A summary is a synthesis of the key ideas of a piece of writing,

restated in your own words i.e., paraphrased. You may write a

summary as a stand-alone assignment or as part of a longer
paper. Whenever you summarize, you must be careful not to
copy the exact wording of the original source.

1. A summary is a shortened version of a text that

highlights its key points.
2. The primary purpose of a summary is to "give
an accurate, objective representation of what
the work says." As a general rule, "you should
not include your own ideas or interpretations"
(Paul Clee and Violeta Clee, American
Dreams, 1999).
3. Etymology
From the Latin, "sum"

A good summary:

Identifies the writer of the original text.

Synthesizes the writers key ideas.
Presents the information neutrally.

Summaries can vary in length. Follow the directions given by your instructor for how long the summary
should be.