After you’ve done all the pre-writing work, as we’ve outlined a few days ago, you should be ready to begin writing your summary. Pull out your notes or annotated document, whichever you prefer to work with, and sit down to begin the task.
Always start summaries with the title of the piece, the name of the original writer and the work’s main thesis (preferably, in eight words or less). Keep in mind that summaries cannot be more than one-fourth the length of the original piece. Make sure to cover all the necessary information you’ve noted in your preparation stages during the writing process.
Compress ideas using coordination and subordination, taking careful note of the transitions in the original work. Make sure that the writer’s main idea is reflected throughout the summary (as opposed to your own), from the beginning to the conclusion. This is especially important for summary writers – it’s not about what you think, but what the original author was trying to communicate. Leave your opinions out for a different project.
Like all pieces of writing, you will need to edit and revise your summary. For the writing mechanics, use a good grammar software to work through the various elements of writing. For the actual content, the most important thing is to check for accuracy and adherence to the author’s original ideas. If you have doubts, check your notes and annotations, to see if you contradict anything that the original writer insinuates.
