Summarising

What is a Summary?

A summary is a concise restatement of the most important points of a text, written entirely in your own words. A good summary:

• Is much shorter than the original
• Captures the main idea and key supporting points
• Omits minor details, examples, and the author's specific language
• Does not include your personal opinion

Summarising is one of the most useful academic skills — it proves you have understood what you read and helps you process and retain information.

Key Terms

Term	Meaning
Summary	A shortened version of a text covering the main points
Paraphrase	Restating a specific passage in your own words
Main idea	The central point or message of the text
Supporting detail	A fact, example, or reason that develops the main idea
Condense	To shorten by removing unnecessary material
Objective	Not expressing personal opinion

Summary vs Paraphrase vs Retelling

	Summary	Paraphrase	Retelling
Length	Much shorter than original	Similar length to the section	May be similar length
Coverage	Whole text	A specific passage	Whole text or section
Detail	Main points only	Full detail of the passage	Includes specific details
Language	Your own words	Your own words	May follow the original closely

Steps to Write a Summary

Step 1: Read and understand

Read the entire text carefully before writing anything. Do not summarise as you go on a first read — you need to understand the whole before identifying what is most important.

Step 2: Identify the main idea

Ask: What is this text mostly about? Write the main idea in one sentence.

Step 3: Find the key supporting points

Identify the two to four most important supporting ideas. These are the pillars of the text — everything else exists to develop them.

Step 4: Write in your own words

Do not copy sentences from the original. Paraphrase — rewrite the ideas using your own vocabulary and sentence structure. This proves genuine understanding.

Step 5: Leave out minor details

Examples, anecdotes, specific statistics, and minor observations are usually left out. Include a statistic only if it is central to the argument, not merely illustrative.

Step 6: Check your summary

• Does it cover the main idea?
• Does it include all key points?
• Is it free of your own opinion?
• Is it significantly shorter than the original?
• Is it written entirely in your own words?

What to Include vs. Exclude

Include	Exclude
Main idea / thesis	Specific examples and anecdotes
Key arguments	Decorative or illustrative quotations
Major conclusions	Minor supporting details
Central facts or findings	Repetitions of the same point
The author's overall purpose	Your personal reaction or opinion

Summarising Different Text Types

Summarising an argument or essay

Focus on: the thesis, the main arguments, and the conclusion. Skip specific examples unless they are central to the claim.

Summarising a narrative or story

Focus on: who the story is about, the main conflict, and the resolution. Skip subplots and minor characters.

Summarising a news article

Focus on: the who, what, when, where, why — the key facts. Skip opinion and background context unless essential.

Summarising a scientific text

Focus on: the research question, the method (briefly), the findings, and the conclusion.

Useful Phrases for Summaries

Introducing the text and author:

• The article by [author] discusses...
• In this text, [author] argues that...
• The passage examines...

Presenting the main idea:

• The central argument is that...
• The text explains that...
• The author's main point is...

Adding key points:

• Furthermore, the text highlights...
• The author also notes that...
• A key finding is...

Concluding the summary:

• In summary, the text argues that...
• Overall, the author concludes that...
• To summarise, the main point is...

Worked Example

Original text (165 words): Social media has fundamentally changed the way young people communicate. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat allow teenagers to stay connected with friends at any hour, share experiences through images and video, and build communities around shared interests. Research from the University of Oxford suggests that moderate social media use — defined as less than two hours per day — is not associated with significant harm and may in fact support social belonging and self-expression. However, the same research notes that excessive use, particularly late at night, is linked to disrupted sleep, anxiety, and reduced attention spans. The key, researchers argue, is not to eliminate social media from young people's lives, but to encourage mindful, balanced use with clear boundaries around when and how platforms are accessed.

Summary (52 words): Social media has transformed how young people connect and communicate. Research suggests that moderate use can be beneficial, supporting social bonds and self-expression. However, excessive use — especially late at night — is linked to poorer sleep, anxiety, and lower concentration. Researchers recommend balanced, mindful use with clear time boundaries rather than outright bans.

Common Mistakes

• Copying too much from the original: Changing only a few words is not paraphrasing — it is plagiarism.
• Including personal opinion: A summary reports what the author said, not what you think about it.
• Summarising only the introduction: You must cover the whole text, including the conclusion.
• Including every detail: Minor examples and statistics usually do not belong in a summary.
• Making the summary too long: If your summary is more than a third of the original's length, you have included too much.

Tips and Tricks

• After reading, close the text and write from memory — this forces you to use your own words.
• Aim to summarise each paragraph in one sentence, then combine those sentences into a flowing paragraph.
• When asked to summarise in a set number of words, identify the single most important point first, then add others until you reach the limit.
• Compare your summary to the original: check that no sentence has been lifted directly.