A summary is a brief statement or account of the main points of something. It is a concise, simplified version of a content that provides the core ideas or arguments in a very nutshell form. The main purpose of creating a summary is to help readers understand complex information quickly and efficiently. Whether it’s a book, article, report or even a movie, everything can be summarized.
Properties of a Summary
1. Brief: A good summary should always be brief. It should include only the main points, arguments, or themes of the source material and omit all the non-essential details. The idea is to condense the original information into its most necessary and essential parts.
2. Objective: It’s important for a summary to remain objective. Regardless of the summarizer’s personal perspective and opinion about the source material, it should not be reflected in the summary.
3. Independent: A summary should be able to stand on its own. The reader should understand the gist of the original content only by going through your summary, without needing to refer back to the original.
4. Balanced: A summary should be a well-balanced representation of the source material. It’s crucial that the summary encapsulates all the main points of the content, and doesn’t over-emphasize or neglect any particular part.
Usage of a Summary
Summaries play a vital role in various academic and professional settings. Here are few instances where they are typically used:
1. Literature Reviews: In academic research, summaries are used in literature reviews to provide a brief overview of each work being discussed.
2. Academic Writing: Students use summary writing skills to condense lengthy sections of text into shorter, easier to understand versions in their academic writings.
3. Meetings and Conferences: In professional settings, executives and managers summarize key points of discussions or presentations for the benefit of the attendees and for future reference.
4. News Reporting: In journalism, reporters often summarize events or stories to provide a quick overview to their audience.
Summary Writing Skills
To write an effective summary, one must have a comprehensive understanding of the original source. It involves active reading, identifying the thesis or main ideas, deciding what details to include, and writing in a concise and clear manner, while maintaining the tone and approach of the original author. Additionally, effective summary writing requires excellent paraphrasing skills to rephrase the content in your own words while retaining the original meaning.
Overall, a good grasp of summary writing can significantly improve your reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing skills. By forcing you to identify the main ideas and arguments, and to condense complex information into simpler terms, summary writing empowers you to truly understand and convey the essence of the source material.