summary

(noun)

A condensed version of the background or main ideas of a text.

Related Terms

  • results
  • paraphrase
  • quotation
  • citation
  • result
  • methodology

(noun)

A short description that outlines the most important points and general position of the source.

Related Terms

  • results
  • paraphrase
  • quotation
  • citation
  • result
  • methodology

Examples of summary in the following topics:

  • Incorporating Your Sources Into Your Paper

    • A summary outlines a source's most important points and general position.
    • You must reference the author or source in the appropriate parenthetical citation at the end of the summary.
    • Whether you use a direct quotation, a summary, or a paraphrase, it is important to distinguish the original source from your ideas, and to explain how the cited source fits into your argument.
  • Saying Why It Matters

    • An abstract is a short summary that distills the topic, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations of a paper in about 100 to 300 words.
    • Many more people will read a paper's abstract than the paper itself, so make sure your summary is compelling in its own right .
  • APA: Series and Lists

    • ., if you’re outlining a step-by-step process, a summary of how an event unfolded over time, or a series of items in order of importance—you will need to use a numbered list.
  • Maintaining an Annotated Bibliography

  • Discussion and Conclusion

    • The conclusion section is not strictly necessary in the social sciences, but it can be helpful to provide a succinct summary of your work.
  • Paraphrasing

    • A summary is like looking at a distant source through a telescope: the general shape and ideas are clear, but the details are fuzzy.
    • You may need to offer a summary if your topic is a book or a study potentially unknown to your reader, so that he or she has a basis for understanding the argument to come, but when offering evidence, you'll usually be choosing to paraphrase rather than summarize.
  • The Basics of Quotations

    • In this case, while the second sentence isn't a bad summary of the idea, both the syntax of the direct quote and the reputation of the speaker make the quotation far more powerful than the paraphrased reference.
    • You wouldn't need to quote the directory, because there's no more power in the quote than in your summary of it. 
  • Reading Challenging Texts

    • If you had to give someone a 15-second summary, what would you tell them?
  • Turning Your Topic Into a Question

    • It is a summary of what you hope to find out about your topic.
  • Turning Your Question Into a Claim

    • Your hypothesis should provide a clear and complete summary of your solution.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

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