Whether you’re a student writing an article summary for a class or a professional creating a professional report, it is important to know how to start the process. The first step is to read the article several times, identifying its structure. This will help you to understand its overall content and identify the key points that are worth discussing in your summary.
1. Organize the article properly: A summary is much shorter than the original article, so it’s important to organize it correctly. You need to include the main point, the evidence that supports it, and any other relevant details in a way that makes sense.
2. Write a thesis statement: This is an introductory sentence that states the main idea of the article. It should be brief and centered around the argument that is the focus of the article.
3. Ensure that your summary is concise: Be sure to eliminate repetitions and transition words, and check for errors in grammar and spelling before you submit it.
4. Make sure your thesis is backed up by the evidence: The goal of an article summary is to give readers a clear understanding of the author’s points and arguments without reading the full text.
5. Clearly state the author and title of the article: It is important to use the article’s title and author name in your summary so that the reader knows who wrote it and what the article is about.
6. Keep the summary brief: A good summary should be no longer than one-third of the article’s length.
7. Use the right verbs: A summary should always use good action verbs and avoid repetition. You can do this by looking at the keywords of the article and choosing them that best tell the reader what you’re trying to communicate.
8. Keep the paragraph short: A good summary should be no longer than five to eight sentences long.
9. Make sure your summary is well-organized: It should have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion that are no longer than one-third of the article’s overall length.
10. Be careful not to include your own analysis or opinions in the summary: The purpose of an article summary is to retell what the author says, not to express your own views on the topic.
11. Be sure to quote accurately: It is important to cite the sources that you used for your research. This can be done by using quotation marks, which will ensure that you’re quoting correctly.
12. Delete any statements that reflect your own analysis or opinions: You should avoid this in a summary because it can distort the meaning of the original article and confuse your reader.
13. Re-read and edit your summary: After you’ve written it, you should re-read it again to make sure that all of the important aspects have been covered. You may also want to ask a friend or colleague to read it for you, as they can spot errors that you might have missed.
