Wrapping It Up: Summarizing and Evaluating Editorials
You have explored what editorials are, how they are organized, and how to read them critically. Today, you will bring everything together by learning how to summarize an editorial faithfully and how to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. You will practice shrinking long arguments into clear, balanced summaries and then judging editorials using simple criteria for clarity, evidence, fairness, and impact. As you read, write, and reflect, you will take your final step from passive reader to wise evaluator of opinion editorials.
🎯 Learning Goals
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
- Write a concise summary of an opinion editorial, clearly stating its main idea and key supporting points in your own words.
- Use simple criteria (clarity, evidence, fairness, and organization) to evaluate the quality of a short editorial or editorial excerpt.
- Explain in a short paragraph how your understanding of editorials has grown across the four-day lesson sequence.
🧩 Key Ideas & Terms
- Summary – A shorter version of a text that keeps the most important ideas in the reader’s own words.
- Paraphrase – Restating a specific part of a text in different words while keeping the same meaning.
- Evaluate – To judge the quality or value of something using clear reasons and criteria.
- Criteria – Standards or guidelines used to judge something (for example: clarity, evidence, fairness, impact).
- Clarity – How easy it is for readers to understand the ideas and language of a text.
- Organization – The way ideas are arranged, connected, and sequenced in a text.
- Fairness – The extent to which a text deals with different sides of an issue honestly and respectfully.
- Impact – The effect a text has on readers’ thoughts, feelings, or actions.
- Rubric – A scoring guide that describes different levels of performance based on specific criteria.
- Objectivity – The quality of being based on facts and balanced explanation rather than personal feelings alone.
- Subjectivity – The influence of personal opinions, feelings, and preferences on how information is presented.
🔄 Quick Recall / Prior Knowledge
Review what you remember about editorials before we “wrap it up.”
-
State in one sentence what an editorial is.
Show Answer
Sample: An editorial is a short article in a newspaper or news site that presents and explains a stand on a current issue to influence readers. -
Name at least three parts or features of an editorial that you
learned on Day 2.
Show Answer
Possible answers: lead, news peg, objective explanation, body, conclusion, call to action, alternative solutions, constructive approach, professional tone. -
On Day 3, you practiced reading editorials critically. Write one
question you can ask to check the evidence in an editorial.
Show Answer
Examples: “Where did this information come from?” “Is the source reliable?” “Is the evidence detailed and recent?” -
Why is it useful to notice bias when reading editorials?
Show Answer
Because strong bias can make a text one-sided or unfair, so readers need to think carefully and look for more information before agreeing.
📖 Explore the Lesson
Checkpoint 1 – Why Summarize Editorials?
Mini-goal: Understand the purpose and benefits of summarizing editorials.
Editorials are often short compared with novels or long reports, but they still contain many ideas packed into limited space. A single paragraph might include the issue, the writer’s stand, one or two reasons, and a hint of a solution. If you want to discuss the editorial with others, or connect it to another text, you cannot always repeat the whole article. This is where summarizing becomes useful. A summary allows you to capture the most important points in fewer words while keeping the writer’s meaning.
Summarizing is not just about making texts shorter. It is a thinking skill. To summarize, you must locate the main idea, group related details, and decide which information is essential and which can be left out. You also need to avoid copying long parts of the original text word for word. Instead, you use your own language to restate the central message and key reasons. Doing this helps you remember the editorial more clearly and check whether you truly understood it.
In the real world, people use summaries all the time. News anchors summarize long reports into a few sentences. Students summarize research when they present projects. Citizens summarize articles when they share them with family members or on social media. If their summaries are inaccurate or incomplete, others may be misinformed. Learning to summarize editorials accurately is part of being a responsible reader and communicator.
Real-life tie-in: When you tell a friend about a story or article you read, you do not recite every sentence. You choose the most important parts and explain them quickly. That everyday habit is a form of summarizing; now you are making it more careful and accurate.
Mini-summary: Summarizing editorials helps you capture the main idea and key reasons in fewer words, check your understanding, and share information with others responsibly.
-
Why is summarizing more than simply “making the text shorter”?
Show Answer
Because summarizing requires selecting the most important ideas, organizing them, and restating them in your own words while keeping the original meaning. -
How can summarizing help you in group discussions or class
recitations?
Show Answer
It allows you to explain what a text says clearly and quickly, so others can follow the discussion without reading the whole article. -
Give one example of a situation outside English class where someone
needs to summarize information.
Show Answer
Examples: a student presenting a project, a parent reporting instructions from a meeting, a news reporter summarizing a speech, or a friend sharing news online.
Checkpoint 2 – How to Summarize an Editorial Step by Step
Mini-goal: Learn a clear process for turning an editorial into a short summary.
To summarize an editorial, you can follow a simple five-step process. Step 1: Read the editorial carefully, at least twice. During the first reading, focus on understanding; during the second reading, underline or highlight the main idea and important supporting points. Step 2: List the key points on a separate sheet: the issue, the writer’s stand, and two or three strongest reasons or pieces of evidence.
Step 3: Decide what you can leave out. Examples, detailed statistics, and some quotations may be helpful but not essential for a short summary. You do not need to include every minor detail; you only need enough to show what the writer argues. Step 4: Using your list, write a short paragraph in your own words. Begin with a sentence that names the issue and the writer’s stand. Then add one or two sentences that combine the main supporting reasons. If the editorial has a clear solution or call to action, you may include one last sentence about it.
Step 5: Check your summary. Ask: “Did I change the meaning?” “Did I add my own opinion?” “Did I copy whole sentences from the editorial?” A good summary is faithful to the original meaning but uses different wording and shorter length. If you find that you have added your own reaction, you can keep that for a separate evaluation or reflection; it should not be part of the summary itself.
Real-life tie-in: Imagine your teacher cannot read an editorial but needs to know quickly what it says before a meeting. If you can hand over a clear, accurate five-sentence summary, you become a helpful partner in understanding the issue.
Mini-summary: Summarizing editorials involves reading carefully, listing key points, deciding what to leave out, writing a short paragraph in your own words, and checking that you kept the original meaning without adding your own opinion.
-
Why should you avoid adding your personal opinion when writing a
summary?
Show Answer
Because a summary’s job is to represent the original text, not to share your reaction. Your opinion belongs in a separate evaluation. -
In Step 4, what information should the first sentence of your
summary usually include?
Show Answer
It should state the issue/topic and the writer’s stand or main idea. -
Give one example of a detail that might be left out of a short
summary.
Show Answer
Possible answers: a long quotation, a small story that repeats a point, extra numbers that do not change the main idea, or a side comment or joke.
Checkpoint 3 – From Summarizing to Evaluating: What Makes an Editorial “Good”?
Mini-goal: Recognize basic criteria for evaluating the quality of an editorial.
Once you can summarize an editorial, you are ready for a higher-level skill: evaluating it. Evaluation means judging the quality of the editorial using clear criteria. Instead of saying “I like it” or “It’s boring,” you ask more specific questions. Four simple criteria you can use are clarity, evidence, fairness, and organization.
When you evaluate clarity, you check whether the main idea is easy to find and whether the language is understandable for readers. For evidence, you ask whether the reasons are backed up with facts, examples, or credible sources. Evaluating fairness means checking for bias and loaded language and seeing whether the editorial respects people on both sides of the issue. For organization, you notice whether the ideas flow logically from lead to explanation, to arguments, to conclusion.
You can turn these criteria into simple questions: “What is this editorial’s main idea, and is it clear?” “What kinds of evidence are used, and are they strong?” “How does the language show fairness or bias?” “Does the article have a strong beginning, middle, and end?” Using questions like these turns evaluation from a vague feeling into a careful, reasoned judgment. You are not just saying whether you like the editorial; you are explaining why.
Real-life tie-in: When you choose which sources to trust for news or opinion, you are already evaluating. Using clear criteria helps you choose more wisely, instead of being persuaded mainly by popularity or emotion.
Mini-summary: Evaluation means judging an editorial using criteria such as clarity, evidence, fairness, and organization. Asking specific questions about each criterion helps you explain why an editorial is strong or weak.
-
Why is it better to use criteria when evaluating an editorial
instead of simply saying “I like it” or “I don’t like it”?
Show Answer
Because criteria help you give clear reasons for your judgment and make your evaluation more fair, logical, and useful to others. -
Give one question you can ask when evaluating the evidence in an
editorial.
Show Answer
Examples: “Are the facts accurate and specific?” “Are there enough examples?” “Are the sources trustworthy?” -
How can poor organization affect a reader’s understanding of an
editorial?
Show Answer
It can make the argument confusing, cause important points to be lost, and reduce the overall impact of the message.
Checkpoint 4 – Using a Simple Evaluation Rubric
Mini-goal: Practice using a basic rubric to judge editorials consistently.
A rubric is a scoring guide that describes different levels of performance based on specific criteria. You can use a rubric to evaluate editorials in a more consistent way. Imagine a simple rubric with four criteria: clarity, evidence, fairness, and organization. For each one, you could give a score from 1 (needs improvement) to 4 (strong). The rubric will not capture every detail, but it will help you compare different editorials fairly.
| Score | Clarity | Evidence | Fairness | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 – Strong | Main idea is clear; language is easy to follow. | Several specific, credible pieces of evidence are used. | Respects different sides; little or no loaded language. | Has a clear beginning, middle, and end with smooth transitions. |
| 3 – Good | Main idea is mostly clear; minor confusion in wording. | Some good evidence; a few points could be developed more. | Mostly fair; a little bias or emotional wording appears. | Generally well organized; a few jumps or repeated points. |
| 2 – Needs Work | Main idea is hard to find or unclear. | Very little or weak evidence; relies mostly on opinion. | Shows clear bias; often uses loaded or insulting language. | Ideas feel mixed up; difficult to follow the argument. |
| 1 – Poor | Readers cannot tell what the stand is. | No real evidence; only claims and emotional statements. | Extremely one-sided; attacks people instead of issues. | Lacks any clear structure; like a random rant. |
When you apply this rubric, read the editorial and then decide which description best matches what you see for each criterion. You can also write brief notes beside your scores, such as “strong statistics in paragraph 3” or “bias against students with different opinions.” These notes will be helpful when you explain your evaluation in writing or in a class discussion.
Real-life tie-in: Many teachers, employers, and judges use rubrics or checklists when they evaluate speeches, essays, or projects. Learning to use a simple rubric now prepares you to handle more complex evaluation tasks in higher grades and in future work.
Mini-summary: A rubric turns your evaluation into a more objective process by giving clear descriptions for each level of performance. It helps you judge editorials consistently and explain your scores with reasons.
-
What advantage does a rubric give you when evaluating an editorial?
Show Answer
It provides clear descriptions and makes your evaluation more consistent, fair, and easier to explain to others. -
If an editorial has a strong main idea but very weak evidence, how
might its scores differ on the rubric?
Show Answer
It might score high (3 or 4) on clarity but low (1 or 2) on evidence. -
Why is it helpful to write short notes beside your rubric scores?
Show Answer
Notes remind you of specific examples from the text that support your judgment when you later explain or discuss your evaluation.
Checkpoint 5 – Writing Your Own Summary–Evaluation Paragraph
Mini-goal: Combine summarizing and evaluating in one well-structured paragraph.
In many school tasks and real-world situations, you are asked to both summarize and evaluate a text. A helpful pattern is to write a summary–evaluation paragraph. The first part of the paragraph briefly summarizes the editorial, while the second part gives your judgment using one or two criteria. Keeping these parts clear prevents confusion between what the writer says and what you think about it.
You can follow this pattern: 1) First sentence – state the title or topic of the editorial and the writer’s main idea. 2) Second sentence – mention the most important supporting points or solutions. 3) Third sentence – give your overall evaluation using one or two criteria (for example, evidence and fairness). 4) Fourth sentence – support your evaluation with a specific example from the editorial. 5) Optional fifth sentence – give a final comment or question that invites further thinking.
For example: “The editorial ‘Safer Classrooms Now’ argues that schools must invest in better ventilation and emergency plans for heatwaves. It supports this stand by citing health reports and describing students’ experiences during the hottest weeks. Overall, the editorial is strong in evidence but only partly fair to school officials. While it clearly presents data from doctors and parents, it does not include the challenges faced by schools with limited budgets.” This short paragraph both summarizes and evaluates the article in a balanced way.
Real-life tie-in: When you recommend or criticize an article, video, or post to a friend, you are already giving a short summary and evaluation. Learning a clear pattern helps you do it more respectfully and thoughtfully, both in school and online.
Mini-summary: A summary–evaluation paragraph first tells what the editorial says and then explains what you think about its quality using clear criteria and specific examples.
-
Why is it important to separate the summary part from the evaluation
part in your paragraph?
Show Answer
To avoid confusing what the writer says with your own opinion and to show that you understood the text before judging it. -
In the example paragraph, which sentence clearly shows the writer’s
evaluation?
Show Answer
“Overall, the editorial is strong in evidence but only partly fair to school officials.” -
What is one criterion you feel confident using now when you evaluate
an editorial? Why?
Show Answer
Answers will vary; learners might say clarity, evidence, or fairness and explain which activities helped them practice that criterion.
💡 Example in Action
-
Example 1 – Summarizing Key Points
Read this mini-editorial: “Online classes should remain an option during extreme weather events. When storms or heatwaves close schools, learners often miss important lessons. With prepared online modules and schedules, classes can continue safely at home. The department must invest in better training and internet support so no learner is left behind.” Write a 2–3 sentence summary.Show Answer
Sample summary: The editorial argues that online classes should remain an option during extreme weather so learning can continue safely. It explains that storms and heatwaves often close schools and suggests using prepared online modules and schedules. It calls on the department to provide training and internet support so all learners can participate. -
Example 2 – Applying Criteria
Using the same mini-editorial, evaluate its clarity and evidence. Give each criterion a score from 1–4 and explain your rating briefly.Show Answer
Sample: Clarity – 4, because the main idea and reasons are easy to understand. Evidence – 3, because it gives logical reasons and some explanation but no specific statistics or expert sources. -
Example 3 – Detecting Fairness
Suppose the mini-editorial never mentions challenges faced by students with weak internet connections. How might this affect its fairness score?Show Answer
Its fairness score might drop to 2 or 3 because it does not fully consider learners who may struggle with online access, so the picture of online classes is incomplete. -
Example 4 – Writing a Summary–Evaluation Paragraph
Using your ratings from Example 2, write one summary–evaluation paragraph about the mini-editorial. Follow the pattern from Checkpoint 5.Show Answer
Sample: The editorial argues that online classes should stay as an option during extreme weather so learning can continue safely at home. It explains that storms and heatwaves often shut down schools and suggests using prepared online modules and schedules while improving training and internet support. Overall, the editorial is very clear and gives sensible reasons, but its evidence could be stronger because it lacks specific data or expert quotations. -
Example 5 – Looking Back at the Whole Quarter
Think about one full editorial you read during this quarter. In a short oral or written report, answer: What is its main idea? How strong is its evidence? How fair is its language? Would you recommend that other Grade 8 learners read it? Why or why not?Show Answer
Teacher may expect varied answers. Look for: clear statement of main idea, comments on evidence (types and strength), comments on fairness or bias, and a recommendation supported by reasons.
📝 Try It Out
Answer the tasks in your notebook. Then compare with the suggested answers.
-
Choose one short editorial or editorial excerpt provided by your
teacher. Underline or highlight the main idea and at least three
supporting points.
Show Answer
Teacher should see: one clear sentence for the main idea and several underlined supporting reasons or examples from different parts of the text. -
Using your markings from Item 1, write a 4–5 sentence summary of the
editorial in your own words.
Show Answer
Good summaries will name the issue, state the writer’s stand, and combine the main reasons and any key solution without copying long phrases or adding personal opinion. -
Build a mini-rubric in your notebook with four criteria: clarity,
evidence, fairness, and organization. For each, write short
descriptions for scores 4 (strong) and 1 (poor).
Show Answer
Descriptions may be adapted from the table in Checkpoint 4. Teacher checks that learners understand what each score means. -
Use your mini-rubric to score the same editorial. Write one or two
sentences explaining your score for each criterion.
Show Answer
Look for specific references to the text, such as “The main idea is in the second paragraph,” “Paragraphs 3–4 provide statistics,” or “The writer uses harsh labels for one group.” -
Write one summary–evaluation paragraph about the editorial following
this pattern: summary in the first 2–3 sentences, then your
evaluation and reasons.
Show Answer
Paragraphs should clearly separate what the writer says from the learner’s judgment and mention at least one criterion (clarity, evidence, fairness, or organization). -
Rewrite one sentence from your paragraph that sounds too emotional
or biased. Make the language more neutral but keep your point.
Show Answer
Teacher looks for changes such as deleting insults, replacing “terrible” with “weak,” or focusing on the argument rather than the person. -
Compare your summary–evaluation paragraph with a partner’s. What is
one strength of your partner’s work that you would like to copy?
What is one suggestion you can give?
Show Answer
Expected responses: compliments about clear summaries, strong evidence, or respectful language; suggestions about organization or including more reasons. -
Make a simple three-column chart labeled Skill,
What I Can Do Now, and
What I Still Need to Practice. List at least three skills
about editorials (for example, “finding main idea,” “spotting bias,”
“writing summaries”).
Show Answer
Teacher can use these charts to see which skills students feel confident in and which may need review or enrichment in future lessons. -
Think back to Day 1. In 3–4 sentences, explain how your view of
editorials has changed from the first day to today.
Show Answer
Answers will vary; many learners may say that editorials used to look difficult, but now they can see the parts, check evidence, and respond more confidently. -
Complete this statement in your notebook: “When I encounter
editorials in newspapers, websites, or social media, I will remember
to…”
Show Answer
Responses may include: check main idea and evidence, look for bias, compare sources, summarize before reacting, or respect people with different opinions.
✅ Check Yourself
Answer the questions, then reveal the answers to check your understanding.
-
(Multiple Choice) What is the main purpose of a summary?
a. To copy the original text exactly
b. To shorten the text while keeping only personal opinions
c. To present the main ideas of a text in fewer words
d. To criticize the writer’s point of viewShow Answer
Correct answer: c. To present the main ideas of a text in fewer words. -
(Multiple Choice) Which statement about summarizing an editorial is
TRUE?
a. You should always include your own reaction.
b. You should use mostly your own words.
c. You must include every example and statistic.
d. You should change the writer’s main idea.Show Answer
Correct answer: b. -
(True/False) A good summary should clearly state the writer’s stand
on the issue.
Show Answer
True. The writer’s main idea or stand is essential information. -
(True/False) Evaluation means giving random opinions about a text
with no reasons.
Show Answer
False. Evaluation should be based on clear criteria and reasons. -
(Short Answer) Name two criteria you can use to evaluate an
editorial.
Show Answer
Possible answers: clarity, evidence, fairness, organization, impact. -
(Multiple Choice) Which question best checks the
fairness of an editorial?
a. “How long is the article?”
b. “Does the writer use data from studies?”
c. “Does the writer respect different sides and avoid insulting language?”
d. “Is the headline attractive?”Show Answer
Correct answer: c. -
(Short Answer) What is one danger of evaluating an editorial using
only your feelings and not clear criteria?
Show Answer
You might judge unfairly, ignore strong evidence, or reject useful ideas just because you are emotional or biased. -
(Multiple Choice) In a summary–evaluation paragraph, which part
should come FIRST?
a. Your personal stand and reasons
b. A joke or story that is not in the editorial
c. A summary of the editorial’s main idea and key points
d. A list of words you did not understandShow Answer
Correct answer: c. -
(True/False) A rubric can help make your evaluation of an editorial
more objective and consistent.
Show Answer
True. Rubrics provide clear descriptions that guide judgments. -
(Short Answer) When you score an editorial low on evidence, what is
one comment you might write on your rubric?
Show Answer
Sample: “Gives opinions but no data or expert sources,” or “Only one weak example supports the main idea.” -
(Multiple Choice) Which of the following sentences is most
appropriate in the evaluation part of your paragraph?
a. “The editorial is about heat in classrooms.”
b. “The writer believes classes should be shorter.”
c. “The editorial is clear but uses very little evidence, so the argument is not fully convincing.”
d. “The article was long.”Show Answer
Correct answer: c. -
(Short Answer) How does summarizing an editorial first help you
evaluate it more fairly?
Show Answer
Summarizing forces you to understand the writer’s main ideas before judging them, so your evaluation is based on the actual content, not on misunderstanding. -
(Multiple Choice) Which skill is MOST useful when you read online
opinion posts and editorials?
a. Memorizing every sentence
b. Believing all strong emotions
c. Summarizing and checking evidence
d. Ignoring all information that you dislikeShow Answer
Correct answer: c. -
(Short Answer) After finishing this quarter’s lessons on editorials,
what is one reading habit you want to continue practicing?
Show Answer
Answers will vary; examples: identifying main ideas, checking sources, noting bias, using rubrics, or writing short responses. -
(Reflection Check) Do you feel more confident now when you face
opinion articles online or in print? Briefly explain why or why not.
Show Answer
Answers will vary. Teacher can use them to gauge overall impact of the unit and plan future review.
🚀 Go Further (optional)
-
Editorial Showcase – Ask learners to bring one
editorial (printed or digital) they think is powerful.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Have each learner present a short summary and a 1–2 minute evaluation using the class rubric. Display selected editorials on a “Reading Critically” bulletin board. -
Rubric Designers – In small groups, students design
an improved editorial rubric with 3–5 criteria and clear
descriptions.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Compare group rubrics and combine the best ideas into a final class rubric for future writing and reading tasks. -
Compare & Contrast – Provide two editorials on
the same issue from different sources. Students summarize and
evaluate both, then write a short comparison.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Focus discussion on how differences in evidence, bias, and organization change the message and reliability. -
Student Editorials – Invite learners to write their
own short editorials on school or community issues, then evaluate
their work using the same rubric.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Emphasize respectful language, clear evidence, and logical organization. Consider publishing selected pieces in a class newsletter or blog. -
Family Media Talk – Encourage students to share one
editorial or news article at home and discuss it with family members
using questions from this unit.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Ask learners to record a short reflection on how their family members responded and what they learned from the conversation.
🔗 My Reflection
Notebook prompt:
Look back at Days 1–4 of our editorial lessons. In a short paragraph, explain which activity or idea helped you the most: understanding what editorials are, learning their parts, reading them critically, or summarizing and evaluating them. Describe one specific habit you will keep using when you read opinion articles in the future, and why that habit is important for you as a learner and future citizen.
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