Summarizing – Using the TMID Method
Keep this sheet handy!
Why Summarize: Summarizing is not just a boring activity that teachers ask you to do just so you have
something to do while you read. It has a very useful purpose. When you summarize you are creating a
very handy tool for you to use later.
 Summarizing helps you break down a lot of information into the most important information
 When you are done it will be easier to remember what you read – you won’t focus on all the little
things.
 When you are done you will have a quick reference to refer to later on tests and papers.
 You won’t have to memorize everything. Write down what you want to remember and save it for
later.
 Summaries are for your use! The only person you need to make happy is yourself. Yours may not
look like anyone else’s.
To Summarize is to break down a long passage of reading into its most important information. When you
are done you should be left with the 6 W’s
Who
What
When
Why
Where
(W)how
(it’s a silent W)
To help you master the art of summarizing we will use a technique called:
T.M.D.
TOPIC:
The subject of the passage. It is WHAT the passage is about. Usually a noun and can be
stated in one or two words.
MAIN IDEA:
If the topic is the WHAT, then the main idea is the WHY IMPORTANT.
the topic as a question on a test. Then the Main Idea would be the answer to the question.
Think of
The main
idea is always written as a fact – never as a question!!!
The topic word should appear in the Main Idea statement.
SUPPORTING DETAILS:
The Supporting Details are the rest of the most relevant facts left
in the passage. They should answer the rest of the W questions. They are not just any random fact, but
those facts that support the main idea. How many should you have? It depends on the length of the
passage and how much information you need.
Some Common questions and corrections for Summarizing:
Can summaries be too long?
Yes? The whole point of summarizing is to quickly break info into small easy to use
chunks. Less is more! There, you thought you’d never hear a teacher say that.
Do I have to write “This paragraph is about…” everytime?
No! remember- it’s a tool for your use – do you need to write it every time for any
reason?
Do I have to write in complete sentence?
No you don’t have to. Remember, the point of summarizing is too quickly get the
information down. Also, you are the only one who has to know what you have written.
As long as you can understand what you wrote – grammar is not important.
Make your summary informative.
Always think that the summary is an answer to a question on a test. If you could use your
summary to take the test – will it give you the actual answer?
Incorrect – not informative
Correct - informative
“ Its about what dogs eat”
Dogs eat meat and kibble.
Will I always have to identify the topic, main idea and supporting
details and write them out separately.
No, this is just for practice. In a few weeks you’ll be so good at this you can start
skipping the formal steps.
How much reading should I summarize? Every paragraph or the
whole article?
Depends on how much information you want from the reading. If you are doing a
research paper you’ll want to do every paragraph. If we are just discussing a reading –
you might want to just do one summary for the whole article. In time you will have the
freedom to figure that out yourself. In the meantime we will have you practice a variety
of different sections just so you can see that it is done the same way regardless.
Lets Practice:
One of the most important things that a pet owner will realize is that they must feed their animals.
Therefore it is important that they know what types of foods each animal likes to eat because they do not
often want to eat the same things. When it comes to dogs, the pet owner has many options because dogs
will eat a lot of different things. The main part of a dogs diet is made up of either dry kibble or canned dog
food. These are made from cheap cuts of meat and grains. But, for treats dogs will also eat dog bones, or
chew on rawhide or pigs ears. An especially popular treat for dogs is a product called “Beggin Stips”
which supposedly taste like bacon. Dogs will also eat vegetables and greens. You might notice your dog
eats grass. But don’t feed them grass intentionally because it will make them sick.
Fish, however, primarily will only eat fish food, or fish flakes. Fish flakes come in a little
container. The fish flakes are made of dried kelp and other proteins. It is very important that you do not
over feed fish because they will eat so much that their stomachs will explode. Therefore, unless your fish is
a piranha, it is not a good idea to feed your fish the same thing that you would feed your dog. Fish do not
like dog kibble or pigs ears. They are not big on fish food that tastes like bacon.
What is the topic of the whole article:
What is the main idea of the whole article:
What is the topic of the first paragraph?
What is the Main idea of the first paragraph?
List three supporting details from the first paragraph.
What is the topic of the 2nd paragraph?
What is the Main idea of the 2nd paragraph?
List three supporting details from the 2nd paragraph.
Lets Try Some More:
Take your instructions on summarizing.
What is the topic?
What is the main idea?
List 5 supporting details
Lets make it trickier:
Remember back to the Simpsons episode you watched with Ms Cedano
What was the topic of the whole episode?
What was the main idea?
List 3 supporting details that made the point of the main idea.
How about the Jared Diamond Reading – take the whole article:
T:
MI:
D: