How do you summarize an article?
Read the whole article once to find its main point. Then jot down the key points in your own words. Skip the examples, side notes, and filler. Now write 3 to 5 sentences that say what the article is about and the main reasons or evidence behind it. No opinions, no copied lines. Aim for about a third of the original length.
Drafted with AI by the StudyPDF team. We check dates, numbers and research claims against official sources and read pages on a sample basis. How we write these pages
In more detail
First read for the big picture. What is the writer actually trying to say? It usually shows up early, in the intro or the first few paragraphs. Once you have that main point, read again and mark the lines that hold it up. Those are your key points.
Then cut hard. Examples, repeated ideas, and background detail can go. They support the article but you don't need them in a summary. Keep only what someone would need to understand the point without reading the whole thing.
Now write it in your own words. Start with what the article is about, then add the main reasons or evidence. Don't copy sentences straight out, and leave your own opinion off the page. A summary tells people what the article said, not what you think of it.
Step by step
- 1
Read the whole article once just to get the main point.
- 2
Find the one idea everything else is built around.
- 3
Read again and mark the key points that back it up.
- 4
Cross out examples, repeats, and background filler.
- 5
Write 3 to 5 sentences in your own words: main idea first, then the support.
- 6
Check it against the article: nothing copied, no opinions, about a third the length.
How StudyPDF helps
Upload the article to StudyPDF and it writes a summary straight from it, with each point linked to the exact page it came from. If something isn't in the article, Bo says so instead of guessing.
See also
- AnswerHow do you take notes from a textbook?
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- AnswerHow do you balance studying and a social life?
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- AlternativesSites like SparkNotes: the best SparkNotes alternatives
- TemplateOutline notes template: free printable
- TemplateChapter summary template: free printable for textbooks
- TermLiterature review
- StudyPDFAI Notes Generator
More questions
How long should a summary be?
A good rule is about a third of the original, or shorter. For a normal article that's often 3 to 5 sentences. The point is to be short enough to read fast but full enough that someone gets the main idea without the article.
Should I put my own opinion in a summary?
No. A summary just says what the article said, in your own words. Your opinion, your take, and your analysis belong in a review or response, not here. Keep it neutral and stick to the author's points.
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