The summary is a brief restatement of the content of a passage (a group of paragraphs, a chapter, an article, or a book). This restatement should focus on the central idea of the passage. A summary may be as brief as one or two sentences (the central idea only) or one paragraph (the central idea and its supporting points), or as lengthy as several paragraphs (the central idea, its supporting points, and some important examples), depending on its purpose. In addition, it will not contain any of the student’s opinions. A good summary should be brief, complete, and objective.

One of the more difficult aspects of writing a summary is maintaining objectivity. A student should strive to be as objective as possible when summarizing. The level of objectivity achieved, however, may vary depending on the student’s background, experience, and knowledge of the piece being summarized. Although restating a central idea and the main points might sound like a simple task, a student may have something in his or her background that biases his or her summary of an article. A student may not have any knowledge of an article’s subject matter, which could affect his or her ability to distinguish the most important points of a piece. Remaining objective can be difficult for students, but practice at writing summaries will improve their ability to do so.

How to Read Critically

• Examine the context.
• Note the title and subtitle.
• Identify the main point.
• Identify the subordinate points.
• Break the reading into sections.
• Distinguish between points, examples, and counterarguments.
• Watch for transitions within and between paragraphs.
• Read actively and recursively.

• Read the passage carefully.
• Reread.
• Write one-sentence summaries of each stage of thought.
• Write a one- or two-sentence summary of the entire passage.
• Write the first draft of your summary.
• Check your summary against the original passage.
• Revise your summary.

The purpose of a narrative is to tell a story. A student should not write a narrative to summarize a narrative. To summarize a narrative, a student should give a synopsis or overview of the story's events and relate how these events affect the story's central character. It will likely be a paragraph at most.

Summarizing a Personal Essay

The purpose of personal essay is typically to explore ideas and issues. To summarize a personal essay, a student should identify the narrator and his or her relationship to the discussion, describe the narrator's progression of thoughts and ideas, and then explain their significance.

Summarizing Figures and Tables

Figures and tables are themselves summaries of complicated data and concepts.

• Pie Charts show relative proportions or percentages.
• Graphs relate one variable to another. They are effective in showing trends or cause-and effect relationships.
• Tables present numerical data in rows and columns for quick reference and are most effective when the writer wants to emphasize numbers, particularly when a great deal of data is being displayed.

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