Summarising is the art of using your own words to reduce the content of a passage to include only essential information. Summaries have considerably fewer words than the original, but they still provide a clear indication of the main points made by the author. Summarising is a useful tool for effective study and an essential part of efficient notetaking.

A good summary:

• Succinctly states the main theme or message of the passage
• Retains any emphasis or focus placed on the topic by the author
• Omits all unnecessary background information or detail
• Offers no critique of the original passage.

Similar to paraphrasing, if a summary is needed to support your argument then make sure that you have included the essential elements. Be aware, however, that it is academically dishonest to change the content of a passage, or omit parts of it, to turn an unsuitable source into apparent evidence. Check the tips on summarising for more details.