Samples of Summary Annotations
From: Purves, William K., et al. Life: The Science of Biology 7th ed. Gordonsville, VA:
W. H. Freeman & Co., 2004.
“A major event that took place about 2.5 billion years ago was the evolution of
photosynthesis: the ability to use the energy of sunlight to power metabolism. All cells
must obtain raw materials and energy to fuel their metabolism. Photosynthetic cells take
up raw materials from their environment, but the energy they use to metabolize those
chemicals comes directly from the sun. Early photosynthetic cells were probably similar
to present-day prokaryotes called cyanobacteria. The energy-capturing process they used
. . . is the basis of nearly all life today” (5).
Using the annotation approach to summarizing this paragraph, I would provide the
following sample:
Over two billion years ago, energy from the sun caused cells to metabolize through the
process of photosynthesis. Cells acquire the raw materials for this process from their
surroundings. These early cells were like today’s prokaryotes called cyanobacteria, and
this process is the basis of almost all life.
In this example, the original paragraph was summarized into a paragraph half the original
size.
Next, choose the best annotation:
“Terrestrial plants must obtain both water and mineral nutrients from the soil, usually by
way of their roots. The roots, in turn, obtain carbohydrates and other important materials
from the leaves. . . . We learned in Chapter 8 that water is one of the ingredients required
for carbohydrate production by photosynthesis in the leaves. Water is also essential for
transporting solutes both upward and downward, for cooling the plant, and for developing
the internal pressure that supports the plant body. Plants lose large quantities of water to
evaporation, and this water must be continually replaced.” (702)
Annotations:
1. Terrestrial plants must obtain both water and mineral nutrients from the soil,
usually by way of their roots. The roots, in turn, obtain carbohydrates and other
important materials from the leaves. Water is one of the ingredients required for
carbohydrate production by photosynthesis in the leaves. Water is also essential
for transporting solutes both upward and downward, for cooling the plant, and for
developing the internal pressure that supports the plant body. Plants lose large
quantities of water to evaporation, and this water must be continually replaced.
(This example is copied word-for-word from the text and nothing has been
summarized.)
2. Plants need water and minerals. Evaporation causes plants to lose water. (This
example leaves out too much important information.)
3. Through their roots, plants take in water and minerals, and the roots receive
important materials. Although plants lose water through evaporation, water is
important for the production of carbohydrates, transporting solutes, cooling, and
internal pressure needed to support the plant body. (This is an example of a good
summary annotation. It captures the most important information in less than
half the words of the original paragraph.)