3 Types of Summary Writing Skills with Usage

In the English context, the summary should always be very accurate and it is 100% objective. If you are writing the summary, then you must make sure that a writer should always strive to stay in close proximity to the content. The summary must be something that is completely out of context. One of the most important points to consider is that the summary should justify the author’s ideas and concepts. It should sum up the ideas and interpretation in the form of a response rather than just including similar things.

What Is The Purpose Of Writing Summary?

It is a known fact that a summary is written with a purpose and describes the reader’s needs and interests. It is a key skill that everyone needs to develop as it is the ability to paraphrase and express.

There are three types of summary:

  • Main Point Summary
  • Key Points Summary
  • Outline Summary

1. Main Point Summary

A main point summary reads much like an article abstract, giving the most important “facts” of the text. It should identify the title, author, and main point or argument. When relevant, it can also include the text’s source (book, essay, periodical, journal, etc.). A main point summary is often used when writing academic papers as a way to introduce the reader to a source and to place the main point of that source into the context of an argument or discussion of an issue.

2. Key Point Summary

This type of summary will have all the same features as a main point summary, but also include the reasons and evidence (key points) the author uses to support the text’s main idea. This type of summary would also use direct quotes of keywords, phrases, or sentences from the text. This summary is used when it is necessary for the summary writer to fully explain an author’s idea to the reader. The key point summary involves a full accounting and complete representation of the author’s entire set of ideas.

3. Outline Summary

The outline summary is basically used to mimic the structure of the text that is being summarized. It will include the main points, arguments, and in a systematic order. It is quite an effective technique to use when the accompanying response will be analytic, such as an evaluation of the logic or evidence used in a text.

We hope that with the knowledge of these three types of summary writings you can choose the best one for you.

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