A summary is a short version of a longer piece of writing.

The summary should contain all the important parts of the original, but expresses them in a shorter space.

Summarising is a very useful skill when gathering information.

The summary should be written in your own words. It's more useful to re-write the contents, rather than copying out parts of the original.

You might be asked to summarise a passage as a 'comprehension test'. That is, to prove that you can understand it.

Read the original quickly, and try to understand its main subject.

Then you will need to read it again to understand it in more detail.

Underline or make a note of the main points. Use a highlighter if this helps.

Look up any words or ideas you don't know. You need to understand the sentences and how they relate to each other.

Work through the writing to spot the main sections or arguments. These might be shown as paragraphs.

Remember that the purpose of a paragraph is that it deals with just one issue or topic.

Draw up a list of the topics - or make a diagram. A simple picture of boxes or a spider diagram can often be helpful.

Write a one or two-sentence version of each section. Just express the main point. Leave out any examples.

Write a sentence which states the main idea of the original writing.

Use this as the starting point. Then write a paragraph which combines all the points you have made.

The final summary should capture the main point of the original.

Remember that it should be in your own words. You re-create the meaning of the original in a way which makes sense for you.












regards

Faryal shah