A summary repeats in a clear and objective way the main points of an article or a book.

• Read the text to be summarised and identify the main points
• Be brief but accurate
• Leave out examples and repetitions, and redundant details
• Pay attention to the coherence and cohesion of your summary
• Check the length!

Notice the difference:

• ABSTRACT : a summary of your own text

• SUMMARY: a summary of someone else's text ( c.f. to refer)

• SYNTHESIS : a summary of several different texts / sources (c.f. to synthesize)