The summary is not just for executives anymore. All busy readers appreciate a well-written summary. The Art of the Summary seminar helps writers create a summary efficiently by answering three logical questions.
This half-day workshop focuses on the realities of information overload and the writer’s challenge to summarize written and spoken communications into clear, concise language. Crucial to this task is the ability to think critically and to analyze for essential content as well as key supporting points.
Working in small groups, participants identify strengths and weaknesses in actual summaries from financial, environmental, and legal documents. To assist in making sound judgments about the essential elements of a summary, participants learn a three-step process and then apply this process to summarizing a detailed document.
Seminar Topics
Evaluating corporate summaries to identify the “Winners” and “Losers”
Distinguishing between summaries, abstracts, and paraphrasing
Understanding what readers expect in a summary
Ensuring objectivity with content decisions
Condensing lengthy content by answering three logical questions
Choosing precise language to highlight the core message
Learning to listen for key points in meetings
Using formatting options and transitions to enhance logic
Determining the readability level of the summary
