1. Be Concise: A summary should be a brief and focused overview of the main points of the original text. Avoid unnecessary details, tangents, or personal opinions.
2. Be Objective: Stick to presenting the author's ideas accurately and impartially. Avoid adding your own interpretations or biases.
3. Be Accurate: Faithfully represent the original text, including the author's key arguments, supporting evidence, and overall message.
4. Be Clear and Coherent: Organize your summary logically, using transitions to connect ideas and ensure smooth flow.
5. Use Your Own Words: While you should accurately reflect the original text, avoid simply copying phrases or sentences directly. Rephrase the information in your own words to demonstrate comprehension.
6. Use Signal Phrases: Introduce your summary with clear signal phrases that indicate you are about to present someone else's ideas. Examples include:
* "According to [author's name]..."
* "[Author's name] argues that..."
* "The text states that..."
7. Include the Source: Always cite the source of your summary using appropriate in-text citations and a full reference list.
8. Focus on the Main Points: Identify the central ideas and arguments of the original text and prioritize them in your summary. Leave out minor details that are not essential to understanding the overall message.
9. Keep it Brief: The length of your summary will depend on the length and complexity of the original text and the purpose of your essay. Generally, a summary should be significantly shorter than the original source.
10. Avoid Personal Opinions: While you may have thoughts or reactions to the text, it is important to keep them separate from your summary. Focus on objectively presenting the author's ideas.