Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Organizing the short summary
• Part 2 of 3: Make a strong opening line
• Part 3 of 3: Write a good summary paragraph

A summary paragraph should provide the reader with essential information about a larger text. You may need to write a brief summary of a short story or book for school. Or maybe you need to write a short summary of an academic text or a scientific article. To start with this you will first have to make an overview of the original text. Then you make a strong opening sentence and write a good summary in a short but informative paragraph.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Organizing the short summary

1. Make notes on the original text. Start by reading and revising the original text. Make comments and notes in the original text, highlighting keywords and important phrases or periods. Accentuate or emphasize any sentences that feel important to you. Write the topic sentence in the original text as well as the main idea or theme in the text. The sentence contains the main subject or idea of ​​the text.
   • If you are working on a long source text, make a brief outline of each paragraph in the margin of the text. Include keywords, phrases and any points in your overview. You can then use these notes in your summary paragraph.
2. Make a diagram of the core idea of ​​the source text. Create a one or two sentence outline of the main idea or ideas of the source text. Keep this schedule short and to the point. Ask yourself, "What is the author trying to say in this text? What is the main idea or theme in the text? "
   • For example, if you have The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as the source text, you can indicate different themes or ideas, such as "friendship" and "social status," "wealth" and "unrequited love".
3. Include several supporting examples from the text. Once you have written down the main idea, choose one to three examples from the source text that support the main idea. These can be quotes or scenes from the text. You can also choose a pivotal moment or a selected passage from the text as a supporting example.
   • List and briefly summarize these supporting examples by noting what happens in each example. You can then refer to these examples in your summary paragraph.

Part 2 of 3: Make a strong opening line

1. Indicate the author, title and publication date. The first line of the summary paragraph should indicate the author, title, and date of publication of the source text. You should also consider what kind of text it is - a novel, a short story or an article. This gives the reader immediate access to the most elementary information in the source text.
   • For example, you can start with: "In the novel The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald ... "
   • When you write a summary of an article, you can start with, "According to her article," What is intersex? "Writes Nancy Kerr ..."
2. Use indirect reason. The first line of the summary paragraph should contain a strongly indirect verb, such as "argue," "assert," "contest," "maintain" or "insist." You can also use verbs such as "explain", "discuss," "illustrate", "present" and "ask". This makes the introduction of the summary paragraph clear and concise.
   • For example, you can write, "In the novel." The Great Gatsby (1925) presents F. Scott Fitzgerald ... "
   • For an article you can write: "In her article," What is intersexuality? "Claims Nancy Kerr ..."
3. Describe the main idea in the original text. Conclude the opening sentence by citing the main theme or idea in the text. You can then include points of support in the rest of the summary pertaining to this main theme or idea.
   • For example, you can write, "In the novel." The Great Gatsby (1925) F. Scott Fitzgerald introduces the tragic figure of the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby through the eyes of his neighbor, Nick Carraway.
   • For an article you could write: "According to her article," What is intersex? "Nancy Kerr claims that the discussions of sexuality in academic circles ignore the growing public interest in intersex."

Part 3 of 3: Write a good summary paragraph

1. Answer the questions who, what, where and why. Consider who is being addressed or discussed in the original text. Think about what is being covered or discussed. State the setting of the text, if applicable. Finally, you indicate why the author has dealt with or discussed the topic in the source text.
   • For example, if you write about The Great Gatsby, then you have to deal with the two main characters in the novel (Jay Gatsby and his neighbor / the narrator Nick Carraway). You should also briefly outline what happens in the novel, where the novel takes place, and why Fitzgerald explores the lives of these two characters.
2. Have one to three sentences as proof. Make sure you have at least one or a maximum of three substantiating points, because the summary paragraph should not be too long. Use events from the text, as well as quotes or periods from the text, to support your opening sentence.
   • For example, if you are discussing an article, you can use the main arguments of the author in the article to substantiate it. When discussing a novel or short story, you can use the main events in the story as supporting points.
3. Use your own words to summarize the original text. It is not intended to copy or paraphrase the original text. Use your own words in the summary. Avoid using the same language or word choice as that of the original text unless you want to quote directly.
   • Keep in mind that a brief summary of a paragraph should include only essential information from the original text. You do not need to provide an opinion or an argument about the text in the summary. This can be done in a separate paragraph or section of your document.
4. Keep the summary short and to the point. A summary paragraph should be no longer than six to eight sentences. Once you have finished a first draft of the summary paragraph, read it through and revise the summary to make it short and to the point. Remove any sentences or phrases that seem redundant or repetitive.
   • You can also show the short summary to a teacher or friend to get feedback. Ask them to make sure that the summary paragraph conveys essential information about the text in a concise and clear manner.