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ARTICLE SUMMARY – Introduction to Human Services

Due Date: April 16th

Turn in your summary by uploading the document at Blackboard before midnight on the due date.

Don’t forget to type your name on the first page of your document, insert page numbers, use a 12

point font, and focus on academic (professional) writing. Please do not include any cover pages.

What should go into my Article Summary?How should it be formatted?

An article summary should include a few paragraphs that describe (in your own words) the main

point or points of the article. Be sure to clearly cite in the article in-text at the beginning of your

summary.

The summary should include at least one paragraph that describes (in your own words) the main point

or points of the article. Because you are summarizing a research article, it is important to have a

paragraph that describes how the author(s) conducted the research and at least one paragraph that

summarizes the results of their research. You do not need to describe everything in the article, but

you should certainly describe how the research was conducted (the methods) and what the main

results were.Do not use first-person singular or plural – no “I” or “we”.

Overall, an article summary should give the reader a good sense of what the source is all about.

An article summary typically ranges from 3 to 6 paragraphs (depending on how you organize it). Some

articles are more complicated than others and may require a longer summary. Typically a summary

should be between 1 and 3 pages in length (typed, double-spaced).

An article summary should be written in a formal academic style without the use of personal or

second-person reference (do not use “I” or “you”). Do notincludeyouropinions, but instead describe

the research in a scientific and formal way.

You must include an APA formatted in-text citation to refer to your article within the first few

sentences of your summary.

Finally at the end of your document, present the full reference– and APA-formatted reference

(citation) for the article.References should be the title, and should be on their own page.

How do I find an Article to summarize?

Go to the National Organization of Human Services (NOHS) to find the Journal of Human Services at

http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/journal-of-human-services. Choose one of the Research

Articles or the Conceptual Articles to summarize for this assignment from thecurrent journal article

that is free to view. You will find the current journal article link under “More Information”.

How will this be graded?

See next page for grading rubric

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Article Summary Grading Rubric

Category

Exemplary (A)

Proficient (B)

Needs work (C)

Poor (D or F)

Main points

The main points of the

article are summarized

accurately and

thoroughly.

Most main points are

summarized.

Some main points are

summarized. Contains a

few inaccuracies or

omissions.

Most of the main points

are not addressed.

Contains many

inaccuracies.

Restatement of and

Expansion of Ideas

Summary contains no

sentences pulled verbatim

from the article and

expansion is evident.

No sentences pulled

verbatim from the article

but expansion is limited.

A few sentences are

pulled verbatim from the

article but there is little

expansion.

There is little, if any,

restatement of ideas.

Research Methods

Research procedures are

described clearly (may

include population

sampled, methods

employed, etc)

The general method of

the research is described

without adequate detail.

A few sentences are

pulled verbatim from the

article or methods are

inadequately described.

There is little, if any,

description of how the

research was conducted.

Number of paragraphs

Four or more paragraphs

are use to clearly and yet

concisely summarize the

article

Three paragraphs or four

short paragraphs are

included

Two to three short

paragraphs are used to

summarize the article

One or two short

paragraphs are used to

summarize the article

Organization

Summary is organized in a

logical way

Summary is mostly

organized

Summary shows some

degree of organization

Summary lacks any

organization

Writing style

The writing style is crisp,

fluent, academic,

professional and precise.

The writing style is clear

and functional.

The writing style is

sometimes awkward,

vague, and/or choppy

Writing style is awkward

with many errors

Grammar and spelling

No spelling errors; No

grammatical errors

One or two spelling or

grammatical errors

A few spelling or

grammatical errors

Numerous spelling and

grammatical errors

General Format

Paper is typed in 12-point

font, double-spaced,

name typed on top of

paper, page numbers,

normal margins

Paper is typed with one

formatting irregularity

Paper is typed but

contains 2 -3 formatting

irregularities

More than three

formatting irregularities

APA formatted in-text

citation

In-text citation provided

correctly early in the

summary

In-text citation provided

early in the summary;

minor errors

Incorrect in-text

citation(s) presented;

placement needs work;

minor errors

No in-text citation(s)

APA formatted citation

presented in References

section at end of paper

Perfect APA format

One or two small errors

A few errors or more

Many errors

On time

On time

Rubric: Article Summary Assignment