Characteristics of a

Good Summary
Module One
 What is a Summary?

• A summary is an account of the main points of a document, essay, book, etc.

• A summary removes needless details and gives a more concise explanation
 How Do I Start?
• Read the entire essay, book, document, etc. all the way through
• Read it again, this time taking brief notes or highlighting facts and/or
opinions
• Select the most important pieces of information, be selective
• Be aware of the thesis statement and topic sentences
 Writing a Summary
• Your opening paragraph, or introduction, should identify your source by title,
author, their credentials, and YOUR thesis
• Do not restate the author’s thesis, create your own by paraphrasing the
original thesis
• The body of your summary should provide the arguments and findings of
the source in the same order they were presented
• You do not need to include a formal conclusion
 Writing a Summary cont.
• Will have Attributive Tags.
• According to…
• Smith says…
• Smith claims…
• Use quotes around any important passages
• Cite the author when necessary throughout your summary
 Mistakes to Avoid
• Do not include your opinion
• Do not misinterpret the source to support your own ideas
• Do not judge the author or their document
• Do not question the source or the author
• Do not include a review or evaluation of what you thought
 A Good Summary
• Will be accurate
• Will define specialized language and clarify references
• Will be neutral
• Will be comprehensive
• Must be a reliable source in place of the original document
• You should be able to read a summary and know exactly what the original text was about
• A summary will stand in for the original text