Magnet Summaries

What is a magnet summary? Magnet summaries involve the identification of key terms or concepts – magnet words – from a reading, which you will use to organize important information into a summary.

Steps to creating a magnet summary

1. Look for a key terms or concepts in your reading that are connected to the main idea. Those would be your magnet words.

2. Write the magnet word down on a piece of paper or index card

3. Write down all of the terms and ideas that are connected with that magnet word around the word just like the image below.

4. Organize and summarize the information surrounding your magnet word and then write a single sentence that summarizes all of that information. The magnet word should occupy a central place in the sentence. Omit unimportant details from the sentence.

Download blank student forms or view and print an HTML version

Developed from “Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning” second ed. By Doug Buehl

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Page Last Updated April 24, 2007 1:14 PM