Communication Skills

10.1.4.Writing a summary

Use the following steps to write a summary.

Step 1

• Write notes in point form using keywords; this will make it easier to express the ideas in your own words.

Step 2

• Write the summary directly from your notes without re-reading the passage.

Step 3

• Refer back to the original to ensure that your summary is a true reflection of the writer's ideas.

Tips

• Topic sentences provide a quick outline of the main idea(s) presented in a paragraph.
• When summarising a chapter or article, the introduction and conclusion should provide a good overview of the content.