How to write a summary

A summary tells a reader what a text says in far fewer words, without your opinions and without losing the argument. Here is a method that works for articles, chapters and papers alike.

What a summary is (and isn't)

A good summary answers one question: what is the author claiming, and why should we believe it? It keeps the main claim and the main support, drops examples, repetition and asides, and is written in your own words. It is not a list of everything that happens, it is not a paraphrase of every sentence, and it is not a review.

The four-pass method

Step through a real example below: a short passage about a working-from-home experiment, condensed from 128 words to 46.

Step 1. Don't highlight yet. Get the shape of the whole piece: what is it about and where is it going?

Many people assume that working from home makes employees less productive, because managers can no longer see them at their desks.

But a two-year trial at a large Chinese travel company, run by Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, found the opposite for call-centre staff: those who worked from home completed more calls than the office group.

Part of the gain came from fewer breaks and sick days, and part from a quieter environment that made each call quicker to handle.

Staff turnover also dropped by about half among the home workers, which saved the company the cost of hiring and training replacements.

Not everyone liked it, though. Some employees felt isolated and chose to return to the office when the trial ended, even though it meant a longer day.

How to summarize an article

Read the headline, first paragraph and last paragraph. In news writing, the first paragraph carries who, what, when and where. In opinion pieces, the last paragraph often states the argument most plainly.
Write one sentence for the main claim. If you can't, reread before going further.
Add one sentence per major supporting point. Usually two to four. Keep figures exact.
Cut adjectives, examples and quotes unless a quote is the news.
Check it against the original for accuracy and for accidental copying of phrases.

A template you can reuse

In [title] ([year]), [author] argues that [main claim]. [He/She/They] supports this by [point 1] and [point 2]. [The author] concludes that [conclusion or implication].

Common mistakes

Starting with background. Lead with the claim; context can come second.
Summarizing in order, paragraph by paragraph. That produces a shorter copy, not a summary. Group ideas by importance.
Slipping in your opinion. Words like “convincingly” or “unfortunately” are judgements.
Copying phrases. Even short strings copied without quotation marks can count as plagiarism.
Dropping the “but”. If the author qualifies their claim, the summary must too.

Let AI draft, then do the thinking

An AI summarizer is a quick way to get a first draft or check your own understanding. Write your summary first, then compare it with the one from the SmartSummarize text summarizer: if they disagree on the main claim, reread that part of the source. For academic texts, the research paper summarizer structures notes into question, methods, findings and limitations.

Questions people ask

How long should a summary be?

A common rule of thumb is 10 to 25 percent of the original, but let the purpose decide. A one-sentence summary works for a reading log; a one-page summary may be right for a 40-page report.

Should a summary include my opinion?

No. A summary reports what the author says, neutrally. If an assignment asks for your view, that is a response or critique, written after the summary.

Do I need to cite a summary?

Yes. Summarizing uses someone else’s ideas, so cite the source in the style your course uses (APA, MLA, Harvard and so on), even though the words are yours.

What is the difference between a summary and a paraphrase?

A paraphrase restates a passage in your own words at roughly the same length. A summary condenses it to the main points, so it is much shorter.

How do I start a summary?

Name the author, title and main claim in the first sentence, for example: “In ‘City Trees and Heat’, Jane Smith argues that street trees cool cities but only when their maintenance is funded.”