 words)
Summary 2
The boundaries of design vary: every ten years have seen specific themes and offbeat new fashions. Yet each movement and alteration has raised identical queries: are there themes that appear over and over again, that are very much design-specific, but are forever being examined – a design of boundaries? (Tshcumi, 1996).
(50 words)
Summary 3
Tshcumi (1996) observes how architectural boundaries are in a constant state of flux. However, despite this, there seem to be “constants,” recurring ideas that lie at the heart of design; he labels these constants “an architecture of limits”.
(38 words)
Check your answer:
Answer key and explanation
- This is almost the same length as the original text, so not a summary of the main ideas within the text.
- The original text source has barely been altered as only a couple words have been changed around. Therefore, this is plagiarized.
- The presence of a citation does not prevent this from being plagiarism.
- Since there are no quotation marks, the reader assumes that the words belong to the author. In truth, they belong to Tshcumi.
- This version is longer than the original text, so not a good summary of the main ideas.
- The words have been changed but the structure of the sentences is exactly the same. This is not the author’s voice. This is Tshcumi’s.
- By following the original structure too closely, you are forced to come up with synonyms for every word, which could be difficult. This also means that you are not summarising.
- This is an acceptable summary and is slightly shorter than the original text.
- Both the words and sentence structure have changed. The author has taken Tshcumi’s ideas and translated them completely into his own words.
- A couple specific terms are taken directly and are put in quotes. This clearly tells the reader where the author’s words end and Tshcumi’s begin.