Summarization essays

Summarization essays are typically used to show that a student understands the material they may have read or been assigned. At first glance, a summarization top essay writing may seem easy to write, but it can be a little difficult to make sure there is not too much or too little information added. Keep these tips in mind when writing a summarization essay:

  • Make sure you have read the text clearly.
  • Now, skim through it again and begin breaking the text up into sections. Pay attention to the headings and subheadings in the text, as well as any bold faced words and terms. Again, make sure you understand the significance of them.
  • Now read the text again, paying attention to the tone and feel the author is conveying. Read it straight through and pay attention to the main ideas and points the author is making.
  • As you read it again, make sure you underline any important points and sentences within the text. Pull out all the key facts and points the author is making.
  • Take notes on these points, highlight and underline the areas you want to talk about in the summarization essay. Also, take any notes on areas that you want to avoid. They may be interesting, but it may be too specific and these details could get in the way.

  • If there are areas that you do not understand within the text, make sure you clarify these and understand them so you will know if they are worth adding to or taking away from the summarization essay.
  • Begin writing the outline with notes that have been taken. Create a basic thesis statement and then a main idea for each body paragraph. The thesis statement should cover what the entire text is looking to achieve.
  • The main ideas should be the key points and not just details. The details will be added to each body paragraph working off of the main idea that was created.
  • Creating the main ideas and the thesis may be the part of the essay that you work out at the same time. If the thesis is not strong enough, you may need to look back at the key points you are making. Re-work these areas as necessary to have a strong thesis and main body.
  • The conclusion should re-state the thesis in different words and tie the entire essay together.
  • Take the outline and your well formulated thesis and main idea sentences for each body paragraph. Add the details to each main point and ensure that these ideas are in order so that each one leads to the next. Using transition words between each body paragraph can help connect the summarization essay together.

Also keep in mind:

  • Always use present tense.
  • If you do ever use the author’s own words, make sure they are cited properly in a citation page.
  • There should never be any opinions in the essay. There also should be no interpretations or ideas about the text, it is strictly a summarization essay of the text itself.

  • Go over the summarization essay and make sure that all the key points and main ideas from the text have been clearly covered. Look to ensure the work has been cited correctly and quoted accurately.
  • If there is opinions that have slipped in, make sure to remove them.
  • Go over the essay and check for spelling, grammar and punctuation. If there is someone else that can read over it, than this is a good idea, they may find something you have missed.