Judging a Summary Against Word Limit and Ownership
A 110-word passage about walking to school is given for a summary task with a 50-word limit. The passage says that walking gives twenty minutes of daily exercise, improves stamina and concentration, reduces cars at the school gate, makes the air cleaner and the morning rush safer, and gives friends time to talk without screens. It also says that parents may worry about traffic, but a planned route and a walking group can solve this, and that schools with 'walking buses' report fewer late arrivals and happier students. A student writes this 62-word summary: 'I think walking to school is very good. For example, it gives twenty minutes of exercise and improves stamina. It also reduces cars and makes air cleaner. Some parents worry about traffic, but a walking group can solve this. Schools with walking buses have fewer late arrivals and happier students. So everyone should walk.' The rubric is main idea 2, brevity 1, own words 1, no examples or personal opinion 1. The teacher must decide the mark and explain why a summary is not a response.
1. Identify which summary rules the student has broken and which have been followed.
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Broken rules: (1) brevity - 62 words exceeds the 50-word limit; (2) no examples - 'For example, it gives twenty minutes...' is an example; (3) no personal opinion - 'I think' and 'everyone should walk' are opinion; (4) own words - 'fewer late arrivals and happier students' is copied almost exactly. Followed: the main idea (walking has exercise, safety and social benefits and is practical) is present; the summary is in connected sentences; it includes the solution to parents' worry, though that is a minor detail. The summary is not a response because it adds a recommendation rather than reporting what the passage says.
2. Write a model summary of the passage in 45-50 words.
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Model summary (47 words): 'Walking to school gives students daily exercise, improves concentration, reduces traffic and pollution, and allows screen-free talk with friends. Parents' traffic worries can be handled with a planned route or walking group. Schools using walking buses report better punctuality and happier students.' This is third person, no examples, no opinion, and within 50 words.
3. How would you mark this out of 5 if the rubric is: main idea 2, brevity 1, own words 1, no examples or opinion 1?
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Mark: 3/5. Main idea 2 - the summary captures the benefits and the practical solution. Brevity 0 - 62 words is over the limit; the limit is a stated constraint, not a suggestion. Own words 1 - most phrasing is paraphrased, but one phrase is lifted; award 1 because the majority is recast, with a note to change the copied phrase. No examples or opinion 0 - 'For example', 'I think' and 'everyone should walk' break the rule. Total 3. Feedback should separate content from convention: 'You understood the passage; now cut the example, remove your opinion, and compress to 50 words.'