What is a summary? A summary in an academic context is the brief encapsulation of the main points (ideas) of the story, article, or novel, done to provide the audience with a quick overview of what transpired in the said novel (story). Writing a summary means delivering a concise version of a longer text, focusing on the aspects of the text that stand out the most.
A summary in writing is usually characterized by conciseness and clarity, with the main idea highlighted specifically to help the readers understand the context. In general, a good summary will always require a certain structure and a number of steps that you need to follow in order to synthesize information effectively and identify the key concepts with ease. Starting a summary will also address the issue of the ever-growing amount of data on the Internet: with so many texts being available in just a few clicks, it is important to present a concise version of the text without overwhelming the readers.
What is a summary: key features
A summary is a short presentation of the paper’s main ideas in a condensed form. The main focus of a well-written summary is to reflect the same ideas that were introduced in the original content. In other words, you have to adhere to the core principles of the story without having to repeat the initial text word-for-word. Knowing what a summary is will help you distinguish it from the concept of literary analysis or critique. Unlike analysis, the summary does not require the writers to provide a detailed interpretation of the text. The writers only need to communicate the main ideas based on the original material.
But when should you use a summary? There are many instances when the use of a coherent summary is justified and even approved. For instance, summaries exist to provide additional meaning to various types of research papers in academic writing. Summaries can also highlight the main points of a literary work or a business letter. Another proof that you can use summaries in everyday life is a resume summary - here, you write a summary of your professional skills to impress the employer and land the position. When reading long documents, reports, or books, the audience will always need a good summary to understand the core ideas and messages. A summary will also save time and allow you to comprehend the paper without reading its entire length.
The main features of a summary
The summary’s main features include:
- Conciseness. A summary should always be shorter than the original text, its focus being on the main points only.
- Clarity. The readers should immediately understand what the summary is about without the inclusion of any confusing details or complex terminology or language.
- Objectivity. A well-written summary is not a critique where personal opinions are allowed and even encouraged; it should be free from personal bias and subjective vision.
- Accuracy. Writing for your summary means respecting the original tone of the paper and not deviating from the original’s essence and key points.
Writing a summary is not an easy process, especially if you have no idea how to summarize the text that you are working with effectively. So, what is the correct approach to writing a summary in this case? If paraphrasing the key concepts of a literary work seems like a dull affair, an essay writing company might help you nail the task with full attention to detail.
However, it is highly recommended to familiarize yourself with top essay writing reviews before you delegate your summary to a team of professional experts online. There is no doubt that reading the essaymarket review will improve your understanding of a standard writing platform and its features. The Speedypaper review is another source of relevant information when it comes to choosing the most dedicated service for summary writing and structure. The online professionals will help you write a great summary and improve your academic proficiency in the process.
What to include in a resume summary
What to include in a summary that you are writing? Generally speaking, a resume summary is a demonstration of your skills and accomplishments that will appear at the top of your CV. It will provide the future employer with a valid reason for why you are qualified for the job and need to be selected among other candidates. A powerful resume summary is enough to convince the employer that there are qualities that set you apart from other job seekers. A resume summary is always tailored to match the requirements of a job that you are looking for. Think about what a summary represents in a resume, and you can compare it to a quick demonstration of your skills and talents.
Main elements of a resume summary
- Core skills. List the skills that are necessary for your job position. If you are not sure which words to use to best describe your abilities, find some keywords from the job description that you are interested in.
- Professional experience. It is necessary to mention your professional qualifications in a resume summary. Although the applicants are never obliged to provide a full layout of their achievements and go into detail when it comes to their professional past, they still have to mention the highlights of their experience.
- Achievements. Whether you have been increasing traffic or attracting new people to the enormous base of clients that the company currently operates, this needs to be emphasized in your resume summary.
- Career goals. A resume summary should always contain a detailed outline of your career plans and ambitions. This will help the company see your professional aspirations and hopes.
Once you learn how to write a summary that highlights your professionalism, this will help you land the job that you have been looking for. Here is an example of how to start a summary for your resume:
Goal-driven marketing manager with experience in digital campaigns and content strategy. Proven track record of expanding customer base and increasing web traffic by 25% in six months. Seeking to leverage and showcase my skills as a senior manager at Digital Media Ltd.
How to write a summary: instruction
How to write a summary that will follow a specific structure and look good on paper? With so much information available on how to handle basic summaries effectively, it is no wonder students get lost whenever they need to present the text’s essence in a condensed form. Knowing how to write an executive summary or a summary that will showcase your professional skills will require a certain degree of discipline and knowledge of how summaries work. Below is the guide to help you through 7 steps in writing a summary.
Step 1. Read the text carefully
Carefully read the text that you are planning to summarize. Pay attention to the main points and ideas of the text. Look for supporting details, and don’t forget to consider the overall structure of the text. This will help you highlight the key sections and the most important points.
Step 2. Determine the main idea
Your summary should always reflect the core idea of the text. After you have read the text carefully, make sure to identify its main idea and theme. If the text is short, the main idea may be found in the introduction. A lengthy text may have multiple main ideas presented. The main idea is the key message that the author is trying to convey through their story.
Step 3. Break the text into sections
Next, divide the text into logical sections or parts. These can be paragraphs, chapters, or simply different points or arguments introduced in the text. The number of sections will be based on the length of the text. As you break down your content into manageable parts, you make it easier to pinpoint the most important messages from the author.
Step 4. Paraphrase the key points
Once you have your main points ready, you have to paraphrase them based on the original text. You can rephrase information using your own words and still retain the original meaning of the text. The paraphrasing process should not be too complicated: do not use complex terminology, and make sure that your explanation is clear.
Step 5. Make your summary objective
It is important to remain objective and neutral when writing a summary. This means avoiding personal opinions, judgments, and interpretations. Your task is to present the author’s views without bias or additional commentary that might confuse the readers or add an unnecessary subjective perspective to your summary.
Step 6. Review and revise your summary
After you have written the initial draft, you need to revise your summary for clarity and coherence. Make sure that the text does not contain any redundant information or unnecessary sentences. Another reason you need a thorough revision is the ability to spot any typos in the process.
Step 7. Check the summary’s length
A summary must draw the audience's attention without overwhelming them. Make sure that your summary is not a repetition of the original text, and revise the summary to make it significantly shorter than the original text. Ideally, the length of the summary should not exceed 100-150 words.
Conclusion
If you are determined to write a good summary, you should know that a certain structure must be preserved in order to make the summary coherent and readable. For instance, a resume summary should demonstrate your professional skills in a brief, concise manner. The same goes for an executive summary, which is why so many writing professionals believe that a brilliant summary is good for both professional and academic uses. As you start writing your summary, follow the key principles of summary structure and organization and make sure your summary not only paraphrases the paper’s main idea but also conveys the essence of your text.
FAQs
A summary is a brief restatement of the main ideas in the text. It condenses the content into a shorter version while focusing on the main points of the paper.
The length of the summary will always depend on the original text. If you take a look at the standard summary writing examples, you will see that a summary is around 100-150 words.
The three essential parts of a summary are an introduction, the main points, and the conclusion. An introduction will restate the ideas from the topic, the body will discuss these ideas, and the conclusion will reinforce the main thoughts.
There are certain aspects of summary writing that need to be avoided, such as providing personal opinions, adding unnecessary details, expressing subjective views, and turning the summary into a lengthy version of the original text.
