Summarizing

November 11, 2025

Posted by STLCC in Tutoring Resources 

Summarizing—restating a passage in about one-third the length (or less) and in one’s own words—is an important skill for college students to learn. Interacting with the text in this way develops a greater understanding of what the author is saying, as well as allowing the writer to condense long passages for use as support and development in their own writing. This handout reviews the basics of summarizing.

I. What is a Summary?

A summary is a brief statement in your own words of the main point and the significant supporting details of something you have read. Do not include your opinion. Within the first paragraph, state the main point or thesis, and incorporate the significant details in subsequent sentences. Pay particular attention to the five W’s: who, what, when, where and why. Minor and irrelevant details should be omitted. A summary should be in paragraph form and be considerably shorter than the material you are discussing. The usual ratio is 3:1; thus, a three-page article could be summarized in approximately one page.

II. Why Summarize?

Summarizing is an essential skill when writing research papers. Using your own words and putting the essence of an article(s) into concise sentences requires a thorough understanding of the material. As one researcher noted, “Since so much summarizing is necessary for writing papers, students should have the skill before starting work on research papers. How much plagiarism is the result of inadequate summarizing skills?” Plagiarism, or “kidnapping” another’s work, is considered a serious academic offense.

Writing a research paper may mean that you will have to read several articles and/or books as you collect data. Carefully take enough notes so you can write your paper without returning to the library for another look at the original references. Your summary will combine the important details of your selected topic.

As you read, take notes highlighting the main focus of the article or book. Be sure to write down page numbers within your note taking process, so you can go back and reread certain important sections. You may want to quote from one or more of them to prove your stance on the author’s message.

You may be asked to summarize a chapter or an entire textbook. The basic premise is to pinpoint the main idea and important details. Again, summarizing is a shortened version of the original written matter showing that you understand the author’s main point or theme.

III. How to Summarize

• Keep in mind the purpose of your summary. Your focus will determine which details are important and how many should be included.
• Decide on the main point the author(s) is trying to convey and put this main point in the first paragraph of your summary.
• Decide on the major ideas and details that support the author’s point. Include these ideas in your summary and as many of the significant supporting details as your purpose demands, keeping in mind this is a summary.
• Do not include irrelevant or repeated information in your summary.
• Write the summary in your own words. Do not plagiarize. Check a dictionary for any difficult words used by the author before you use them.