Complete Guide on How to Write a Summary with Examples

A summary presents a brief or more condensed version of the main ideas of a text or speech. Being able to summarize something effectively can help you save time, gain insight, and communicate ideas more clearly.

But writing a summary is not always easy. It requires careful reading, critical thinking, and effective writing skills. 

In this guide, we'll take you step-by-step through the process of writing a summary. You’ll also get some amazing tips and helpful examples to help you get started. 

So let's dive in!

What is a Summary?

A summary is a condensed version of a work that gives the reader an overview of its central ideas. In other words, it is a brief and concise paragraph that highlights the most important ideas and key points of a text, speech, or other form of communication.

Writing a summary means that you present all the essential information in a paragraph. It does not include your own thoughts or anything from outside the work you are summarizing. It only mentions all the main points expressed in the text, keeping it concise yet comprehensive.

Summaries are written in various contexts. For instance, in academic papers, newspaper articles, college courses, and book reviews. 

• In academic writing, students are required to summarize research articles or case studies to demonstrate their understanding of the important points. 
• Similarly, college students often have to summarize the course material to understand and remember it easily.
• In journalism, journalists often write news summaries to provide a brief overview of a story's key points. 
• Another example is book reviews, where a summary is provided to introduce the main idea of the book to the readers.

What is the Purpose of the Summary?

A summary can serve several purposes. Summaries are often written for these reasons:

• To demonstrate that you’ve understood the material.
• To prepare of exams. It's a perfect way to take notes that can help you remember what you've studied.
• To communicate effectively with others. Summaries can be used to ensure that everyone has a shared understanding of the key information. This is especially useful in academic teaching and business management contexts. 

Characteristics of a Summary 

Any summary you write should have certain characteristics. Here is what a summary includes:

• Concise and Clear: A summary is brief and to the point, conveying the most important information in a clear way. 
• Objective: A summary is written in an objective tone. It should reflect the author's intent and meaning without any personal interpretation of the text.
• Comprehensive and Accurate: A summary accurately reflects all the main points and ideas of the original work. However, it does not include any additional information or opinions that are not present in the original material.
• Writing tone and style: You should write a summary in your own words and style. Do not include direct quotes from the work when writing a summary. Rather, present the main points in your own words.

How to Write a Summary in 8 Steps 

A summary is a short version of a text that includes only the main points. It must be written in your own words and should be clear and organized. Follow these steps to write a strong and accurate summary.

Step 1: Read the Text Carefully 

Read the text fully and try to understand it before writing anything.

Begin by reading the original text from start to finish. The first time you read, focus on understanding the topic and the message. Then read it again to find more details, like how the author supports their ideas. Do not skip this step. If you do not understand the text, your summary will not be correct.

Step 2: Find the Main Idea 

Look for the main point the author is trying to share.

The main idea is the most important message in the text. Ask yourself what the author wants readers to know or learn. This idea will guide the whole summary. Everything you include should relate to this main point.

Step 3: Pick Out the Key Points 

Find the most important parts that explain or support the main idea.

After you know the main idea, find the major points that help explain it. These could be facts, examples, reasons, or steps. You do not need every detail—only the parts that help you understand the message clearly. Skip things like jokes or long stories that are not needed.

Step 4: Use Your Own Words 

Rewrite the main points using simple words to show you understand the text.

Now, take the ideas and write them in a new way. Use your own words and sentence style. Do not copy full sentences from the text. If you need to keep special terms or names, that is fine, but most of the summary should be in your own language. This shows your understanding.

Step 5: Keep It Short and Focused 

Only include what is important and leave out extra details.

A summary is not long. It should be much shorter than the original text—about one-third the length or less. Do not add examples from your life or your thoughts about the text. Just focus on the main idea and the key points.

Step 6: Use a Clear Structure 

Start with the title and author, then share the main idea and key points in order.

Good summaries follow a clear path. Begin with the title of the text and the name of the author. Then write the main idea, followed by the most important supporting points. Try to keep the order the same as in the original so the summary makes sense.

Step 7: Stay Neutral and Do Not Copy Quotes 

Do not share your own opinion or use the author’s exact words.

A summary is not a review. You should not add your opinion or feelings. You should also avoid using quotes. Only use the author’s exact words if they are needed to explain a key idea. Most of the time, it is better to explain things in your own way.

Step 8: Check and Edit Your Work 

Read your summary again to make sure it is clear, correct, and complete. 

After writing, always read your summary again. Fix any spelling or grammar mistakes and make sure every part of the summary is useful and connects to the main idea. 

Remove anything that is not needed. This final check helps make your work easy to read and understand.

Summary Dos and Don'ts

The table below shows what you should and should not do when writing a summary.

Read Summary Examples Here

Learn more by reading some real-life summary examples. Here are some examples of summaries of articles, research papers, stories, poems, and more.

To Sum Up,

Writing a summary is an important skill that can help you understand complex material, prepare for exams, and communicate effectively. 

By applying the steps and tips discussed in this blog, you can write effective summaries of different types of texts. With practice, you will be able to communicate the main ideas concisely and accurately. 

However, do you need expert help with writing your summary? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

At CollegeEssay.org, our professional and experienced writers are here to help you write all types of summaries. So whether you need a summary of a literary work or a research paper, we are available 24/7 to get it done for you!

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