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Everything You Need To Know About Writing a Summary

Wondering why summary writing is important? Knowing how to compose one is an essential skill not just for students but for anyone who wants to understand and communicate complex ideas clearly. In this post, we’ll provide five easy steps and more to teach you how to write a summary.

Table of Contents

What is a summary, how to write a summary in five easy steps, example of a summary, tips on writing a good summary.

Mastering the art of summary writing is crucial, but do you know why? Well, you might be surprised to learn that knowing how to craft one can help you become a better learner and communicator. If you have yet to sharpen this skill set, don’t worry. Below, we’ll go through five easy steps to write a good summary , complete with examples and tips.

Let’s begin!

A summary is a concise distillation of a larger body of work that briefly but thoroughly encapsulates its main ideas and essential points. It is designed to give the reader a clear understanding of the original project without needing to read it in full.  

Being able to restate in your own words what you’ve just read is a sign that you’ve truly absorbed and understood the information. In contrast, merely memorizing facts is not a good indication of comprehension. In other words, if you can’t concisely summarize something, you haven’t fully grasped the concept.

The word summary is a noun that refers to the “concise but comprehensive rewriting of an original body of work.”

• I had to write a summary of one of Mark Twain’s stories.

The verb form of this word is to summarize , which means “to provide a summary of something.”

• She missed the presentation, so I summarized it for her.

Now that we’ve reviewed what a summary entails, let’s get to the fun part: writing one!

Keep in mind that summaries can encompass a wide range of subjects, including books, articles, movies, meetings, and more. Also, a summarization isn’t necessarily always confined to writing; you can verbally summarize something, too. However, the steps below are designed to help you compose a written summary.

1. Read and take notes. 

First things first: Read or watch the original work you’ll be summarizing. While you do, take brief pauses and explain to yourself what you just read or watched. As the main ideas start becoming clear to you, take notes. This will make the writing process easier.

2. Start with an introductory sentence.

In academic and formal contexts, summaries typically begin with an introductory sentence that states the work’s title and author. This sets the stage for the reader by immediately identifying what is being discussed. However, if the work has already been identified, it may not be necessary to start with the title and author. For example, if you’re in a class that is currently discussing Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, then you may not need to include that information in the introduction.

3. Explain the main points.

Identify and elaborate on the main arguments or messages, and seek supporting evidence, topic sentences, or thesis statements .

It’s also a good idea to focus on the what, how, and why:

• What are the key ideas or events?
• How do they develop throughout the work?
• Why are they important to the work’s overall message?

Remember, be selective in what you include. Summaries are about the bigger picture, not the small details. 

4. Organize your summary to ensure a smooth flow.

Your summary should be coherent and easy to read. Therefore, you should use transition words to ensure logical progression from one idea to the next. It’s best to structure your summary similarly to the original work. Despite being a condensed version, it should still stand on its own as a cohesive piece of writing. In other words, ensure that there is a clear beginning, middle, and end.

5. Conclude by restating the author’s thesis. 

Finish your summary with a clear statement that effectively captures the author’s main argument or purpose. Keep in mind that the conclusion of a summary should not introduce new information but instead provide a sense of closure. This will leave the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the original text.

Imagine you’re taking a class on Shakespeare, and you’re assigned to write a one-paragraph summary of Romeo and Juliet. It should be similar to the following example:

“Romeo and Juliet” is a tragic play that tells the story of two young, star-crossed lovers. It begins with a street brawl between servants from the wealthy Montague and Capulet families and ends with two shocking deaths that ultimately reconcile a long-time feud. Romeo, a Montague, falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet, at a masquerade ball. Despite their families’ conflict, they marry in secret. After Romeo is banished for avenging the death of his friend, Juliet fakes her death to be with him. The plan goes awry, leading to Romeo and Juliet’s actual deaths. When the families learn of the tragic sequence of events, they decide to end their bitter feud once and for all.

It’s important to note that the length of the summary depends on the assignment’s instructions. It is possible to write a longer summary of Romeo and Juliet, if needed, by providing some more details and elaborating on the play’s themes.

How Long Should a Summary Be?

Some guidelines suggest that summaries should be 10%-30% of the original work, so it often depends on the complexity of the text and the intended purpose. If you’re writing a summary for school and are unsure how long it should be, ask your instructor for clarification.

As you work on your summary, keep the following tips in mind:

Take notes as you read.

We already mentioned this, but it’s worth reiterating. Taking notes as you read the original work is an easy way to simplify the summary writing process. The notes don’t have to be extensive; they just have to help you remember the important points.

Use your own words.

Don’t just copy and paste from the original work. Instead, analyze it and restate it. Imagine you and a friend just read an article. You understand it, but your friend doesn’t. You wouldn’t just reread it, hoping that a second reading would miraculously become clearer, right? No, you’d reword it. That’s precisely what you have to do when writing a summary.

Do not include opinions or interpretations.

A summary’s purpose is to restate the original text concisely. Avoid writing about your opinions or judgments about the work, and do not include elaborate interpretations.

Ensure proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

You can follow all the steps above and even ensure you abide by these tips. But if your summary is riddled with errors, it won’t be as effective. A simple way to ensure flawless spelling, grammar, and punctuation is to use LanguageTool as your personal writing assistant. Not only will it correct any mistakes, but it will also enhance your style. Plus, it supports more than thirty languages and dialects, so whether you’re writing in your native tongue or your second language, your instructors will be utterly impressed with your prose.

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How to Write a Summary (Examples Included)

By Ashley Shaw

Have you ever recommended a book to someone and given them a quick overview? Then you’ve created a summary before!

Summarizing is a common part of everyday communication. It feels easy when you’re recounting what happened on your favorite show, but what do you do when the information gets a little more complex?

Written summaries come with their own set of challenges. You might ask yourself:

• What details are unnecessary?
• How do you put this in your own words without changing the meaning?
• How close can you get to the original without plagiarizing it?
• How long should it be?

The answers to these questions depend on the type of summary you are doing and why you are doing it.

A summary in an academic setting is different to a professional summary—and both of those are very different to summarizing a funny story you want to tell your friends.

One thing they all have in common is that you need to relay information in the clearest way possible to help your reader understand. We’ll look at some different forms of summary, and give you some tips on each.

Let’s get started!

What Is a Summary?

How do you write a summary, how do you write an academic summary, what are the four types of academic summaries, how do i write a professional summary, writing or telling a summary in personal situations, summarizing summaries.

A summary is a shorter version of a larger work. Summaries are used at some level in almost every writing task, from formal documents to personal messages.

When you write a summary, you have an audience that doesn’t know every single thing you know.

When you want them to understand your argument, topic, or stance, you may need to explain some things to catch them up.

Instead of having them read the article or hear every single detail of the story or event, you instead give them a brief overview of what they need to know.

Academic, professional, and personal summaries each require you to consider different things, but there are some key rules they all have in common.

Let’s go over a few general guides to writing a summary first.

1. A summary should always be shorter than the original work, usually considerably.

Even if your summary is the length of a full paper, you are likely summarizing a book or other significantly longer work.

2. A summary should tell the reader the highlights of what they need to know without giving them unnecessary details.

3. It should also include enough details to give a clear and honest picture.

For example, if you summarize an article that says “ The Office is the greatest television show of all time,” but don’t mention that they are specifically referring to sitcoms, then you changed the meaning of the article. That’s a problem! Similarly, if you write a summary of your job history and say you volunteered at a hospital for the last three years, but you don’t add that you only went twice in that time, it becomes a little dishonest.

4. Summaries shouldn’t contain personal opinion.

While in the longer work you are creating you might use opinion, within the summary itself, you should avoid all personal opinion. A summary is different than a review. In this moment, you aren’t saying what you think of the work you are summarizing, you are just giving your audience enough information to know what the work says or did.

Now that we have a good idea of what summaries are in general, let’s talk about some specific types of summary you will likely have to do at some point in your writing life.

An academic summary is one you will create for a class or in other academic writing. The exact elements you will need to include depend on the assignment itself.

However, when you’re asked for an academic summary, this usually this means one of five things, all of which are pretty similar:

• You need to do a presentation in which you talk about an article, book, or report.
• You write a summary paper in which the entire paper is a summary of a specific work.
• You summarize a class discussion, lesson, or reading in the form of personal notes or a discussion board post.
• You do something like an annotated bibliography where you write short summaries of multiple works in preparation of a longer assignment.
• You write quick summaries within the body of another assignment . For example, in an argumentative essay, you will likely need to have short summaries of the sources you use to explain their argument before getting into how the source helps you prove your point.

Regardless of what type of summary you are doing, though, there are a few steps you should always follow:

• Skim the work you are summarizing before you read it. Notice what stands out to you.
• Next, read it in depth . Do the same things stand out?
• Put the full text away and write in a few sentences what the main idea or point was.
• Go back and compare to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
• Expand on this to write and then edit your summary.

Each type of academic summary requires slightly different things. Let’s get down to details.

How Do I Write a Summary Paper?

Sometimes teachers assign something called a summary paper . In this, the entire thing is a summary of one article, book, story, or report.

To understand how to write this paper, let’s talk a little bit about the purpose of such an assignment.

A summary paper is usually given to help a teacher see how well a student understands a reading assignment, but also to help the student digest the reading. Sometimes, it can be difficult to understand things we read right away.

However, a good way to process the information is to put it in our own words. That is the point of a summary paper.

A summary paper is:

• A way to explain in our own words what happened in a paper, book, etc.
• A time to think about what was important in the paper, etc.
• A time to think about the meaning and purpose behind the paper, etc.

Here are some things that a summary paper is not:

• A review. Your thoughts and opinions on the thing you are summarizing don’t need to be here unless otherwise specified.
• A comparison. A comparison paper has a lot of summary in it, but it is different than a summary paper. In this, you are just saying what happened, but you aren’t saying places it could have been done differently.
• A paraphrase (though you might have a little paraphrasing in there). In the section on using summary in longer papers, I talk more about the difference between summaries, paraphrases, and quotes.

Because a summary paper is usually longer than other forms of summary, you will be able to chose more detail. However, it still needs to focus on the important events. Summary papers are usually shorter papers.

Let’s say you are writing a 3–4 page summary. You are likely summarizing a full book or an article or short story, which will be much longer than 3–4 pages.

Imagine that you are the author of the work, and your editor comes to you and says they love what you wrote, but they need it to be 3–4 pages instead.

How would you tell that story (argument, idea, etc.) in that length without losing the heart or intent behind it? That is what belongs in a summary paper.

How Do I Write Useful Academic Notes?

Sometimes, you need to write a summary for yourself in the form of notes or for your classmates in the form of a discussion post.

You might not think you need a specific approach for this. After all, only you are going to see it.

However, summarizing for yourself can sometimes be the most difficult type of summary. If you try to write down everything your teacher says, your hand will cramp and you’ll likely miss a lot.

Yet, transcribing doesn’t work because studies show that writing things down (not typing them) actually helps you remember them better.

So how do you find the balance between summarizing the lessons without leaving out important points?

There are some tips for this:

• If your professor writes it on the board, it is probably important.
• What points do your textbooks include when summarizing information? Use these as a guide.
• Write the highlight of every X amount of time, with X being the time you can go without missing anything or getting tired. This could be one point per minute, or three per five minutes, etc.

How Do I Create an Annotated Biography?

An annotated bibliography requires a very specific style of writing. Often, you will write these before a longer research paper . They will ask you to find a certain amount of articles and write a short annotation for each of them.

While an annotation is more than just a summary, it usually starts with a summary of the work. This will be about 2–3 sentences long. Because you don’t have a lot of room, you really have to think about what the most important thing the work says is.

This will basically ask you to explain the point of the article in these couple of sentences, so you should focus on the main point when expressing it.

Here is an example of a summary section within an annotation about this post:

“In this post, the author explains how to write a summary in different types of settings. She walks through academic, professional, and personal summaries. Ultimately, she claims that summaries should be short explanations that get the audience caught up on the topic without leaving out details that would change the meaning.”

Can I Write a Summary Within an Essay?

Perhaps the most common type of summary you will ever do is a short summary within a longer paper.

For example, if you have to write an argumentative essay, you will likely need to use sources to help support your argument.

However, there is a good chance that your readers won’t have read those same sources.

So, you need to give them enough detail to understand your topic without spending too much time explaining and not enough making your argument.

While this depends on exactly how you are using summary in your paper, often, a good amount of summary is the same amount you would put in an annotation.

Just a few sentences will allow the reader to get an idea of the work before moving on to specific parts of it that might help your argument.

What’s the Difference Between Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Using Quotes?

One important thing to recognize when using summaries in academic settings is that summaries are different than paraphrases or quotes.

A summary is broader and more general. A paraphrase, on the other hand, puts specific parts into your own words. A quote uses the exact words of the original. All of them, however, need to be cited.

Let’s look at an example:

Take these words by Thomas J. Watson:

”Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t as all. You can be discouraged by failure—or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember, that’s where you will find success.”

Let’s say I was told to write a summary, a paraphrase, and a quote about this statement. This is what it might look like:

Summary: Thomas J. Watson said that the key to success is actually to fail more often. (This is broad and doesn’t go into details about what he says, but it still gives him credit.)

Paraphrase: Thomas J. Watson, on asking if people would like his formula for success, said that the secret was to fail twice as much. He claimed that when you decide to learn from your mistakes instead of being disappointed by them, and when you start making a lot of them, you will actually find more success. (This includes most of the details, but it is in my own words, while still crediting the source.)

Quote: Thomas J. Watson said, ”Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure—or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember, that’s where you will find success.” (This is the exact words of the original with quotation marks and credit given.)

Avoiding Plagiarism

One of the hardest parts about summarizing someone else’s writing is avoiding plagiarism .

That’s why I have a few rules/tips for you when summarizing anything:

1. Always cite.

If you are talking about someone else’s work in any means, cite your source. If you are summarizing the entire work, all you probably need to do (depending on style guidelines) is say the author’s name. However, if you are summarizing a specific chapter or section, you should state that specifically. Finally, you should make sure to include it in your Work Cited or Reference page.

2. Change the wording.

Sometimes when people are summarizing or paraphrasing a work, they get too close to the original, and actually use the exact words. Unless you use quotation marks, this is plagiarism. However, a good way to avoid this is to hide the article while you are summarizing it. If you don’t have it in front of you, you are less likely to accidentally use the exact words. (However, after you are done, double check that you didn’t miss anything important or give wrong details.)

3. Use a plagiarism checker.

Of course, when you are writing any summary, especially academic summaries, it can be easy to cross the line into plagiarism. If this is a place where you struggle, then ProWritingAid can help.

Just use our Plagiarism Report . It’ll highlight any unoriginal text in your document so you can make sure you are citing everything correctly and summarizing in your own words.

Find out more about ProWritingAid plagiarism bundles.

Along with academic summaries, you might sometimes need to write professional summaries. Often, this means writing a summary about yourself that shows why you are qualified for a position or organization.

In this section, let’s talk about two types of professional summaries: a LinkedIn summary and a summary section within a resume.

How Do I Write My LinkedIn Bio?

LinkedIn is all about professional networking. It offers you a chance to share a brief glimpse of your professional qualifications in a paragraph or two.

This can then be sent to professional connections, or even found by them without you having to reach out. This can help you get a job or build your network.

Your summary is one of the first things a future employer might see about you, and how you write yours can make you stand out from the competition.

Here are some tips on writing a LinkedIn summary :

• Before you write it, think about what you want it to do . If you are looking for a job, what kind of job? What have you done in your past that would stand out to someone hiring for that position? That is what you will want to focus on in your summary.
• Be professional . Unlike many social media platforms, LinkedIn has a reputation for being more formal. Your summary should reflect that to some extent.
• Use keywords . Your summary is searchable, so using keywords that a recruiter might be searching for can help them find you.
• Focus on the start . LinkedIn shows the first 300 characters automatically, and then offers the viewer a chance to read more. Make that start so good that everyone wants to keep reading.
• Focus on accomplishments . Think of your life like a series of albums, and this is your speciality “Greatest Hits” album. What “songs” are you putting on it?

How Do I Summarize My Experience on a Resume?

Writing a professional summary for a resume is different than any other type of summary that you may have to do.

Recruiters go through a lot of resumes every day. They don’t have time to spend ages reading yours, which means you have to wow them quickly.

To do that, you might include a section at the top of your resume that acts almost as an elevator pitch: That one thing you might say to a recruiter to get them to want to talk to you if you only had a 30-second elevator ride.

If you don’t have a lot of experience, though, you might want to skip this section entirely and focus on playing up the experience you do have.

Outside of academic and personal summaries, you use summary a lot in your day-to-day life.

Whether it is telling a good piece of trivia you just learned or a funny story that happened to you, or even setting the stage in creative writing, you summarize all the time.

How you use summary can be an important consideration in whether people want to read your work (or listen to you talk).

Here are some things to think about when telling a story:

• Pick interesting details . Too many and your point will be lost. Not enough, and you didn’t paint the scene or give them a complete idea about what happened.
• Play into the emotions . When telling a story, you want more information than the bare minimum. You want your reader to get the emotion of the story. That requires a little bit more work to accomplish.
• Focus. A summary of one story can lead to another can lead to another. Think about storytellers that you know that go off on a tangent. They never seem to finish one story without telling 100 others!

To wrap up (and to demonstrate everything I just talked about), let’s summarize this post into its most essential parts:

A summary is a great way to quickly give your audience the information they need to understand the topic you are discussing without having to know every detail.

How you write a summary is different depending on what type of summary you are doing:

• An academic summary usually gets to the heart of an article, book, or journal, and it should highlight the main points in your own words. How long it should be depends on the type of assignment it is.
• A professional summary highlights you and your professional, academic, and volunteer history. It shows people in your professional network who you are and why they should hire you, work with you, use your talents, etc.

Being able to tell a good story is another form of summary. You want to tell engaging anecdotes and facts without boring your listeners. This is a skill that is developed over time.

Take your writing to the next level:

20 Editing Tips from Professional Writers

Whether you are writing a novel, essay, article, or email, good writing is an essential part of communicating your ideas., this guide contains the 20 most important writing tips and techniques from a wide range of professional writers..

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Ashley Shaw

Ashley Shaw is a former editor and marketer/current PhD student and teacher. When she isn't studying con artists for her dissertation, she's thinking of new ways to help college students better understand and love the writing process. You can follow her on Twitter, or, if you prefer animal accounts, follow her rabbits, Audrey Hopbun and Fredra StaHare, on Instagram.

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How to Write a Summary

Last Updated: July 26, 2024 Approved

Reviewing the Piece

Writing the summary in your own words, revising your draft into a coherent summary, sample summaries, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 26 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,835,702 times.

Writing a summary is a great way to process the information you read, whether it’s an article or a book. If you’re assigned a summary in school, the best way to approach it is by reviewing the piece you’re summarizing. Read it thoroughly and take notes on the major points you want to include in your summary. When you get to writing your summary, rely on your memory first to make sure the summary is in your own words. Then, revise it to ensure that your writing is clear and the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are all perfect.

How do you write a good summary?

Start by reviewing the piece and identifying what the major points of it are. Highlight the author and the name of their work first, and then try to recall all of the major plot points from memory. Tighten up your draft by ensuring that your content is in chronological order, and by checking for errors or repetition.

• The author might also state their thesis more plainly by saying something like "my argument is...." or I believe...
• In a fiction piece, the author will more likely emphasize themes. So if you notice that love - discussions or descriptions of it, for example - come up a lot, one of the main points of the piece is probably love.

• To put something in your own words, write it down as if you were explaining or describing it to a friend. In that case, you wouldn't just read what the author wrote. Do the same when you're writing down the major points in your own words.

• For fiction pieces, this means avoiding rewriting every single thing that happens in the piece. Focus instead on the major plot points and the main motivator for those points. Don't include everything that happens to the character along the way.

• For example, you can start with something like “George Shaw’s '‘Pygmalion’' is a play that addresses issues of class and culture in early twentieth-century England.”

• If you absolutely must use the original author’s words, put them in quotation marks. This tells your reader those words aren’t yours. Not doing this is academic plagiarism, and it can get you in a lot of trouble.
• Make sure you format the quote correctly!

• For example, you might think that Hamlet spends a lot of time thinking and not a lot of time acting. You can say something like, "Hamlet is a man of thought, rather than action," instead of saying, "Why doesn't Hamlet do something once in a while?"

• In fiction pieces, you can say something like "Shakespeare's Hamlet then spends a lot of time brooding on the castle ramparts." This tells your reader you're talking about Shakespeare's play, not inventing your own story.

• For example, in a summary of an article about the cause of the American Revolution, you might have a paragraph that summarizes the author's arguments about taxes, and another about religious freedom. You can say something like, "Although some colonists believed that taxes should entitle them to representation in Parliament, the author also argues that other colonists supported the Revolution because they believed they were entitled to representation in heaven on their own terms."

• Don't use spell-checker for spelling errors. It will catch if you spell something wrong, but not if you use the wrong spelling of a word. For example, it won't catch that you used "there" when you meant "their."

• Generally, a summary should be around one quarter the length of the original piece. So if the original piece is 4 pages long, your summary should be no more than 1 page. [13] X Research source

• Not only should they be comparing your work for accuracy, ask them to read it for flow and summation. They should be able understand what happened in the article or story by reading your summary alone. Don't hesitate to ask for criticism; then weigh those criticisms and make valid changes.

• If you notice an author has made the same point multiple times, though, it’s a good indicator that this is an important point, and it should definitely be in your summary. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Start your summary out with where the story takes place, or something that is on the first page or in the first chapter.
• Look at the chapter title of the book.This might help summarize the chapter as you start working on your summary.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/comprehension/authorsmainidea.pdf
• ↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
• ↑ http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/summaryhints.htm
• ↑ https://public.wsu.edu/~mejia/Summary.htm
• ↑ http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Guidelines-for-Writing-a-Summary

About This Article

Before you write a summary, read the piece you’re summarizing, then make notes on what you think the main point and major supporting arguments are. When you’re ready to draft your summary, start with the author and title, then use your own words to write what you think the author’s main point is in each section. Be sure to focus on what the author thinks and feels rather than what you do! Finally, reread your summary and check it for good spelling, punctuation, and grammar. For more suggestions from our reviewer about polishing your summary and improving transitions, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• How to Write a Summary

Proficient students understand that  summarizing , identifying what is most important and restating the text (or other media) in your own words, is an important tool for college success.

After all, if you really know a subject, you will be able to summarize it. If you cannot summarize a subject, even if you have memorized all the facts about it, you can be absolutely sure that you have not learned it. And, if you truly learn the subject, you will still be able to summarize it months or years from now.

Proficient students may monitor their understanding of a text by summarizing as they read. They understand that if they can write a one- or two-sentence summary of each paragraph after reading it, then that is a good sign that they have correctly understood it. If they can not summarize the main idea of the paragraph, they know that comprehension has broken down and they need to use fix-up strategies to repair understanding.

Summary Writing Format

• When writing a summary, remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.
• A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main point of the text as you see it.
• A summary is written in your own words.
• A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions, interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
• Identify in order the significant sub-claims the author uses to defend the main point.
• Copy word-for-word three separate passages from the essay that you think support and/or defend the main point of the essay as you see it.
• Cite each passage by first signaling the work and the author, put “quotation marks” around the passage you chose, and put the number of the paragraph where the passages can be found immediately after the passage.
• Using source material from the essay is important. Why? Because defending claims with source material is what you will be asked to do when writing papers for your college professors.
• Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

Example Summary Writing Format

In the essay Santa Ana , author Joan Didion’s main point is ( state main point ). According to Didion “… passage 1 …” (para.3). Didion also writes “… passage 2 …” (para.8). Finally, she states “… passage 3 …” (para. 12) Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

• Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : http://lumenlearning.com/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Paul Powell. Provided by : Central Community College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by : Chadron State College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• How to Write a Definition Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Effective Thesis Statements
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

• Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

• Introduction to Argument Essay
• Rogerian Argument
• "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
• "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
• How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
• Writing for Success: Argument
• Student Sample: Argument Essay
• Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
• Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
• Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
• Mini-lesson: Fragments I
• Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
• Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
• Mini-lesson: Parallelism
• Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
• Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
• Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
• De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
• Style Exercise: Voice

Narrative Essay

How to write a summary.

Proficient students understand that  summarizing , identifying what is most important and restating the text (or other media) in your own words, is an important tool for college success.

After all, if you really know a subject, you will be able to summarize it. If you cannot summarize a subject, even if you have memorized all the facts about it, you can be absolutely sure that you have not learned it. And, if you truly learn the subject, you will still be able to summarize it months or years from now.

Proficient students may monitor their understanding of a text by summarizing as they read. They understand that if they can write a one- or two-sentence summary of each paragraph after reading it, then that is a good sign that they have correctly understood it. If they can not summarize the main idea of the paragraph, they know that comprehension has broken down and they need to use fix-up strategies to repair understanding.

Summary Writing Format

• When writing a summary, remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.
• A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main point of the text as you see it.
• A summary is written in your own words.
• A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions, interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
• Identify in order the significant sub-claims the author uses to defend the main point.
• Copy word-for-word three separate passages from the essay that you think support and/or defend the main point of the essay as you see it.
• Cite each passage by first signaling the work and the author, put “quotation marks” around the passage you chose, and put the number of the paragraph where the passages can be found immediately after the passage.
• Using source material from the essay is important. Why? Because defending claims with source material is what you will be asked to do when writing papers for your college professors.
• Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

Example Summary Writing Format

In the essay Santa Ana , author Joan Didion’s main point is ( state main point ). According to Didion “… passage 1 …” (para.3). Didion also writes “… passage 2 …” (para.8). Finally, she states “… passage 3 …” (para. 12) Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

• Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : http://lumenlearning.com/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Paul Powell. Provided by : Central Community College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by : Chadron State College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution

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• Institutional Members
• Teacher Members

 Academic Summary Skills

What is a summary?

A summary is a synthesis of the main points of an article written in your own words. It is a combination of selecting the relevant information and condensing it so that it is no more than a third of the length of the original text. A good summary illustrates that you have understood the text clearly.  ( Written by AEUK, 2022)

Summarising video

A 9:30-minute video on how to summarise effectively using t he 6-key stages of summarising. It also includes an example summary and two practice activities.

If you can’t access this YouTube video in your country, go here

Video Worksheet: click here

Suggested steps in writing summaries.

Example Summary

This uses the suggested steps in writing summaries.

Goal Setting Theory

Developed in 1968 by Edwin A Locke, goal-setting theory is based on the premise that setting specific and measurable goals is more effective than establishing unclear goals.  In his article, Locke illustrates five principles for setting clear objectives. Clarity: goals need to be clear and specific. Challenge: goals should be challenging because goals that are too easy are demotivating. Commitment: People need to be committed to the goal or they are less likely to achieve the goal. Feedback: Regular feedback should be provided to ensure the individual remains on track. Task complexity: goals should be broken down into smaller goals (Wrobleski, 2019).

Sample Notes

GST: specific & measurable goals more effective than unclear goals (Edwin A Locke, 1968).

• Clarity: goals = clear & specif.
• Chall: Not too easy > demot.
• Commit: No commit., no achieve.
• FB: provide fb reg.
• Task complex.: Div. tasks into manageable tasks.
• (Wrobleski, 2019).

Possible summary for Goal-Setting Theory

Drawing on the work of Edwin A Locke, Wrobleski (2019) defines goal setting theory as an idea where setting specific and measurable goals is more productive than specifying unclear goals. There are five fundamentals for setting clear aims: clarity, challenge, commitment, feedback and task complexity. 

 Summary Practice 1

• Read the text on Data D emocratization below.  Write a summary of between 30-50 words using the above ‘suggested steps in writing summaries’.

Democratizing IT

Data democratization refers to the process of making digital information available and accessible to everyone within an organisation, regardless of their technical know-how. It means empowering employees to work with data, understand data and make faster data-informed decisions. According to Marr (2021), when staff members are given access to the organisation’s data, operations become more streamlined and efficient as those who know the business will not have to wait for data scientists to analyse the data for them. However, organisations who democratize data need to have a strong leadership in place to ensure the data is properly managed.

Data democrat. = all elec. Info. avail. to  all employees.

Employees = work & undRst data & make faster decisions.

Bus. become more efficient = no waiting for IT specialists to analyse data (Marr, 2021).

But need good leader = ensure data is managed properly.

Possible summary for Data Democratization

Data democratization means making electronic information obtainable to all employees in an organisation. According to Marr (2021), this enables operations to become more systematic as the staff do not have to wait for IT specialists to analyse the data. However, as data must be managed appropriately, good leadership is essential.  

 Summary Practice 2

• Read the text on Behavioural Economics  below.  Write a summary of between 30-50 words using the above ‘suggested steps in writing summaries’.

Behavioural economics

Behavioural economics is a field of economics that incorporates the studies of psychology, neuroscience and sociology to better understand the decision-making processes of individuals (The Observer, 2017). This fairly new subject aims to gain a deeper understanding of why people, at times, make choices that are irrational and the thoughts and emotions that underpin the decisions made (The Guardian, 2017). Decisions, according to Samson (2018), such as whether to pay more for a certain brand, how much to spend on a holiday and which candidate to support in a public vote all involve a decision-making process and it is this mechanism that behavioural economists attempt to understand in order to predict human behaviour.

Behav, Econ. = econ. + psy, neurosci + sociol.

Aim = Better undRst DM process of ppl. (The Observer, 2017).

New sub.  -> deep undRst why ppl make rash D & thoughts & emo. underpin. dec. (The Guardian, 2017).

E.g, pay + 4 cert. brand,  how much 2 pay 4 hol. & who 2 vote for invol. DM. (Samson, 2018).

Behav. Econ. tries 2 undRst DM to predict hum. bev. 

Possible summary for Behavioural Economics

The Observer (2017) defines behavioural economics as a combination of economics and  psychological subjects used to analyse the decision-making process of individuals in order to predict human behaviour (Samson, 2017). Behavioural economists try to understand why people sometimes make poor choices and the thoughts that led to the decisions made (The Guardian, 2017). 

Writing Skills   summary writing

Here are six summary lessons based around 3 topics: general academic, business and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Each topic has two lessons: introduction to summary writing and improve your summary writing. 

Introduction to Summary Writing: 1A General Academic 

Suitable for students beginning their academic studies, this lesson supports students through the summary writing process. It includes an introductory worksheet, an information guide and five practice   tasks which are based on general academic themes. Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided .   Example  Level  ** ** *  [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Introduction to Summary Writing: 1B Business

Suitable for students beginning their academic studies, this lesson supports students through the summary writing process. It includes an introductory worksheet, an information guide and five practice   tasks which are based on a range of business topics. Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided .   Example  Level  ** ** *  [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Introduction to Summary Writing: 1C STEM 

Suitable for students beginning their academic studies, this lesson supports students through the summary writing process. It includes an introductory worksheet, an information guide and five practice   tasks which are based on STEM topics. Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided .   Example  Level  ** ** *  [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Summary lessons.

These next lessons follow on from the above introduction to summary writing.

Improve your Summary Writing: 2A General Academic

Following on from summary writing 1A, this lesson provides students with further practice on the summary writing process. It includes a review worksheet, two practice tasks which are based on general academic subjects and a peer feedback checklist.  Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided . Example  Level  *** **   [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Improve your Summary Writing: 2B Business

Following on from summary writing 1B, this lesson, this lesson provides students with further practice on the summary writing process. It includes a review worksheet, two practice tasks which are based on business topics and a peer feedback checklist. Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided . Example  Level  *** **   [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Improve your Summary Writing: 2C STEM

Following on from summary writing 1C, this lesson, this lesson provides students with further practice on the summary writing process. It includes a review worksheet, two practice tasks which are based on STEM subjects and a peer feedback checklist. Sample notes and sample summaries are also provided . Example  Level  *** * *  [B1/ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Academic Reading to Writing Summary

AEUK Academic Reading summaries have been specifically written for university reading tests. The texts are based around academic journals and the lesson includes key points with support and a model answer. Also includes a critical thinking worksheet.

A short 8-minute listening lecture written by AEUK on Amazon. It discusses the company, recruitment, recent criticisms of safety and Amazon’s response,  It includes a video, test questions, tapescript and PPT.   Exampl e.  Level *** ** [B2/C1]  / Video [9.10] /  MP3 / PPT link in download  / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Summary writing: the path to brexit.  .

The text discusses the background history of the EU, its three key treaties and the economics of the EU. It then highlights the dissatisfaction of EU policy in the UK that led to the referendum and then explores the future policies of leaving the EU.The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers. ( Example )   Level *** ** [ B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The path to Brexit.

The text discusses the background history of the EU, its three key treaties and the economics of the EU. It then highlights the dissatisfaction of EU policy in the UK that led to the referendum and then explores the future policies of leaving the EU. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary . ( Example ).  Level *** ** [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Summary Writing: CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility

The text discusses the popularity of CSR and its historical evolution from the 1950s. It highlights the key values associated with effective CSR policies and examines the key challenges of implementing it. Finally, the author points out that there are still a number of areas that need to be addressed regarding transparency and better legislation . The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.   ( Example ) .  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility

The text discusses the popularity of CSR and its historical evolution from the 1950s. It highlights the key values associated with effective CSR policies and examines the key challenges of implementing it. Finally, the author points out that there are still a number of areas that need to be addressed regarding transparency and better legislation. The reading test worksheet tests   headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1]  TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Circular Economy. Reading & Summary Writing Lesson 

The text provides an overview of both the linear and circular economy. It discusses the positive aspects of a circular economy and how economies can change to this new model. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The Circular Economy 

The text provides an overview of both the linear and circular economy. It discusses the positive aspects of a circular economy and how economies can change to this new model.The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

TED Talk: A short listening lecture on what is the circular economy, how humans are the stewards of the earth and have a responsibility to protect it and examples of how the circular economy works. Exampl e.  Level *** ** [B2/C1]  / Video [13.13] / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Covid-19 pandemic, covid-19: reading & summary writing lesson.

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers . Example   Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: COVID-19 Pandemic 

The text provides an explanation of COVID-19, its possible origins, the global transmission of the virus, global responses and future control. The reading test worksheet includes:  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary. Example     Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

COVID-19 – Lecture Listening Test

This is a lecture on defining COVID-19, how COVID-19 affects the body, typical symptoms, why some people get sick and others don’t, COVID-19 mutations and recent vaccines. It includes a video, test questions and PPT. Worksheet Example   Level *** ** [B2/C1]   PPT link  /  Video   [12.14] / MP3 / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

COVID-19 Pandemic PDF Book

Amazing value – five lessons in one book. introduction (internet research), reading test, summary writing, 1 x lecture listening & a seminar / example /   webpage link /, economic inequality, economic inequality: summary  reading & writing lesson.

The text discusses what is economic inequality and how it is measured. It also discusses the unfairness of wealth distribution between the rich and the poor and suggests possible solutions to address the situation. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example) Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Economic Inequality.

The text defines economic inequality. It discuses differences in income distribution between the rich and poor, it highlights how inequality is measured and offers a range of solutions to address income inequality. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Economic Inequality- Lecture Listening Lesson

This is a lecture on what is economic inequality, how is wealth distributed, how the past has affected the present and the current debate. it includes a video, test questions and ppt ( example ).   level *** ** [b2/c1] / ppt link in download   /   video   [10.00] teacher membership / institutional membership, economic inequality lesson pdf book, amazing value – five lessons in one book. introduction, definition, reading test & summary writing, 1 x lecture listening, [extra reading text] & seminar / example.

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Ethical Consumerism

Ethical  consumerism : reading & summary writing lesson.

The text provides a clear definition of ethical consumerism, discusses what is and what isn’t ethical consumerism and summarises the future of ethical consumption. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.   Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Ethical Consumerism 

The text provides a clear definition of ethical consumerism, discusses what is and what isn’t ethical consumerism and summarises the future of ethical consumption. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary. More reading tests     Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Ethical consumerism 

This is a lecture on defining  ethical consumerism, the associated problems with consumers and the positive advances in the ethical consumerism movement. It includes a video, test questions and PPT. More listening tests.   Level *** ** [B2/C1] PPT /  Video   [09.01] / MP3 /  TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Financial Crisis

Summary writing: the causes of the 2008 financial crisis.

The text discusses the background history of the financial crash through focusing on prime and sub-prime mortgage lending. It then explores the key reasons behind the profitable trading systems of that time, highlighting the collapse and then the following banking regulations that were introduced in 2009/2010. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example ) .  Level *** **  [ B2/C1 ]  TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The causes of the 2008 Financial Crisis

The text discusses the background history of the financial crash through focusing on prime and sub-prime mortgage lending. It then explores the key reasons behind the profitable trading systems of that time, highlighting the collapse and then the following banking regulations that were introduced in 2009/2010. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary . ( Example ) .  Level *** * * [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

The Gig Economy

Summary writing: the gig economy.

The text discusses the rise of the gig economy and makes an attempt to define exactly what it is. It then highlights key gig companies investigating the importance and limitations of this new contemporary employment platform. Finally, it puts forward the future challenges of the gig economy for employees, employers and society . The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example ) . Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The Gig Economy  

The text discusses the rise of the gig economy and makes an attempt to define exactly what it is. It then highlights key gig companies investigating the importance and limitations of this new contemporary employment platform. Finally, it puts forward the future challenges of the gig economy for employees, employers and society. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary . ( Example )   Level *** ** [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

The Gig Economy – AEUK Test

This is a lecture on the defining the Gig Economy and discussing the positives and negatives of three Gig Economies (AirBnB, Uber and Task Rabbit). It includes a video, test questions and PPT (see example ).   Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]  / PPT link in download /   Video   [ 12.14] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Gig Economy Lesson PDF Book

Amazing value – six lessons in one book. introduction, definition, reading test, summary writing, lecture listening & seminar  more information, summary writing: globalisation: international trade..

The text defines the key points associated with globalisation. It discusses the disparity of progression of trade between countries and highlights the integration of in-ward and out- ward looking policies. It finally points out that three key areas of international globalisation are imperative for the economic growth of a country. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example )  Level ***** [ B1/B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Globalisation: International Trade.

The text defines the key points associated with globalisation. It discusses the disparity of progression of trade between countries and highlights the integration of in-ward and out- ward looking policies. It finally points out that three key areas of international globalisation are imperative for the economic growth of a country. The reading test worksheet tests headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary. ( Example )   Level *** ** [ B1/B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Globalisation: economic, political, & cultural relationships   –   by Edeos

This lecture discusses the key elements to the rise of globalisation. It focuses on the inter-connected relationships of politics, culture and the economy. It includes a lot of important vocabulary. The worksheet is based on note-taking followed by a gap-fill summary. ( E xample) . Level: *** ** [B2/C1]  /   Video [8.10]  / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Understanding happiness: Reading & Summary Writing Lesson 

The text discusses the three dimensions of happiness, happiness at home and work and the recent research into what are the important features of happiness. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers .  (  Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Understanding happiness 

The text discusses the three dimensions of happiness, happiness at home and work and the recent research into what are the important features of happiness. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

  What makes a good life? – Robert Waldinger

TED TALK: Lessons from the longest study on happiness by Harvard. It discusses the success of the study and what the findings were. [ Example]   Level: ** ** * [B2/C1]  / Download PPT.  / Video [12:46]   /  TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Happiness Lesson PDF Book  

Amazing value – six lessons in one book. introduction, definitions, questionnaire, reading test & summary writing, 1 x lecture listening & seminar / example /   webpage link, agenda setting theory: reading & summary writing lesson .

Mass communication: The text provides an overview of agenda setting in the media. It discusses its purpose, impact and relevancy in contemporary society. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers .  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test : Mass Communication: Agenda Setting Theory 

The text provides an overview of agenda setting in the media. It discusses its purpose, impact and relevancy in contemporary society. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

A 10-minute lecture on Gatekeeping Theory. The lecture provides a basic historical background, followed by key factors associated with the theory and finally discusses its role in the 21st century . Exampl e.  Level *** ** [B2/C1]  / Video [10.19] / MP3 /   PPT link in Download / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Mergers and acquisitions, reading & writing argument essay [mergers & acquisitions].

Topic: Mergers & Acquisitions . Two short texts (included) – students read the texts, make notes of key arguments ,  and write a 400-600 word essay using in-text referencing and paraphrasing. Lesson includes teacher notes, outline & a model essay [webpage] .   Example  Level **** * [ B2/C1] / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Noise Pollution:  Reading & Summary Writing Lesson

The text discusses what noise pollution is and how it has recently been recognised as harmful to health. The text explores recent empirical evidence into the detrimental effects of noise pollution and presents the W.H.O (2018) guidelines for reducing urban noise.The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers .  Example. Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Noise Pollution – the under-estimated threat to health

The text discusses what noise pollution is and how it has recently been recognised as harmful to health. The text explores recent empirical evidence into the  detrimental  effects of noise pollution and presents the W.H.O (2018) guidelines for reducing urban noise. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Why Noise is bad for your health and what you can do about it.   – Mathias Basner

TED TALK: This lecture discusses the rise in environmental noise and its psychological and physical effects. It proposes a number of possible solutions to control and reduce noise. Level: ** *** [B1/B2/C1]  /   Video [09:58] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Noise Pollution Lesson PDF Book

Amazing value – five lessons in one book. introduction, definition, reading test, summary writing, lecture listening & seminar   more information, contemporary office design: reading & summary writing lesson .

The text discusses the evolution of open plan office space, important considerations in office planning, the drawbacks associated with open plan and possible solutions. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Contemporary Office Design 

The text discusses the evolution of open plan office space, important considerations in office planning, the drawbacks associated with open plan and possible solutions.The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

TED TALK: Why work doesn’t happen at work – Jason Fried

TED TALK: the problems with working in an office environment and highlights two main reasons and three possible improvement solutions. Example.   Level: ** *** [B1/B2/C1]  /   Video [15:21]  / Download PPT.  & adapted PPT Video /  MEMBERSHIP

Phone addiction

Mobile phone addiction: reading & summary writing lesson .

The text discusses the rise in mobile phone use, the factors that lead to addiction and implications for the future. Students take notes on key ideas and write a summary of 200-250 words. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Mobile Phone Addiction 

The text discusses the rise in mobile phone use, the factors that lead to addiction and implications for the future. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Mobile Phone Addiction [TED Talk]  by R. Sleight 

This lecture discusses the rise in smartphone use, associated data in terms of user usage, and five insights to control addictive tendencies. ( Example) . Level: *** ** [B1/B2/C1]  /   Video [11:48] / MP3 / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Academic Plagiarism: Summary  Reading & Writing Lesson

The text discusses what academic plagiarism is, what custom essay writing services are and why university students use them. It highlights the key problems associated with using these sites and offers possible solutions to prevent students from using them. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers . Example. Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Academic Plagiarism – the use of custom essay writing services / writing mills

The text discusses what academic plagiarism is, what custom essay writing services are and why university students use them. It highlights the key problems associated with using these sites and offers possible solutions to prevent students from using them. The reading test worksheet tests headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.   ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Academic Plagiarism- Lecture Listening Lesson (same text as reading)

This lecture focuses on academic plagiarism, what are custom essay writing services and the associated problems and solutions. it includes a video, test questions, tapescript and ppt ( example ).   it is exactly the same text as the reading lesson. level *** ** [b2/c1] / ppt link in download   /   video   [12.00]   / teacher membership / institutional membership, why are some countries poor reading & summary writing lesson .

The text discusses how wealth is measured, how governments and institutions influence wealth, the importance of international trade and a range of possible solutions. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers .  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test:  Why  are some countries poor? 

The text discusses how wealth is measured, how governments and institutions influence wealth, the importance of international trade and a range of possible solutions. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

  Why some countries are poor and others are rich   – The School of Life

A really good lecture on the three key elements of why some countries are poor. It discusses how corruption of institutions, culture and geographical features all play a significant role in poverty. The worksheet is based on note-taking followed by a gap-fill summary. Example. Level: ** ** * [B2/C1]  /   Video [8.47]   / MP3 / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Tax Evasion

Tax e vasion: reading & summary writing lesson.

This reading text is about tax evasion and tax avoidance. The writer discusses the methods some MNCs and rich individuals use to reduce or avoid paying tax and puts forward some suggestions to mitigate this issue. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers . .  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: Tax evasion & tax avoidance

This reading text is about tax evasion and tax avoidance. The writer discusses the methods some multinational corporations (MNCs) and rich individuals use to reduce or avoid paying tax and puts forward some suggestions to mitigate this issue. The reading test worksheet includes:  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

TED Talk: In this short (12 minute) lecture, the speaker explains how MNCs use the ‘double Irish Dutch sandwich’ to significantly reduce their tax liabilities. He also explains why many corporations have left their home countries and have set up in London instead. The listening test consists of ten comprehension questions, six critical thinking questions and an answer key . Exampl e.  Level *** ** [B2/C1]  / Video [12.27] / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Video Games:  Reading & Summary Writing Lesson

The text discusses three serious health issues connected to playing video games. The text uses eight key sources to highlight gaming to be a future health concern . The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers. Example. Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The impact of video games on health.

The text discusses three serious health issues connected to playing video games. The text uses eight key sources to highlight gaming to be a future health concern. The reading test worksheet tests  headings / T,F,NG / open answers / gap fill / information tables / reference words / vocabulary.  (see Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Your Brain on Video Games – Daphne Bavelier

TED TALK: This TED talk discusses how action-packed shooter games can be used as educational and rehabilitation tools. It provides clear examples of research and an analysis of the brain. Power Point. (Example) . Level: *** ** [B2/C1]  /   Video [17:51]  / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Video Games Lesson PDF Book

Amazing value – five lessons in one book. introduction, definition, reading test, summary writing, lecture listening & seminar. example . .

Topic: The World is Going to University (The Economist, 2015) . Two page text (Download from the Economist) – students read text, make notes of key ideas, relevant support & write a 250 word summary.  Then write a 150-word critical response. Lesson includes a plan, outline, main points & support, a model summary and model response [webpage] .     Example  Level  **** *  [ B2/C1]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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The 4th Industrial Revolution

The 4th industrial revolution ( industry 4.0) : reading & summary writing lesson.

The text provides an overview of the 4th industrial revolution (industry 4.0). It discusses the previous industrial revolutions and the opportunities and challenges of industry 4.0. The summary writing task consists of a note-taking worksheet, a summary writing task, critical thinking questions, sample notes, a sample summary and sample critical thinking answers .  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP  / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Reading Test: The 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0)

The text provides an overview of the 4th industrial revolution (industry 4.0). It discusses the previous industrial revolutions and the opportunities and challenges of industry 4.0. The reading test includes: headings / T,F,NG / open answers / reference words / vocabulary / paraphrasing.  ( Example )  Level *** ** [ B2/C1 ]   TEACHER MEMBERSHIP   /   INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

What is the  Fourth Industrial Revolution? –  Graeme Codrington

This lecture briefly highlights how the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Industrial Revolutions connect to the 4th Industrial revolution. It clearly explains what is and what isn’t the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The worksheet is based on note-taking followed by a gap-fill summary. Example. Level: ** ** * [B2/C1]  /   Video [10.39] / MP3 / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Summarizing

by jleemcga | Aug 18, 2023 | Resources for Students , Writing Resources

What is summarizing?

A summary of a text is a short overview of the main ideas written in your own words. While paraphrasing involves expressing specific ideas or details from a larger text in your own words, we generally summarize whole texts (whether it is an essay, article, chapter, book, et cetera). So, in order to ensure our summaries are not too wordy or confusing, we only cover the main ideas or argument presented within a whole text.

It’s best to summarize when you’re contextualizing a topic by letting your readers know about the current, ongoing conversation. By summarizing relevant sources, you’re providing your audience with an overview of what has already been said about this topic to help them understand how you’ll be adding to it. Summarizing material within your paper allows you to:

• Condense key ideas or arguments relevant to your paper
• Simplify the connection between a source and your own writing

How do I summarize?

To approach summarizing a source, try the following steps:

• First make sure you carefully read the original source material to understand it. Like paraphrasing, summarizing effectively requires an accurate understanding of the source material
• Identify all the main ideas from the text. It helps to look for the thesis or overall claim the author is presenting, as well as any important reasons they give to back their claim. Basically, you’re looking for why their argument is what it is
• When you begin your summary, you might use a TAG line. This stands for Title, Author, Genre and allows you to formally introduce the text before you summarize its ideas. An example of a TAG line is: In the article “Stuck on the Streets of San Francisco in a Driverless Car”, Cade Metz reports … TAG lines add a helpful framework for the summary
• Be sure not to include any specific examples, details, or evidence from the text. In summaries, we don’t describe the author’s examples (this would be like rewriting the entire text). Instead, we offer a map of the main idea and major points
• Once you finish writing your summary, check to make sure your summary concisely and accurately captures the author’s main ideas
• Remember to cite!

Examples of summarizing

Here is an example of a writer summarizing a main idea from the source Social Death: Racialized Rightlessness and the Criminalization of the Unprotected by Lisa Marie Cacho in their essay about a Salvadoran poet and her poetry’s relationship to reclaiming identity:

The ambiguity that is scored onto the bodies of Salvadoran migrants creates an impoverished sense of time and freedom by keeping these individuals indefinitely “temporary,” an ephemera that imposes a constant threat against safety and belonging for Salvadorans in the US. This weaponization of time also contributes to the condition of social death that Cacho describes as being prevalent for people of color, and particularly immigrants, in the US. According to Cacho, part of the criminalization of people of color within the US— not based on one’s behavior, but by their appearance— is heightened further by the notion of documentation. The rhetoric surrounding immigration in the US ultimately aims to invalidate those without documentation by using slurs like “illegal” (Cacho).

Note: The writer quotes some key terms, like “temporary” or “illegal” that the author emphasizes in the original source but describes the main ideas of the source in their own words. Note, too, that the summary focuses on the big-picture ideas of the source without mentioning examples that are too specific.

Things to keep in mind when summarizing

Some important things to remain mindful of while summarizing in your assignments are:

• There is no specified length for writing summaries; they may be a few sentences or a few paragraphs depending on your writing project. For most academic essays, a summary of a few sentences to a short paragraph is appropriate. Concision is key
• Do not include your opinions on the topic or the author’s ideas in your summary; your ideas are important, but summary is a genre of writing that requires objectivity
• Do not include specific details or examples from the text—just focus on the big picture ideas

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Writing an article summary.

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When writing a summary, the goal is to compose a concise and objective overview of the original article. The summary should focus only on the article's main ideas and important details that support those ideas.

Guidelines for summarizing an article:

• State the main ideas.
• Identify the most important details that support the main ideas.
• Summarize in your own words.
• Do not copy phrases or sentences unless they are being used as direct quotations.
• Express the underlying meaning of the article, but do not critique or analyze.
• The summary should be about one third the length of the original article. 

Your summary should include:

• Give an overview of the article, including the title and the name of the author.
• Provide a thesis statement that states the main idea of the article.
• Use the body paragraphs to explain the supporting ideas of your thesis statement.
• One-paragraph summary - one sentence per supporting detail, providing 1-2 examples for each.
• Multi-paragraph summary - one paragraph per supporting detail, providing 2-3 examples for each.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence.
• Use transitional words and phrases to connect ideas.
• Summarize your thesis statement and the underlying meaning of the article.

 Adapted from "Guidelines for Using In-Text Citations in a Summary (or Research Paper)" by Christine Bauer-Ramazani, 2020

Additional Resources

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How to Write a Summary - Guide & Examples  (from Scribbr.com)

Writing a Summary  (from The University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center)

• Next: Writing an article REVIEW >>
• Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024 9:32 AM
• URL: https://libguides.randolph.edu/summaries

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• How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples

How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples

Published on 25 September 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 12 May 2023.

Summarising , or writing a summary, means giving a concise overview of a text’s main points in your own words. A summary is always much shorter than the original text.

There are five key steps that can help you to write a summary:

• Read the text
• Break it down into sections
• Identify the key points in each section
• Write the summary
• Check the summary against the article

Writing a summary does not involve critiquing or analysing the source. You should simply provide an accurate account of the most important information and ideas (without copying any text from the original).

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Table of contents

When to write a summary, step 1: read the text, step 2: break the text down into sections, step 3: identify the key points in each section, step 4: write the summary, step 5: check the summary against the article, frequently asked questions.

There are many situations in which you might have to summarise an article or other source:

• As a stand-alone assignment to show you’ve understood the material
• To keep notes that will help you remember what you’ve read
• To give an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review

When you’re writing an academic text like an essay , research paper , or dissertation , you’ll integrate sources in a variety of ways. You might use a brief quote to support your point, or paraphrase a few sentences or paragraphs.

But it’s often appropriate to summarize a whole article or chapter if it is especially relevant to your own research, or to provide an overview of a source before you analyse or critique it.

In any case, the goal of summarising is to give your reader a clear understanding of the original source. Follow the five steps outlined below to write a good summary.

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You should read the article more than once to make sure you’ve thoroughly understood it. It’s often effective to read in three stages:

• Scan the article quickly to get a sense of its topic and overall shape.
• Read the article carefully, highlighting important points and taking notes as you read.
• Skim the article again to confirm you’ve understood the key points, and reread any particularly important or difficult passages.

There are some tricks you can use to identify the key points as you read:

• Start by reading the abstract . This already contains the author’s own summary of their work, and it tells you what to expect from the article.
• Pay attention to headings and subheadings . These should give you a good sense of what each part is about.
• Read the introduction and the conclusion together and compare them: What did the author set out to do, and what was the outcome?

To make the text more manageable and understand its sub-points, break it down into smaller sections.

If the text is a scientific paper that follows a standard empirical structure, it is probably already organised into clearly marked sections, usually including an introduction, methods, results, and discussion.

Other types of articles may not be explicitly divided into sections. But most articles and essays will be structured around a series of sub-points or themes.

Now it’s time go through each section and pick out its most important points. What does your reader need to know to understand the overall argument or conclusion of the article?

Keep in mind that a summary does not involve paraphrasing every single paragraph of the article. Your goal is to extract the essential points, leaving out anything that can be considered background information or supplementary detail.

In a scientific article, there are some easy questions you can ask to identify the key points in each part.

If the article takes a different form, you might have to think more carefully about what points are most important for the reader to understand its argument.

In that case, pay particular attention to the thesis statement —the central claim that the author wants us to accept, which usually appears in the introduction—and the topic sentences that signal the main idea of each paragraph.

Now that you know the key points that the article aims to communicate, you need to put them in your own words.

To avoid plagiarism and show you’ve understood the article, it’s essential to properly paraphrase the author’s ideas. Do not copy and paste parts of the article, not even just a sentence or two.

The best way to do this is to put the article aside and write out your own understanding of the author’s key points.

Examples of article summaries

Let’s take a look at an example. Below, we summarise this article , which scientifically investigates the old saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’.

An article summary like the above would be appropriate for a stand-alone summary assignment. However, you’ll often want to give an even more concise summary of an article.

For example, in a literature review or research paper, you may want to briefly summarize this study as part of a wider discussion of various sources. In this case, we can boil our summary down even further to include only the most relevant information.

Citing the source you’re summarizing

When including a summary as part of a larger text, it’s essential to properly cite the source you’re summarizing. The exact format depends on your citation style , but it usually includes an in-text citation and a full reference at the end of your paper.

You can easily create your citations and references in APA or MLA using our free citation generators.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

Finally, read through the article once more to ensure that:

• You’ve accurately represented the author’s work
• You haven’t missed any essential information
• The phrasing is not too similar to any sentences in the original.

If you’re summarising many articles as part of your own work, it may be a good idea to use a plagiarism checker to double-check that your text is completely original and properly cited. Just be sure to use one that’s safe and reliable.

A summary is a short overview of the main points of an article or other source, written entirely in your own words.

Save yourself some time with the free summariser.

A summary is always much shorter than the original text. The length of a summary can range from just a few sentences to several paragraphs; it depends on the length of the article you’re summarising, and on the purpose of the summary.

With the summariser tool you can easily adjust the length of your summary.

You might have to write a summary of a source:

• As a stand-alone assignment to prove you understand the material
• For your own use, to keep notes on your reading
• To provide an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
• In a paper , to summarise or introduce a relevant study

To avoid plagiarism when summarising an article or other source, follow these two rules:

• Write the summary entirely in your own words by   paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
• Reference the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarise the whole text, not just introduce it.

An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarise a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, May 12). How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 23 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/how-to-write-a-summary/

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Writing - part 1

Writing a Summary

Intermediate

A summary or Writing a summary is intended to highlight objectively the main points of another writer's work. Although written in your own words, the summary does not include your opinions of the piece you are considering. Since the summary eliminates those details that are not needed to convey the major points, it is naturally shorter than the original. In general, a summary is from one fourth to one half the length of the original.

To summarize an essay , article, or a book, you should

• Not include your own thoughts on the matter.
• Describe the essay as objectively as possible, whether you agree with it or not.
• Read about paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting in your handbook before you begin your summary. You must understand the differences between paraphrase, quotation, and plagiarism.

The problem we all face when attempting to summarize a piece of writing is figuring out what to include and what to leave out. Below are some tips on how to choose material to include in your summary.

• Cross out the less important details.
• Underline topic sentences and key ideas.
• Take notes on those key ideas--jot down the information that clarifies the topic sentence, for example.

When you summarize, you might try following these steps:

• Read the piece for understanding first. Never summarize as you read the article for the first time.
• Before you begin to write, check the topic sentences and key words (words that are underlined, italicized, or capitalized). These will clue you in on main ideas.
• Jot down the organization of the original and follow that pattern in your summary.
• Check your summary to be sure you have been objective. Your opinions are not part of the original
• Check your summary to be sure that you have properly documented any words or phrases that you have taken from the original.
• Identify your summary and its source. Some instructors will ask that you do this as part of the title of the piece; others will request a footnote.

A Summary of Shakespeare's  Hamlet

Course Curriculum

• Types of Writing 30 mins
• Writing Tips 30 mins
• Writing process 40 mins
• Writing an article 30 mins
• Writing a Summary 30 mins
• Writing Cause and Effect Essays 30 mins
• Formal letter 30 mins
• Informal letter 30 mins

What Is a Summary In Writing? (Explained + 40 Examples)

In my 20+ years of writing essays, research articles, short stories, blog posts, and books, I’ve summarized thousands of times.

Here is my summary answer about “What is a summary in writing?”

A summary in writing is the craft of distilling vast oceans of text into droplets of essence, a skill as crucial as it is challenging . At the core, summary writing is the distillation of essential points from a larger text, preserving the original message and intent. It balances brevity and clarity.

As contradictory as it might sound, there is a lot more to say about summary in writing.

The Essence of Summarization

Table of Contents

Over the years, I’ve learned that a successful summary does two things well—it provides clarity to the reader and respects the original work’s integrity.

Brevity and clarity are the twin pillars of a good summary.

My mantra, “As short as possible and as long as necessary,” and a favorite quote I align with—attributed to Einstein—”Things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler,” encapsulate my approach to summaries.

Achieving this balance is more an art than a science, a dance between being concise and being clear.

My guideline—keeping things as short as necessary but as long as needed—is a testament to this balancing act.

It’s about not just shrinking text size but ensuring every word counts, every sentence conveys meaning, and the essence of the text is untouched.

Types of Summaries

Below are some common types of summaries you need to know:

• Descriptive Summaries: These provide an overview of the main points of a text, without offering analysis or interpretation. Descriptive summaries focus on summarizing the content in a clear and concise manner, making them useful for providing an overview or introduction to a topic.
• Analytical Summaries: Analytical summaries go beyond simply recounting the main points of a text; they also analyze and evaluate the content. These summaries often delve into the author’s arguments, evidence, and conclusions, offering insights into the text’s significance and implications.
• Informative Summaries: Informative summaries aim to convey the most important information from a text, often condensing complex ideas into simpler language. These summaries are commonly used in academic writing, where the goal is to provide readers with a clear understanding of the text’s main points.
• Critical Summaries: Critical summaries involve not only summarizing the content of a text but also critiquing it. Writers may highlight strengths and weaknesses, identify biases or gaps in the argument, and offer their own perspective on the text’s merits or limitations.
• Abstracts: Abstracts are concise summaries of longer documents, such as research papers or articles. They typically include a brief overview of the purpose, methodology, results, and conclusions of the study, allowing readers to quickly grasp the key findings and significance of the research.

Crafting the Perfect Summary

Summarizing is not a random act but a structured process.

It starts with a thorough reading, understanding the text’s main arguments, themes, and nuances.

Then, identifying the core elements that are indispensable to the message.

The challenge is to weave these elements into a cohesive, shorter narrative that stands on its own while reflecting the original text’s spirit.

Personal Insights and Techniques

Through trial and error, I’ve honed specific techniques that aid in summarization:

• Highlighting Key Points: As I read, I highlight or note down crucial information and standout ideas.
• Structuring the Summary: I create a rough outline, deciding the order of points based on their relevance and the original work’s flow.
• Rewriting with Precision: This step involves rewriting the highlighted points in my own words, ensuring clarity and conciseness without diluting the message.

Template for Writing a Summary

Crafting a summary can be simplified by following a structured template.

While each summary may vary in complexity and content, this general template provides a framework to guide your summarization process:

• Introduction: Begin by introducing the text and its author, providing necessary context for the summary. Identify the main topic or thesis of the text and briefly outline its purpose and significance.
• Main Points: Summarize the main points or arguments presented in the text, focusing on the most essential information. Use concise language and avoid unnecessary details or tangents.
• Supporting Details: Provide supporting evidence or examples to reinforce the main points of the text. Select key quotations, statistics, or anecdotes that best illustrate the author’s ideas.
• Analysis: Analyze the text’s content, identifying any underlying themes, patterns, or implications. Consider the author’s purpose, audience, and rhetorical strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of their argument or message.
• Conclusion: Conclude the summary by summarizing the overall message or takeaway of the text. Reflect on the significance of the text’s content and its relevance to the broader context or field of study.

Here is a great video on how to summarize in writing:

The Role of Experience in Writing Summaries

Experience plays a critical role in mastering summarization.

In my life, I’ve learned that every word in a summary must earn its place. This discernment comes from practice and familiarity with a wide range of texts.

It comes down to what words and ideas to leave in and what to leave out.

Experience has taught me when to cut deeper and when to allow a bit more space for explanation or narrative, always guided by the principle of making things as simple as possible but no simpler.

Original Research and Testing

My curiosity led me to conduct a series of experiments comparing different summarization techniques across various text types.

I assessed the outcomes based on reader comprehension, retention, and feedback.

The Impact of Testing Different Techniques

My research involved comparing various summarization strategies to identify the most effective approaches for different text types.

This hands-on testing revealed that the audience’s needs significantly influence the summary’s structure and content.

For instance, summaries intended for academic audiences prioritized accuracy and conciseness, while those for a general audience often leaned towards engaging narratives and essential takeaways.

Findings and Insights

One key insight from this research was the importance of adaptability.

A one-size-fits-all approach to summarization doesn’t work.

Tailoring the summary to the text type and intended audience increases effectiveness and satisfaction. Additionally, iterative testing highlighted the value of feedback in refining summaries.

Incorporating reader feedback into the summarization process can significantly enhance clarity and relevance.

40 Examples of Summaries

In the spirit of showing rather than telling, let’s dissect examples of summaries from various genres.

For brevity’s sake, I’ll categorize these examples and provide insights into what makes each effective.

Research Articles/Essays

• The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems: Summarizes key findings on the degradation of coastal ecosystems due to rising temperatures, including potential long-term effects and mitigation strategies.
• Technological Advancements in Renewable Energy: Details the latest advancements in solar and wind energy technologies, highlighting efficiency improvements and the path toward sustainable energy solutions.
• Behavioral Economics and Consumer Decision Making: Explores how psychological factors influence economic decisions, offering insights into improving marketing strategies and consumer education.
• The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Discusses the integration of AI in diagnostics and patient care, emphasizing potential benefits and ethical considerations.
• Educational Reforms and Student Outcomes: Analyzes the impact of recent educational reforms on student performance and equity, suggesting further research directions and policy implications.
• Microplastics in Marine Environments: Examines the sources, distribution, and ecological impacts of microplastics, proposing methods for reduction and cleanup.
• Mental Health in the Workplace: Investigates the correlation between workplace environment and employee mental health, recommending strategies for creating supportive work cultures.
• Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Reviews sustainable farming techniques and their effectiveness in promoting biodiversity, soil health, and food security.
• The Influence of Social Media on Political Discourse: Evaluates how social media platforms have transformed political communication, voter behavior, and public opinion formation.
• Advances in Alzheimer’s Research: Presents recent breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on potential therapeutic targets and preventive measures.

Work Reports

• Annual Marketing Strategy Review: Summarizes the performance of last year’s marketing campaigns, key metrics achieved, lessons learned, and strategies for the upcoming year.
• Quarterly Sales Report: Details sales performance by region and product line, comparing results against targets, analyzing trends, and suggesting actionable insights for improvement.
• Customer Satisfaction Survey Analysis: Compiles findings from recent customer surveys, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for service enhancement.
• IT Infrastructure Upgrade Project Summary: Outlines the objectives, progress, challenges, and next steps in the company’s IT infrastructure overhaul, including budget and timeline updates.
• Employee Training Program Evaluation: Reviews the outcomes of the latest employee training initiatives, assessing effectiveness in skill development and impact on performance.
• Competitor Analysis Report: Provides an overview of key competitors’ strategies, market positioning, product offerings, and potential threats or opportunities.
• Supply Chain Optimization Study: Summarizes findings from a study on supply chain efficiencies, identifying bottlenecks and recommending solutions for cost reduction and speed.
• Risk Management Assessment: Evaluates the company’s exposure to various risks, including financial, operational, and reputational risks, proposing mitigation strategies.
• Sustainability Initiatives Progress Report: Tracks the progress of corporate sustainability efforts, including environmental impact reductions, community engagement, and sustainability goals.
• New Product Development Update: Offers a snapshot of the development stages, challenges encountered, market research findings, and estimated launch timeline for a new product.
• The Echo of the Ocean : A novel about a marine biologist uncovering a groundbreaking discovery about sea life communication, while navigating personal challenges and ethical dilemmas.
• Futures Past : A science fiction saga exploring the consequences of time travel on human history, ethics, and personal identity through intertwined narratives.
• Mind Over Matter : A non-fiction exploration of the power of the human mind to overcome physical limitations, featuring real-life stories of resilience and scientific insights.
• The Last Emperor’s Secret – Historical fiction set in ancient China, revolving around a palace conspiracy, hidden treasures, and the quest for truth.
• Green Horizons : An environmental science book discussing innovative solutions to climate change, from renewable energy to conservation strategies, aimed at a general audience.
• Heartstrings : A collection of short stories delving into the complexities of human relationships, love, loss, and redemption, across diverse cultures and situations.
• Digital Frontiers : Examines the digital revolution’s impact on society, economy, and individual lives, offering insights into future trends and ethical considerations.
• Culinary Journeys : A travelogue that takes readers on a gastronomical tour around the world, exploring the history and stories behind iconic dishes and ingredients.
• The Art of Innovation : A guide to fostering creativity and innovation in the workplace, with case studies from leading companies and practical tips for teams.
• Voices of the Forest : A fantasy novel featuring a young hero’s adventure in a mystical forest, battling dark forces to save their homeland with the help of enchanted creatures.

Short Stories

• The Last Light : A poignant tale about a lighthouse keeper’s final night before the automation of his lighthouse, reflecting on the changes and constants in life.
• Crossroads : Explores the moment a young man stands at a crossroad, literal and metaphorical, contemplating the diverging paths of his future.
• Echoes of War : Follows a veteran’s struggle with returning to civilian life, haunted by memories of the battlefield, and his journey towards healing.
• A Stitch in Time : A whimsical story about a seamstress who discovers her sewing machine can repair more than just clothes, mending broken hearts and dreams.
• The Glass Forest : Details an explorer’s discovery of a mysterious forest where trees are made of glass, symbolizing beauty and fragility.
• Shadows on the Moon : A science fiction piece about a colony on the moon dealing with the psychological effects of living in perpetual darkness and light.
• Invisible Ties : Explores the unseen connections between strangers on a crowded subway, each carrying their own stories and struggles.
• The Color of Autumn : Captures a painter’s attempt to paint the perfect autumn scene, reflecting on the impermanence of life and the enduring beauty of nature.
• Whispers in the Wind : Tells the story of a small village where the wind carries voices from the past, and a young girl learns the history of her ancestors.
• Ripples : A narrative about the impact of a single act of kindness, following its ripple effects through the lives of various people in a community.

The 5 Biggest Mistakes Writers Make When Summarizing

Summarizing is an art, but like any craft, it’s prone to pitfalls.

Here are the five most common mistakes writers make when summarizing, along with tips on how to avoid them.

Summarizing may seem straightforward, but it’s deceptively complex.

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is oversimplifying or overcomplicating the summary, leading to confusion or loss of crucial information.

Another common error is failing to capture the essence of the original text, resulting in a summary that misses the mark.

Additionally, inadequate understanding of the audience can lead to summaries that are either too technical or too simplistic for the intended readership. Lastly, neglecting to cite sources or provide proper attribution in summaries can result in accusations of plagiarism or intellectual dishonesty.

The 5 Biggest Mistakes

• Oversimplifying or Overcomplicating: Striking the right balance between brevity and clarity is key.
• Missing the Essence: Ensure the summary captures the core message and key points of the original text.
• Audience Misalignment: Tailor the summary to the audience’s knowledge level and interests.
• Lack of Attribution: Always cite sources and provide proper credit for ideas and information.
• Ignoring Structure and Flow: A well-structured summary enhances readability and comprehension.

Final Thoughts: What Is a Summary In Writing?

Summarization is more than a writing skill—it’s a critical thinking exercise that challenges you to understand deeply, analyze critically, and communicate effectively.

In my two decades of writing, I’ve seen firsthand how a well-crafted summary can open doors to understanding, make knowledge more accessible, and bridge the gap between complex ideas and a broader audience.

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Summary Essay Examples

The summary essay is a brief account of the chief points of an essay. There’s no hard and fast rule about the length of the summary, but so much can be half of the original essay .

In this post, we have added the best 12+ Summary Essay Examples for you.

Summary Essay Examples #1

ESSAY: When we survey our lives and efforts, we soon observe that almost the whole of our actions and desires are bound up with the existence of other human beings. We notice that the whole of nature resembles that of social animals. We eat food that others have produced, wear clothes that others have made, and live in houses that others have built. The greater part of our knowledge and beliefs has been passed on to us by other people through the medium of a language that others have created. Without language and mental capacities, we would have been poor indeed comparable to higher animals.

We have therefore to admit that we owe our principal knowledge over the least to the fact of living in human society. The individual if left alone from birth would remain primitive and beast-like in his thoughts and feelings to a degree that we can hardly imagine. The individual is what he is and has the significance that he has not much in virtue of individuality, but rather as a member of a great human community, which directs his material and spiritual existence from the cradle to the grave. (193 words)

Rough Draft

• Humans are social animals.
• They depend on each other for necessities and social needs.
• Humans use language to communicate with each other and further their mental development.
• Humans are superior to animals as they live in societies that guide their material and spiritual existence.

TITLE: Man and society

SUMMARY: Human beings have their actions and desires bound up with society as they are social animals. They depend on each other for food and clothes and share their knowledge and beliefs, and use language created by others to communicate, which helps in their mental development. They are superior to beasts because they live in human society. An individual left alone since birth would grow utterly beast-like. Human society guides man’s material and spiritual existence. (76 words)

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Summary essay examples #2.

If you will, believe me, you who are young, yours is the golden season of life. As you have heard it called, so it verily is the seed-time of life in which if you do not sow or if you sow tares instead of wheat, you will arrive at little. And in the course of years when you come to look back if you have not done what you have heard from your advisers and among many counsellors there is wisdom you will bitterly repent when it is too late.

The habit of studies acquired at universities is of the highest importance in the afterlife. At the season when you are young in years, the whole mind is, as it were, fluid, and is capable of forming itself into any shape that the owner of the mind pleases to allow it or constrain it, to form itself into. The mind is then in a plastic or fluid state but it hardens gradually to the consistency of rock or iron, and you can not alter the habits of an old man. (180 Words)

Title: The Golden Season of Life / The Importance of Sowing Good Seeds

Youth is the golden and fertile time of life. If one does not listen to and act upon the advice of his superiors, he must eventually repent. Youth is a fluid state of mind and any good habits now will stand you in good stead later in life. Then the mind becomes rigid and no good habits are formed. (58 Words)

The golden season of life is the seed-time of life in which if you do not sow or sow tares instead of wheat, you will arrive at little. The habit of studies acquired at universities is of the highest importance in the afterlife, as the mind is fluid but hardens gradually to the consistency of rock or iron. (58 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #3

Variety is the spice of life – is it not? We all practically live and strive for having better food, but food remains insipid without the addition of spices. The only difference between a good curry and a bad curry lies in the presence or absence of spices. The absence of variety makes life drab and monotonous. A man working six hours a week will have his rest on Sunday. A man wearing a coat for five days will like a shawl on the sixth day. If a man lives in Calcutta for six years, he will like to spend a month outside. We hear that Tagore could not live in the same house for a long time.

He used to change his residence pretty often, which shows a poet’s longing for novelty. Life is many stringed instruments and we must give proper attention to all the strings. Ever since creation man has gone on from progress to progress by responding to new circumstances. So, for the development of civilization, new circumstances and a new environment are necessary. (179 Words)

Title: The Need for Change and Variety / Variety: The Spice of Life

Variety is the spice of life, and without it, life is dull and monotonous. To develop civilization, new circumstances and a new environment are necessary. Tagore was a poet who changed his residence often, showing his longing for novelty. Life is many stringed instruments and we must give proper attention to all the strings. (54 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #4

Everyone has continual control during his life with the variety of experiences known as art. Their experience ranges from the craft level found in the design and execution of the practical things of life to the more imaginative because less material level is required for the enjoyment of music, painting, sculpture, and literature. In the fine arts, human creativity is no longer concerned with producing an object which will be required for use anyhow, whether it is beautiful or not, but with providing a stimulus for the satisfaction of human emotion in its various levels of manifestation.

The majority of human beings since they are culturally underprivileged, are satisfied if their emotions are roused easily and mechanically by the more simple emotional easily identified sentimentalities that easily assimilate emotional reflexes-by dance, and music, by the identified references of cinema organ sentimentalities, by the picture with a story or easily assimilated moral, and by the simple violent plots of the cheap magazine. The culturally privileged demand a more complicated satisfaction. They require because they are educated on the aesthetic aspects of the arts. (180 Words)

Title:  The Power of Art / The Importance of Art Education

The most important idea is that art provides a stimulus for the satisfaction of human emotion and that the majority of people are satisfied with simple emotional sentimentalities, while the culturally privileged require a more complicated satisfaction due to their education in the aesthetic aspects of the arts. (48 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #5

The study of history depends more than any other branch of science or literature on the availability of many books. The history student nowadays is often discouraged or hampered by the lack of them, especially of those older standard works which have gone out of print. Even before the Second World War publishers were not willing to risk reprinting works often running into several big volumes for which the demand, was uncertain and the cost of production high. During the war air raids destroyed over a million books in one district of London alone, and reduced to ashes the entire stock of one firm which had specialized in historical works.

Since the war paper has been costly and scarce; the costs of printing and binding have risen sharply; and the demand, though greater, is still not large enough to make worthwhile the republication of many books which historians regard as essential. The main reason for this insufficient demand is the disappearance of the private library. Private libraries were common in Victorian Times but they no longer exist in modern small houses where there is no room for bookshelves. (190 Words)

Title: The Challenges of Historical Research in the Modern Era

The study of history is hindered by the lack of books, especially older standard works which have gone out of print due to the cost of printing and binding. The main reason is the disappearance of private libraries, which no longer exist in modern small houses. (46 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #6

Speech is a great blessing, but it can also be a great curse, for, while it helps us to make our intentions and desires known to our fellows, it can also, if we use it carelessly make our attitude completely misunderstood. A slip of the tongue. the use of an unusual or ambiguous word, and so on, may create an enemy where we had hoped to win a friend.

Again different classes of people use different vocabularies, and the ordinary speech of an educated man may strike an uneducated listener as showing pride; unwittingly we may use a word that bears a different meaning for our listener from what it does to men of our own class. Thus speech is not a gift to use lightly without thought, but one which demands careful handling. Only a fool will express himself alike to all kinds and conditions of men. (148 Words)

Title: The Blessing and Curse of Speech

Speech is a great gift, but it can also be a curse if used carelessly. Different classes of people use different vocabularies, and the ordinary speech of an educated man may strike an uneducated listener as pride. Careful handling of speech is essential, as only a fool will express himself alike to all people. (54 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #7

Man is the architect of his own fate. If he makes a proper division of his time and does his duties according he is sure to improve and prosper in life; but if he does otherwise, he is sure to repent, when it is too late and he will have dragged a miserable existence from day to day.

To kill time is as culpable as to commit suicide, but our life is nothing but the sum total of hours, days, and years. Youth is the golden season of life. In youth, the mind is pliable and soft and can be moulded in any form you like. If we lose the morning hours of life, we shall have to repent afterwards. It is called the ‘seed time of life’. If we sow good seeds, we shall reap a good harvest when we grow up. (142 Words)

Title: Youth: The Gloden Opportunity to shape your / Man is the Architect of his own Fate

Man is responsible for his own fate, and if he does not make proper use of his time, he will regret it. Youth is the golden season of life, and if we lose the morning hours of life, we will have to repent. (43 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #8

It is sometimes said that the pleasures of giving are peculiar to the rich, and no doubt the joy of giving is one of the greatest and purest that wealth can bestow. Still the poor also may be liberal and generous. The widow’s mite, so far as the widow is concerned, counts for as much as the rich man’s gold.

Moreover, as regards kindness and sympathy which are far more valuable than money, the poor can give as much as, perhaps even more than the rich. Money is not wealth. A proverb says: “A man’s true wealth is good that he does in the world”. When he dies, men will ask what property he has left behind, but Angels will inquire, “What good deeds hast thou sent before thee?” (130 Words)

Title: The Pleasure of Giving / Generosity Knows No Wealth

The poor can give as much as the rich, and kindness and sympathy are more valuable than money. A proverb states that a man’s true wealth is the good deeds he does in the world. (35 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #9

The lot of our Indian peasant is certainly a pitiable one. He labours under many disadvantages. In the first place, he is illiterate, and does not, therefore, care to know more than he has inherited from his ancestors. He laughs at his tiny piece of land from morning to evening and if the seasons favour him, earns what barely suffices to meet his daily demands. He does not grumble to pay his rent so much as he does for the loss of his plough cattle. He lives in debt over head and ears, yet he does not care to save anything for the morrow.

To ameliorate his condition, the supply of good plough cattle, the adoption of preventive measures to save the animals from diseases, and, last of all, primary education should engage the serious attention of the Indian Government. (138 Words)

Title: Illiteracy and its effect on Indian Peasant / The Pitiable Conditions of Indian Peasant

The Indian peasant is suffering from many disadvantages, such as illiteracy, poverty, and debt. To improve his situation, the supply of good plough cattle, preventive measures, and primary education should be addressed by the Indian Government. (36 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #10

The aim of culture and religion is the same. Men are all members of one great whole, and the sympathy which is in human nature will not allow one member to be different from the rest or to have perfect welfare independent of the rest. The expansion of our humanity to suit the idea of perfection that culture forms must be a general expansion. Perfection, as culture conceives it is not possible while the individual remains isolated. He must carry others along with him in his march towards perfection. Culture lays on us the same obligation as a religion which says that “to promote the kingdom of God is to increase and hasten one’s own happiness.

Culture is a harmonious expansion of all the powers which make the beauty and worth of human nature. Culture is not consistent with the over-development of any power at the expense of the rest. Here it goes beyond religion, as religion is generally conceived by us. (162 Words)

Title: Culture and Religion: The Two Sides of the Same Coin

Culture leading to perfection, like religion, complements rather than competes with the latter. Culture, like religion, demands perfection rather than the unification of everything. Culture means harmonious development of all faculties and not overdevelopment of any at the expense of others. Here it transcends religion in its emphasis on harmonious development. (50 Words)

The aim of culture and religion is the same: to expand humanity to suit the idea of perfection. Culture is a harmonious expansion of all the powers which make the beauty and worth of human nature, and is not consistent with the over-development of any power at the expense of the rest. It lays on us the same obligation as a religion to promote the kingdom of God is to increase and hasten one’s own happiness. (72 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #11

Perseverance is the very hinge of all virtues. On looking over the world, the cause of nine-tenths of the lamentable failures which occur in much of their history lies not in the want of talents, but in the manner of using them, in flying from object to object, in starting away at each little disgust, and thus applying the force which might conquer anyone difficulty to a series of difficulties so large that no human race can conquer them.

The smallest brook on earth by continuing to run has hollowed out for itself a considerable valley to flow in. Commend me, therefore, to the virtue of severance. Without it, all the rest are little better than fairy gold which glitters in your purse, but taken to the market proves to be state or cinders. (134 Words)

Title: The Importance of Perseverance / Perseverance: The Hinge of Virtues

Perseverance is the key to success, and severance is the virtue of severance. Without it, all the rest are a little better than fairy gold. (25 Words)

Perseverance is the key to all virtues and is the cause of many failures in history. It is the act of flying from object to object, starting away at each little disgust, and applying the force which might conquer anyone’s difficulty to a series of difficulties so large that no human race can conquer them. Without it, all the rest are little better than fairy gold which glitters in your purse, but when taken to the market proves to be state or cinders. (83 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #12

Films should contribute to human understanding and progress rather than hinder them antisocially. The excitement of gangsterdom is permissible so long as the antisocial quality of gangsterdom is not held up as something desirable. Frivolous gaiety may be introduced, but it should not be presented as the be-all and end-all, of living. Life can be made exciting and romantic provided it is not permanently distorted.

For there can never be much human progress if we distort things by pretending the world is much better than it actually is. Thus the attitude of a film to the grimmer side of life can not be worthwhile if it glosses it over, since that only confirms our backwardness. Nothing bad should be treated approvingly. The introduction of gangsterdom, war, idle luxury; slums unemployment, poverty, and their accompanying misery, crime, and disease, should not leave the audience complacent, but should if anything inspire them with a determination to end them. (159 Words)

Title: Films  -Entertainment or Distortion of Reality / The Impact of Films on Society

Films should contribute to human understanding and progress rather than hinder them antisocially, and should not gloss over the grimmer side of life, such as gangsterdom, war, idle luxury, and poverty. (31 Words)

Films should contribute to human understanding and progress rather than hinder them antisocially. Life can be made exciting and romantic, but it should not be permanently distorted. The introduction of gangsterdom, war, idle luxury, slums unemployment, poverty, and their accompanying misery, crime, and disease should not leave the audience complacent but should inspire them with a determination to end them. (60 Words)

Summary Essay Examples #13

A poor woman once came to the Buddha and begged him to revive her dead child. The holy man was touched by the woman’s great sorrow. Then he asked him to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death had never entered. The sad mother started looking for mustard seeds from door to door. One said, our little child died last year. Another said I lost my father. The evening came.

He returned to Lord Buddha with a heavy heart and told him about the results of his search. Then the Buddha gently told him not to think of his own suffering, for suffering and death are common to all.

Title: The Buddha and the Grieving Mother / The Universal Experience of Suffering and Death

Summary:  A poor woman came to the Buddha and begged him to revive her dead child. He asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death had never entered. The mother searched for mustard seeds from door to door and returned to Lord Buddha with a heavy heart. The Buddha gently reminded her that suffering and death are common to all. (65 Words)

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From Start to Finish: Writing a Compelling Essay Conclusion

Updated 23 Sep 2024

Any college student tasked with writing an essay knows that a strong conclusion is just as crucial as choosing the right topic or crafting a compelling thesis statement. This guide will walk you through the do's and don'ts of writing an effective essay conclusion, along with practical examples. Often, students wonder, “Which writing service can help me write my essay online?” With our tips, you'll feel more confident in completing your assignment, even when only the final part is finished!

What is an Essay Conclusion?

An essay conclusion is the final paragraph that wraps up your argument, reflecting the main points discussed in your essay. It’s more than just a summary; it’s an opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your reader. What makes an essay conclusion unique is its ability to synthesize the key points, reinforce your thesis, and provide a sense of closure to the topic.

Writing a strong conclusion can be challenging because it requires balancing between reiterating your main ideas without simply repeating what has already been said. It should connect the arguments presented while demonstrating the broader significance of your discussion.

Special features of a well-crafted conclusion include a restatement of the thesis in light of the evidence provided, a concise summary of the main points, and a closing statement that offers insight or a call to action. The language should be clear and impactful, leaving readers with a thought-provoking final message.

Common difficulties in writing conclusions include avoiding redundancy, knowing how to articulate the significance of your findings, and ensuring that your conclusion is neither too brief nor overly extended. It’s essential to tie all elements of your essay together and avoid introducing new information.

A good conclusion gives readers a clear understanding of your argument’s importance and encourages them to think further about the subject matter. By mastering this final part of your essay, you strengthen the overall effectiveness of your writing.

How to Write an Essay Conclusion: A Step-by-Step Guide

To create an effective essay conclusion, it's essential to start by restating your thesis in a new way, reinforcing the main argument without merely repeating it. Summarizing key points helps remind readers of the evidence supporting your thesis, ensuring that the conclusion is cohesive and impactful. Additionally, connecting your argument to a broader context can highlight its significance and encourage readers to think further about the topic.

When writing a conclusion, it’s crucial to avoid common pitfalls. Do not introduce new information or arguments, as this can confuse the reader and disrupt the flow of your essay. Instead, focus on tying together the points discussed, creating a clear and logical end to your paper. Ensure your tone is consistent with the rest of your essay, whether it’s formal, persuasive, or reflective.

A strong conclusion also includes a closing statement that leaves a lasting impression . This can be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a final insight that resonates with your readers. For example, you could ask, “As technology evolves, how can we balance its benefits with the potential for distraction in education?”

Finally, remember that a well-crafted conclusion is concise and impactful, typically comprising about 10% of your essay’s total length. It should provide closure without feeling rushed or overly lengthy. By mastering these techniques, you can enhance the overall effectiveness of your writing, ensuring that your conclusion resonates with your audience.

Do’s and Don’ts for Writing an Essay Conclusion

Do’s.

Original Thesis: Technology can both enhance and hinder education. Restated: While technology offers valuable tools for learning, its misuse can detract from educational goals.

• Summarize Key Points: Briefly highlight the main arguments of your essay. This reinforces your points and ties everything together.
• End with a Strong Closing Statement: Use a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a powerful statement that leaves a lasting impression.
• Connect to the Bigger Picture: Show the broader implications of your essay's findings to demonstrate its significance.
• Maintain a Consistent Tone: Ensure the conclusion matches the tone of the entire essay, whether it's formal, persuasive, or reflective.

Don’ts

• Don’t Introduce New Information: Avoid introducing new arguments or evidence in your conclusion, as this can confuse readers.
• Don’t Repeat the Introduction: Don’t simply copy your introduction or main points. Instead, synthesize them in a fresh way.
• Don’t Use Clichés: Phrases like "In conclusion" or "To sum up" are unnecessary and detract from the impact of your writing.
• Don’t Undermine Your Argument: Avoid statements like “This is just my opinion” or “I could be wrong.” Be confident in your conclusions.
• Don’t Make the Conclusion Too Long: Keep it concise and focused. The conclusion should be about 10% of your essay’s total length.

How to Conclude Different Types of Essays

Argumentative essay.

When concluding an argumentative essay, start by restating your position to reinforce your stance. Summarize the key arguments you presented, emphasizing why they support your thesis. Then, address the broader implications of your viewpoint. For example, if your essay argues for renewable energy adoption, discuss how this shift could impact future generations and suggest actions society can take to support this transition.

Compare & Contrast Essay

In a compare and contrast essay, your conclusion should highlight the main similarities and differences discussed in your body essay paragraphs. Reflect on what these comparisons reveal about the subjects. For instance, if comparing two educational systems, you might conclude with an insight into how they shape student success differently and why understanding these differences is crucial for policy-making.

Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay’s conclusion should evoke the essence of your subject, leaving readers with a vivid image or emotion. Reiterate the main sensory details and reinforce your crafted atmosphere or mood. For example, if describing a serene beach, end with a reflection on the tranquility it offers and why such moments of peace are essential in our hectic lives.

Narrative Essay

To conclude a narrative essay, reflect on the lessons learned or the significance of your story. Tie your ending back to the beginning to create a sense of closure. If your narrative began with a difficult personal challenge, end by discussing how overcoming it changed your perspective or influenced your life path.

Analytical Essay

In an analytical essay conclusion, summarize your main findings and link them back to your thesis. Discuss the broader implications of your analysis and suggest areas for further research. For example, if analyzing a literary work, you might explore how your interpretation contributes to a deeper understanding of the author’s message.

Expository Essay

Conclude an expository essay by summarizing the key points discussed and explaining their significance. Reinforce how the information helps the reader understand the topic better. For example, if explaining a scientific concept, emphasize why it’s essential for future innovations or everyday life.

Cause and Effect Essay

The conclusion of a cause-and-effect essay should recap the leading causes and effects explored in the essay. Highlight the importance of understanding these relationships and suggest possible solutions or future implications. For example, if discussing climate change, suggest actions to mitigate its effects.

Persuasive Essay

In a persuasive essay conclusion, reinforce your position and urge the reader to take action or reconsider their viewpoint. Use compelling language to leave a strong impact. For example, if advocating for animal rights, end with a powerful call to support humane practices and animal welfare.

Reflective Essay

A reflective essay conclusion should summarize the insights gained from your experiences. Discuss how the topic influenced your thoughts and behavior, and suggest what others might learn from your reflections. For example, if reflecting on a volunteering experience, highlight how it reshaped your understanding of community service.

Process Essay

Conclude a process essay by restating the main steps involved and emphasizing the outcome. Explain why understanding this process is valuable and offer additional tips or resources. For example, if writing about baking a cake, discuss how mastering this process can boost confidence in cooking and provide a basis for more complex recipes.

How to Conclude an Essay: Paragraph Outline Structure

• Restate the Thesis: Begin your conclusion by rephrasing your thesis statement to remind readers of your main argument without simply repeating it.
• Summarize Key Points: Highlight the main points discussed in your essay. This should be a brief recap, not an exhaustive review of each argument.
• Connect to the Broader Context: Explain the significance of your argument in a broader context, such as its impact on society, future research, or practical applications.
• Provide a Final Insight or Call to Action: End with a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a concluding thought that reinforces your essay’s overall message. This leaves the reader with something to ponder.
• Ensure Cohesion and Flow: Make sure each part of your conclusion flows logically from one point to the next, providing a clear and cohesive summary of your essay.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up Your Essay Effectively

In conclusion, crafting a strong essay ending is essential to leave a lasting impression on your reader. Your conclusion should not only restate the thesis and summarize key points but also connect your arguments to a broader context, emphasizing the significance of your work. By doing so, you provide clarity and closure, reinforcing the value of your discussion.

Ready to take your essay writing to the next level? Whether you need help refining your conclusion or polishing the entire piece, our expert services are here to assist. Contact us today to achieve your academic goals!

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Written by Jamie Wallace

Jamie Wallace, editor and freelance writer, specializes in Philosophy, Literature, and Art. His interdisciplinary background and passion for critical analysis enable him to assist students in crafting compelling and well-researched papers.

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Essay: Introduction to the Essay writing, History, Important Topics, English Grammar

Know the history of the essay, important topics, and improve your English grammar for effective writing. This post is ideal for students and writers looking to strengthen their essay-writing skills.

Origin and Definition

The term “essay” is derived from the French word essai , meaning “an attempt.” It was first used by Montaigne in 1580 to describe his brief written reflections. Though essays are often short, typically spanning a few pages, there is no strict length requirement. In academic settings, however, the expected length is often dictated by either a word limit or the available time. In an exam context, you may be required to write an essay ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 words within a three-hour window.

Variety and Evolution

Essays encompass a broad spectrum of styles—from Bacon’s concise and learned prose to Lamb’s informal and personal musings, to Locke’s formal and analytical Essay Concerning Human Understanding . Contrary to Dr. Johnson’s notion of an essay as a “loose sally of the mind,” modern essays are structured and focused compositions centered on a broad guiding idea. Any subject with significance to human life can be explored in an essay.

Expectations from Essay Writing

When teachers or examiners assign an essay, they expect a literate and coherent piece. Even the most profound ideas are rendered meaningless if presented in poor language. A well-written essay reflects not just an understanding of the topic but also the ability to communicate it effectively. This often requires incorporating research—facts, theories, and concepts gathered through extensive reading and thoughtful discussion.

Effective Organization and Presentation

The key to a successful essay is not just knowledge but also organization. Your argument or thesis must be clear and persuasive. An essay is more than a random collection of thoughts and facts; it is a thoughtfully designed piece of writing. To meet these standards, you must master various stages of essay writing, from planning to drafting and revising.

Essay Forms

Despite the myriad of topics available, essays typically fall into a few distinct forms:

• Descriptive Essays : These assignments focus on describing a person, place, or event. Descriptive essays can either be static or dynamic, depending on the nature of the subject.
• Comparative Essays : In these essays, you compare and contrast two items. The goal is to identify similarities and differences and draw a conclusion based on these observations.
• Definitional Essays : Defining a concept involves explaining its characteristics and distinguishing what it is and what it is not. Topics might include “What is Democracy?” or “What is Scientific Temper?”
• Causal Analysis : Here, you investigate the reasons behind a given situation or phenomenon, such as the resurgence of fundamentalism or the increase in societal violence.
• Classification Essays : Some subjects require discussing a broad array of elements, each needing attention. Topics like “Ways of Tackling Terrorism” or “Teenagers’ Attitudes Towards Authority” fall into this category.
• Argumentative Essays : These essays require you to take a stand on an issue, such as “Should smoking be banned?” or “Is space research relevant in a developing country?” You must present a reasoned argument that considers both sides of the issue.

While essays can mix forms—comparison may appear in a descriptive piece or definition in an argumentative one—the chosen form should remain clear and consistent.

Approaches to Essay Writing

Different subjects and forms can be approached in various ways. You might use a discussion-based mode, examining what and how, or a chronological approach, tracing events over time. An empirical approach would involve examples and illustrations, while a structural or sociological context might categorize information under political, social, or economic headings. The chosen framework supports and structures the essay, ensuring coherence and clarity.

Organizing an Essay

Good organization is key to a successful essay. It helps clarify your thesis and keeps your argument focused. While some writers advocate for a strict outline, others prefer free writing. A balanced approach works best: plan your essay but allow for creative flow.

An essay typically consists of three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should grab the reader’s attention and clearly state the topic. The body develops the main ideas, and the conclusion ties everything together, offering a final perspective on the subject.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction should provide a clear idea of what the essay is about. You can start with a general statement, a quotation, or an anecdote, depending on the topic and tone. The goal is to engage the reader and set the stage for the discussion.

Developing the Body

Each paragraph in the body should develop a single idea related to the thesis. Start with a topic sentence, followed by supporting details, and conclude with a sentence that ties back to the main argument. Transitions between paragraphs should be smooth, ensuring the essay flows logically.

Crafting the Conclusion

The conclusion should not simply restate what has been said but should offer a fresh perspective or synthesis of the main points. It should feel like a natural end to the essay, giving the reader a sense of closure.

Style and Presentation

How you present your ideas is as important as what you say. Your writing should be clear, concise, and well-organized. Avoid using archaic words, clichés, or excessive quotations. Instead, focus on using precise language and varying your sentence structure to maintain the reader’s interest.

Tips for Effective Writing:

• Understand the topic and its scope before you start.
• Choose a perspective and stick to it.
• Avoid jargon, slang, and unnecessary repetition.
• Use quotations sparingly and only when they enhance your argument.
• Proofread for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

An essay is a reflection of your thoughts and personality. With careful planning, clear organization, and attention to style, you can craft an essay that is not only informative but also engaging and memorable.

A list of important topics of essays in English

• Paradoxes of Democracy
• Democracy implies tolerance of dissent
• The Role of opposition in a Democracy
• Role of Judiciary in a Democracy
• Judicial Activism
• Elections- Lacunae and Remedies
• Corruption in Public Life
• Politics and Religion
• Communal-ism
• The Politics of Communal-ism
• The Rights and Wrongs of Conversion
• Should there be reservations?
• Women should have reserved seats in Parliament
• Is India ready for a uniform civil code?
• An Apolitical Defense Force
• India’s Defense Needs in a Technological Scenario
• United Nations- Role and Future
• Human Rights
• Can Human Rights be Universal Rights?
• Status of Human Rights in Independent India
• Human Rights and the Indian Armed Forces
• Torture: The Living Death
• The Changing Face of Terrorism
• Can Terrorism be Justified?
• Economic Liberalization-Challenges before India
• Privatization of the Economy
• Private Sector versus Public Sector
• India’s Population and Its Economic Implications
• Transforming our Huge Population into Human Resource
• Development and Population Control
• The Two-Child Norm for Population Control
• People’s Participation in Development
• Tourism : Potentials and Problems
• The Changing Face of Indian Society
• Changing Idea of Family
• The Problems of Old Age
• Law as an Instrument of Social Change
• Morality and Law
• Education in India-Lacunae and Remedies
• Privatization of Education: Solution to Resource Crunch
• Child Labour
• Problems of Working Women
• Violence against Women
• Women need empowerment
• Ragging should be curbed
• The Rights and Wrongs of Free Expression
• Advertising and Social Responsibility
• Indian Cinema and Social Responsibility
• Challenge Before Television in India
• Television and Teenage Violence
• Foreign Media in India: Any Cause for Concern?
• The Politics of Information
• The Scientific attitude rather than science is the need of the day
• Moral Dilemmas Inherent in Scientific Progress
• Are science and art antithetical to each other?
• Science and Literature
• Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind
• Computers: A Silent Revolution
• Information Revolution
• Sustainable Development and Environment
• Humans are the worst culprits in environmental degradation
• Biodiversity
• Are human beings able to cope with natural disasters?
• What freedom means to me
• Euthanasia : Can death be a therapy?
• Non-Violence
• Leisure-Its Use and Abuse
• If the British had not colonised India…
• History repeats itself
• History needs to be rewritten
• On Good and Bad Neighbours
• Superstitions
• Sports sans Sportsmanship
• Ethics in Sports
• Why Ban English?
• Men have failed; let women take over
• India Today
• The Indian Republic
• Generation Gap
• The Child is the Father of Man
• Compassion is the basis of all morality
• The road to happiness is always under construction
• Our deeds determine us as much as we !
• determine our deeds
• Truth may be eclipsed but not extinguished
• Crime :New Dimensions
• Capital Punishment
• If human beings can be cloned
• Material Progress and Human Values
• Animals too have rights
• Growing Flexibility in Gender Roles of Men and Women
• Relevance of Gandhi Today

Essays in Brief

• How free are we?
• Democracy in India
• Road Rage and Democratic Values
• Media Freedom and Individual Privacy
• Laughter, Truth, and Universality
• Protection from Internet Abuse
• Terrorism can never lead to democracy
• Politicians Above the Law
• The Problems of a Huge Population
• Gender Bias in Health Concerns
• Goals for child welfare remain on paper
• Is teaching just a job?
• The world needs more tolerance
• Criminalization of Politics
• Is the nation-state dying out?
• Should there be liquor prohibition?
• No one knows what he can do till he tries!
• The test of democracy is the freedom of criticism
• The great end of life is not knowledge but action
• Should smoking be banned in public places?
• Education is Freedom
• The tragedy of old age is not that one is old but that one is young.io
• Is government going out of fashion?
• Green activism call go too far
• Indians are non-violent by nature
• Indians are not non-violent by nature
• Death penalty solves nothing
• Don’t ban capital punishment
• Violence on the Increase
• Examinations are a necessary evil
• Pleasures of Reading
• Can television affect society?
• Science: Blessing or Curse?

In conclusion, essays serve as a powerful medium to explore and debate a wide array of critical topics ranging from democracy, human rights, and societal issues to science, education, and ethics. They allow us to reflect on the paradoxes and complexities inherent in these subjects, encouraging deeper understanding and discourse. Whether it’s discussing the challenges of democracy, the role of judiciary, or the implications of scientific progress, essays provide a structured framework for presenting diverse viewpoints and fostering intellectual growth. Ultimately, they are not just academic exercises but tools that can influence thought, shape opinions, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue that drives societal progress.

• English Grammar

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