How to write a summary

From, Research Writing Simplified: A Documentation Guide.

SUMMARY

Summary: A presentation of the substance of a body of
material in a condensed form or by reducing it to its main
points; an abstract.

In a summary (also referred to as a pre'cis or an abstract),
the writer reduces material in an original work to its main
points and key supporting details.

A summary may be a word, phrase, several sentences, or one
or more paragraphs. The length of the summary depends upon
the instructor's expectations and the length of the original
work. If no length is prescribed, try to make the summary
no more than one-fourth the length of the original.
Writing a summary brings together a number of important
reading, study, and writing skills. To condense the
original matter, the student should preview, read, evaluate,
and organize the assigned material. Summarizing is an aid
to understanding that lets the student realize fully what is
being written.

Steps in Summarizing:

1. Take a few minutes to preview the work.
Preview by taking a quick look at the following:
a. Title. A title often summarizes what the article is
about.
b. Subtitle. A subtitle, if given, is a short summary
appearing under or next to the title.
c. First and last several paragraphs. In the first
paragraph the author may introduce the subject and state the
purpose of the article. In the last paragraphs, the author
may present conclusions or a summary.
d. Other items. Note any head or subheads that appear
in the article. They often provide clues to the article's
main points. Also notes words or phrases set off in italic
or boldface type; such words are emphasized because they
deal with important points.
e. Use signal words and transitions as keys to the
layout of the major points, too.

2. Read the article for all you can understand the first time through. Do not slow down or turn back. Check or mark the main points and key supporting details. Look for definitions, examples, and enumeration. Mark words or concepts you do not understand. Look them up.

3. Go back and reread more carefully, marking the points you missed the first time through.


4. Take notes on the material. Concentrate on getting down the main points and support used to demonstrate them.


5. Prepare the first draft, keeping the following points in mind:

a. Identify the title, the author, the topic, and thesis of the work in the first sentence or two. For example:

In “Multiple Intelligences: Gardner’s Theory,” Amy Brualdi, faculty
member at Harvard University’s Intelligence Institute, summarizes Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, defined as . . . .

This “formula” first sentence is very important. Readers need to know who wrote the text and in what publication it appears. If you have the author’s credentials, cite them. This sentence should clearly communicate the thesis/main point/hypothesis of the original article without adding opinion about the quality of the ideas being summarized. Consider your choice of words carefully, particularly of verbs. Verbs such as “says” and “states” do not communicate enough information about the author’s purpose. Give preference to verbs like “reports, defines, declares, argues, opines, examines, proposes, etc."

b. Remember that the purpose of summary is to reduce the original to its main points and important details.

c. State the main points used by the author to support or develop the thesis.

d. Include a brief explanation of a major point if it is needed to be clear, but do not include detailed descriptions of case studies and examples. Instead, you might include a summative sentence like, “The authors includes numerous examples to demonstrate the . . . .”

e. Express all ideas in your own words. If you feel tempted to quote, you probably don't understand the material and need additional clarification. A one-paragraph summary should not contain more than one quoted sentence. If you do quote, do not forget to use quotation marks.

f. In some summary assignments, you are asked to preserve the balance and proportion of the original work. An abstract is a 75-150 summary, which means it is often shorter than traditional summary.

g. Revise and edit. Ask yourself: Did I slip into commentary upon the work? Did I miss homonym errors? Did I fail to provide good signal words and transitions that would help the summary move smoothly from point-to-point?