What does it mean to summarize main points?

When you summarize something, you write or tell the general idea and only the most important points. It’s a skill we often use in school or at work, but even in our personal lives, we summarize: like when a friend asks what the book you’re reading is about, or someone wants to know about your recent vacation.

What is summarizing in your own words?

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

What is the purpose of summarizing?

The purpose of summarizing is to briefly present the key points of a theory or work in order to provide context for your argument/thesis. Read the work first to understand the author’s intent. This is a crucial step because an incomplete reading could lead to an inaccurate summary.

What are the 5 steps to summarizing?

Summarizing a Research Article in 5 StepsDetermine the Focus of Your Summary. You will first need to determine why you’re writing that certain summary. Scan the Article. Before you start reading the entire article, you need to scan it for content first. Read the Article. Write the Summary. Edit Your Summary.

What is the first step in summarizing?

Read the passage. Pick out the main ideas. Rephrase in your own words.

What are the basic steps to writing a summary?

How to Write a Summary in 9 Easy StepsRead. The first step to a well-written summary is to read the original piece of work. Gather the Main Idea. Reread while Taking Notes. Organize your Notes. Create a thesis statement. Draft a Short Paragraph. Check for accuracy.