Introduction
How to
Write a Summary in 8 Easy Steps
Writing a
good summary demonstrates that you clearly understand a text...and that you can
communicate that understanding to your readers. A summary can be tricky to
write at first because it’s tempting to include too much or too little
information. But by following our easy 8-step method, you will be able to
summarize texts quickly and successfully for any class or subject.
1)
Divide…and conquer. First off,
skim the text you are going to summarize and divide it into sections. Focus on
any headings and subheadings. Also look at any bold-faced terms and make sure
you understand them before you read.
2) Read. Now that you’ve prepared, go ahead and read the
selection. Read straight through. At this point, you don’t need to stop to look
up anything that gives you trouble—just get a feel for the author’s tone,
style, and main idea.
3) Reread. Rereading should be active reading.
Underline topic sentences and key facts. Label areas that you want to refer to
as you write your summary. Also label areas that should be avoided because the
details—though they may be interesting—are too specific. Identify areas that
you do not understand and try to clarify those points.
4) One
sentence at a time. You should
now have a firm grasp on the text you will be summarizing. In steps 1–3, you
divided the piece into sections and located the author’s main ideas and points.
Now write down the main idea of each section in one well-developed sentence.
Make sure that what you include in your sentences are key points, not minor
details.
5) Write a
thesis statement. This is
the key to any well-written summary. Review the sentences you wrote in step 4.
From them, you should be able to create a thesis statement that clearly
communicates what the entire text was trying to achieve. If you find that you
are not able to do this step, then you should go back and make sure your
sentences actually addressed key points.
6) Ready to
write. At this point, your first
draft is virtually done. You can use the thesis statement as the introductory
sentence of your summary, and your other sentences can make up the body. Make
sure that they are in order. Add some transition words (then, however,
also, moreover) that help with the overall structure and flow of
the summary. And once you are actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to
keys!), remember these tips:
Write in the present
tense.
Make sure to include the
author and title of the work.
Be concise: a summary
should not be equal in length to the original text.
If you must use the
words of the author, cite them.
Don't put your own
opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of
writing a summary is to accurately represent what the author wanted to
say, not to provide a critique.
7) Check
for accuracy. Reread
your summary and make certain that you have accurately represented the author’s
ideas and key points. Make sure that you have correctly cited anything directly
quoted from the text. Also check to make sure that your text does not contain
your own commentary on the piece.
8) Revise. Once you are certain that your summary is
accurate, you should (as with any piece of writing) revise it for style,
grammar, and punctuation. If you have time, give your summary to someone else
to read. This person should be able to understand the main text based on your
summary alone. If he or she does not, you may have focused too much on one area
of the piece and not enough on the author’s main idea.
