the summary of an essay located

Summary: Using it Wisely

What this handout is about.

Knowing how to summarize something you have read, seen, or heard is a valuable skill, one you have probably used in many writing assignments. It is important, though, to recognize when you must go beyond describing, explaining, and restating texts and offer a more complex analysis. This handout will help you distinguish between summary and analysis and avoid inappropriate summary in your academic writing.

Is summary a bad thing?

Not necessarily. But it’s important that your keep your assignment and your audience in mind as you write. If your assignment requires an argument with a thesis statement and supporting evidence—as many academic writing assignments do—then you should limit the amount of summary in your paper. You might use summary to provide background, set the stage, or illustrate supporting evidence, but keep it very brief: a few sentences should do the trick. Most of your paper should focus on your argument. (Our handout on argument will help you construct a good one.)

Writing a summary of what you know about your topic before you start drafting your actual paper can sometimes be helpful. If you are unfamiliar with the material you’re analyzing, you may need to summarize what you’ve read in order to understand your reading and get your thoughts in order. Once you figure out what you know about a subject, it’s easier to decide what you want to argue.

You may also want to try some other pre-writing activities that can help you develop your own analysis. Outlining, freewriting, and mapping make it easier to get your thoughts on the page. (Check out our handout on brainstorming for some suggested techniques.)

Why is it so tempting to stick with summary and skip analysis?

Many writers rely too heavily on summary because it is what they can most easily write. If you’re stalled by a difficult writing prompt, summarizing the plot of The Great Gatsby may be more appealing than staring at the computer for three hours and wondering what to say about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s use of color symbolism. After all, the plot is usually the easiest part of a work to understand. Something similar can happen even when what you are writing about has no plot: if you don’t really understand an author’s argument, it might seem easiest to just repeat what he or she said.

To write a more analytical paper, you may need to review the text or film you are writing about, with a focus on the elements that are relevant to your thesis. If possible, carefully consider your writing assignment before reading, viewing, or listening to the material about which you’ll be writing so that your encounter with the material will be more purposeful. (We offer a handout on reading towards writing .)

How do I know if I’m summarizing?

As you read through your essay, ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I stating something that would be obvious to a reader or viewer?
• Does my essay move through the plot, history, or author’s argument in chronological order, or in the exact same order the author used?
• Am I simply describing what happens, where it happens, or whom it happens to?

A “yes” to any of these questions may be a sign that you are summarizing. If you answer yes to the questions below, though, it is a sign that your paper may have more analysis (which is usually a good thing):

• Am I making an original argument about the text?
• Have I arranged my evidence around my own points, rather than just following the author’s or plot’s order?
• Am I explaining why or how an aspect of the text is significant?

Certain phrases are warning signs of summary. Keep an eye out for these:

• “[This essay] is about…”
• “[This book] is the story of…”
• “[This author] writes about…”
• “[This movie] is set in…”

Here’s an example of an introductory paragraph containing unnecessary summary. Sentences that summarize are in italics:

The Great Gatsby is the story of a mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby, who lives alone on an island in New York. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the book, but the narrator is Nick Carraway. Nick is Gatsby’s neighbor, and he chronicles the story of Gatsby and his circle of friends, beginning with his introduction to the strange man and ending with Gatsby’s tragic death. In the story, Nick describes his environment through various colors, including green, white, and grey. Whereas white and grey symbolize false purity and decay respectively, the color green offers a symbol of hope.

Here’s how you might change the paragraph to make it a more effective introduction:

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald provides readers with detailed descriptions of the area surrounding East Egg, New York. In fact, Nick Carraway’s narration describes the setting with as much detail as the characters in the book. Nick’s description of the colors in his environment presents the book’s themes, symbolizing significant aspects of the post-World War I era. Whereas white and grey symbolize the false purity and decay of the 1920s, the color green offers a symbol of hope.

This version of the paragraph mentions the book’s title, author, setting, and narrator so that the reader is reminded of the text. And that sounds a lot like summary—but the paragraph quickly moves on to the writer’s own main topic: the setting and its relationship to the main themes of the book. The paragraph then closes with the writer’s specific thesis about the symbolism of white, grey, and green.

How do I write more analytically?

Analysis requires breaking something—like a story, poem, play, theory, or argument—into parts so you can understand how those parts work together to make the whole. Ideally, you should begin to analyze a work as you read or view it instead of waiting until after you’re done—it may help you to jot down some notes as you read. Your notes can be about major themes or ideas you notice, as well as anything that intrigues, puzzles, excites, or irritates you. Remember, analytic writing goes beyond the obvious to discuss questions of how and why—so ask yourself those questions as you read.

The St. Martin’s Handbook (the bulleted material below is quoted from p. 38 of the fifth edition) encourages readers to take the following steps in order to analyze a text:

• Identify evidence that supports or illustrates the main point or theme as well as anything that seems to contradict it.
• Consider the relationship between the words and the visuals in the work. Are they well integrated, or are they sometimes at odds with one another? What functions do the visuals serve? To capture attention? To provide more detailed information or illustration? To appeal to readers’ emotions?
• Decide whether the sources used are trustworthy.
• Identify the work’s underlying assumptions about the subject, as well as any biases it reveals.

Once you have written a draft, some questions you might want to ask yourself about your writing are “What’s my point?” or “What am I arguing in this paper?” If you can’t answer these questions, then you haven’t gone beyond summarizing. You may also want to think about how much of your writing comes from your own ideas or arguments. If you’re only reporting someone else’s ideas, you probably aren’t offering an analysis.

What strategies can help me avoid excessive summary?

• Read the assignment (the prompt) as soon as you get it. Make sure to reread it before you start writing. Go back to your assignment often while you write. (Check out our handout on reading assignments ).
• Formulate an argument (including a good thesis) and be sure that your final draft is structured around it, including aspects of the plot, story, history, background, etc. only as evidence for your argument. (You can refer to our handout on constructing thesis statements ).
• Read critically—imagine having a dialogue with the work you are discussing. What parts do you agree with? What parts do you disagree with? What questions do you have about the work? Does it remind you of other works you’ve seen?
• Make sure you have clear topic sentences that make arguments in support of your thesis statement. (Read our handout on paragraph development if you want to work on writing strong paragraphs).
• Use two different highlighters to mark your paper. With one color, highlight areas of summary or description. With the other, highlight areas of analysis. For many college papers, it’s a good idea to have lots of analysis and minimal summary/description.
• Ask yourself: What part of the essay would be obvious to a reader/viewer of the work being discussed? What parts (words, sentences, paragraphs) of the essay could be deleted without loss? In most cases, your paper should focus on points that are essential and that will be interesting to people who have already read or seen the work you are writing about.

But I’m writing a review! Don’t I have to summarize?

That depends. If you’re writing a critique of a piece of literature, a film, or a dramatic performance, you don’t necessarily need to give away much of the plot. The point is to let readers decide whether they want to enjoy it for themselves. If you do summarize, keep your summary brief and to the point.

Instead of telling your readers that the play, book, or film was “boring,” “interesting,” or “really good,” tell them specifically what parts of the work you’re talking about. It’s also important that you go beyond adjectives and explain how the work achieved its effect (how was it interesting?) and why you think the author/director wanted the audience to react a certain way. (We have a special handout on writing reviews that offers more tips.)

If you’re writing a review of an academic book or article, it may be important for you to summarize the main ideas and give an overview of the organization so your readers can decide whether it is relevant to their specific research interests.

If you are unsure how much (if any) summary a particular assignment requires, ask your instructor for guidance.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Barnet, Sylvan. 2015. A Short Guide to Writing about Art , 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Corrigan, Timothy. 2014. A Short Guide to Writing About Film , 9th ed. New York: Pearson.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Zinsser, William. 2001. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction , 6th ed. New York: Quill.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Parts of a Paper / How to Write a Summary

How to Write a Summary

Introduction.

In this lesson, you will learn how to summarize a text accurately.

Guide Overview

Summarizing.

• Tips for summarizing: introducing the main idea
• Tips for summarizing: transitions
• The final summary

A summary is a much shorter version of a text, with only the most essential information.

Below, you can read the main points from each section of the Scholastic News article  ​Running Into History :

• ​Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon.
• Gibb had to disguise herself as a man to participate in the race because people didn’t think women could run that far at the time.
• Gibb helped open the race to other women.

To turn this information into a summary, you will need to add a few things!​

Tips for Summarizing: Introducing the Main Idea

When you write your summary, it’s important to follow a few steps.

First, start your summary by identifying the title, author and type of text.

You should include the information above and a brief explanation of the author’s major point in the first sentence of your summary.

Example :  The Scholastic News article, “Running Into History,” explains how Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb changed the Boston Marathon.

Tips for Summarizing: Transitions

Have you ever read a text that was robotic and choppy? When that happens, the information is hard to follow and not very interesting! To avoid this, use transitions between the main points of your summary.

Look at the list of  ​Transitional Words and Phrases  from the University of Wisconsin. These can help your writing flow! Every few sentences, use summarizing language that reminds the reader that they are reading a summary. Summarizing transitions include “ The author claims… ” or “ The article explains… ”

The Final Summary

After adding in an introductory sentence and transitions to the main points of the text, the next step is to complete the summary .

Read the summary of the Scholastic News  ​art​icle  below. Notice how 8 paragraphs of text have been shortened into a one-paragraph summary!

The Scholastic News article, “Running Into History,” explains how Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb changed the Boston Marathon.Gibb was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon. She had to disguise herself as a man to participate in the race because people didn’t think women could run that far at the time.  According to the article, Gibb’s success in the marathon helped to open the race up to other women.

In this lesson, you learned how to:

• summarize informational texts using main ideas and transitional words and phrases

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Summarizing

by jleemcga | Aug 18, 2023 | Resources for Students , Writing Resources

What is summarizing?

A summary of a text is a short overview of the main ideas written in your own words. While paraphrasing involves expressing specific ideas or details from a larger text in your own words, we generally summarize whole texts (whether it is an essay, article, chapter, book, et cetera). So, in order to ensure our summaries are not too wordy or confusing, we only cover the main ideas or argument presented within a whole text.

It’s best to summarize when you’re contextualizing a topic by letting your readers know about the current, ongoing conversation. By summarizing relevant sources, you’re providing your audience with an overview of what has already been said about this topic to help them understand how you’ll be adding to it. Summarizing material within your paper allows you to:

• Condense key ideas or arguments relevant to your paper
• Simplify the connection between a source and your own writing

How do I summarize?

To approach summarizing a source, try the following steps:

• First make sure you carefully read the original source material to understand it. Like paraphrasing, summarizing effectively requires an accurate understanding of the source material
• Identify all the main ideas from the text. It helps to look for the thesis or overall claim the author is presenting, as well as any important reasons they give to back their claim. Basically, you’re looking for why their argument is what it is
• When you begin your summary, you might use a TAG line. This stands for Title, Author, Genre and allows you to formally introduce the text before you summarize its ideas. An example of a TAG line is: In the article “Stuck on the Streets of San Francisco in a Driverless Car”, Cade Metz reports … TAG lines add a helpful framework for the summary
• Be sure not to include any specific examples, details, or evidence from the text. In summaries, we don’t describe the author’s examples (this would be like rewriting the entire text). Instead, we offer a map of the main idea and major points
• Once you finish writing your summary, check to make sure your summary concisely and accurately captures the author’s main ideas
• Remember to cite!

Examples of summarizing

Here is an example of a writer summarizing a main idea from the source Social Death: Racialized Rightlessness and the Criminalization of the Unprotected by Lisa Marie Cacho in their essay about a Salvadoran poet and her poetry’s relationship to reclaiming identity:

The ambiguity that is scored onto the bodies of Salvadoran migrants creates an impoverished sense of time and freedom by keeping these individuals indefinitely “temporary,” an ephemera that imposes a constant threat against safety and belonging for Salvadorans in the US. This weaponization of time also contributes to the condition of social death that Cacho describes as being prevalent for people of color, and particularly immigrants, in the US. According to Cacho, part of the criminalization of people of color within the US— not based on one’s behavior, but by their appearance— is heightened further by the notion of documentation. The rhetoric surrounding immigration in the US ultimately aims to invalidate those without documentation by using slurs like “illegal” (Cacho).

Note: The writer quotes some key terms, like “temporary” or “illegal” that the author emphasizes in the original source but describes the main ideas of the source in their own words. Note, too, that the summary focuses on the big-picture ideas of the source without mentioning examples that are too specific.

Things to keep in mind when summarizing

Some important things to remain mindful of while summarizing in your assignments are:

• There is no specified length for writing summaries; they may be a few sentences or a few paragraphs depending on your writing project. For most academic essays, a summary of a few sentences to a short paragraph is appropriate. Concision is key
• Do not include your opinions on the topic or the author’s ideas in your summary; your ideas are important, but summary is a genre of writing that requires objectivity
• Do not include specific details or examples from the text—just focus on the big picture ideas

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What you include in a summary depends on how the summary will be used.

Form and Function

As a writer, you decide what goes into your summary based on what the summary needs to do for your readers. If you write a summary to remind yourself about the content of an article you read as part of a large research project, you'll decide about how much detail to include in your summary based on the scope and focus of your research. If you write a summary to include as part of a review of literature, you'll shape the summary based on how much you believe your target readers know about your topic before they begin reading your review of literature. A summary can be as short as a single sentence (a précis or nutshell statement) or as long as 30% of the length of the original article you're summarizing (a detailed summary). Choosing among the options for a summary means thinking about what your readers need.

As an End in Itself

Most of the summaries that we write to remind ourselves of articles we've read serve only that purpose. For a short project or paper that uses only five to ten sources, a nutshell statement or précis for each source may suffice. For a longer project (more sources or extending over a long time), more detailed summaries help writers remember sources accurately.

Teachers may also assign summaries as ends in themselves when the articles are complex and teachers need to be sure that everyone understands the points in the assigned readings. Or teachers may assign summaries to help students practice writing accurately and concisely about the subject matter. Sometimes these summaries serve to introduce students to jargon or concepts particular to that discipline.

Finally, summaries are sometimes written as separate pieces of reference works. Typically called abstracts, these summaries help readers decide if they need/want to read an entire article.

Defining the Précis or Nutshell Statement

Our English word precise comes from the same root as the French word précis, and the nutshell statement or précis is a precise and concise restatement of the original article's main point. Typically only one or two sentences, the précis or nutshell doesn't aim to capture the details, supporting arguments, or types of proof a longer summary does. Instead, the précis boils down an article to its essential main point.

The précis can be a complicated sentence (or two), especially if the main point (otherwise known as the thesis or claim) of the original piece is complex. And a précis can be extremely difficult to write even though it is short because the writer must take great care to capture the complexity of the original main idea. If you write a précis or nutshell statement to summarize an article, be sure to spend enough time revising to make it both clear and accurate.

Example Article

Computers and Education in America

In the last decade, computers have invaded every aspect of education, from kindergarten through college. The figures show that schools have spent over two billion dollars installing two million new computers. Recently, with the explosive increase of sites on the Internet, computers have taken another dramatic rise. In just five years, the number of Internet hosts has skyrocketed from 2 million to nearly 20 million. It is not uncommon for 6th graders to surf the Net, design their own home pages, and e-mail their friends or strangers they have "met" on the Web. Computer literacy is a reality for many junior high students and most high school students.

In the midst of this technological explosion, we might well stop and ask some key questions. Is computer technology good or bad for education? Are students learning more or less? What, exactly, are they learning? And who stands to benefit from education's current infatuation with computers and the Internet?

In the debate over the virtues of computers in education, the technological optimists think that computers and the Internet are ushering us into the next literacy revolution, a change as profound as Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. In contrast, a much smaller but growing number of critics believe that cyberspace is not the ideal classroom. I agree with the critics. If you consider your own experience, you'll agree that the benefits of computer literacy are at best wildly overrated. At their worst, computers and the Internet pander to the short attention spans and the passive viewing habits of a young television generation.

The technological optimists sing a siren song of an enchanted new land where the educational benefits of computers and the Internet are boundless. First, they boast that children can now access information on every conceivable subject. If little Eva or little Johnny wants to learn about far-away cultures, they can access sites from their own homes that will teach them about the great languages and cultures of the world. Second, these starry-eyed optimists warble about how the Internet has created a truly democratic space, where all children--rich, poor, black, white, and brown--have equal access to information and education. Third, they claim that computers will allow students to have e-mail conversations with experts on any subject around the world. No longer will students be limited by their own classroom, their teacher, or their environment. Distance learning is the wave of the future, and classrooms will become obsolete or at least optional. In the words of John Sculley, former CEO of Apple Computer, the new technologies have created an "avalanche of personal creativity and achievement" and they have given students the "ability to explore, convey, and create knowledge as never before." Children who used to hate going to school will now love to learn to read and write, to do math and science. They will voluntarily spend hours learning on the Web instead of being bored to death by endless books and stodgy teachers.

Sound too good to be true? Let's examine these claims, one by one. First, promoters of computer learning are endlessly excited about the quantity of information available on the Internet. The reality, however, is quite a different story. If you've worked on the Internet, you know that finding and retrieving information from a Web site can sometimes be tedious and time consuming. And once you find a site, you have no idea whether the information will be valuable. Popular search engines such as Yahoo! are inefficient at finding relevant information, unless you just want to buy a book on Amazon.com or find a street map for Fargo, North Dakota. Information is definitely available on the Web, but the problem is finding relevant, reliable, and non-commercial information.

Next, the optimists claim that the Internet is truly a democratic space with equal access for everyone. Again, the reality falls short. First, access to an Internet provider at home costs over a hundred dollars a month, once you add up service and long distance fees. And then there's the technology barrier--not every person has the skills to navigate the Web in any but the most superficial way. Equal access is still only a theoretical dream, not a current reality.

Finally, computers do allow students to expand their learning beyond the classroom, but the distance learning is not a utopia. Some businesses, such as Hewlett Packard, do have mentoring programs with children in the schools, but those mentoring programs are not available to all students. Distance learning has always been a dream of administrators, eager to figure out a cheaper way to deliver education. They think that little Eva and Johnny are going to learn about Japanese culture or science or algebra in the evening when they could be talking with their friends on the phone or watching television. As education critic Neil Postman points out, these administrators are not imagining a new technology but a new kind of child: "In [the administrator's] vision, there is a confident and typical sense of unreality. Little Eva can't sleep, so she decides to learn a little algebra? Where does little Eva come from? Mars?" Only students from some distant planet would prefer to stick their nose in a computer rather than watch TV or go to school and be with their friends.

In addition to these drawbacks are other problems with computers in education. There is the nasty issue of pornography and the rampant commercialism on the Internet. Schools do not want to have their students spend time buying products or being exposed to pornography or pedophiles. Second, the very attractiveness of most Web sites, with their color graphics and ingenious links to other topics, promotes dabbling and skimming. The word "surfing" is appropriate, because most sites encourage only the most surface exploration of a topic. The Internet thus accentuates what are already bad habits for most students: Their short attention spans, their unwillingness to explore subjects in depth, their poor reading and evaluation skills. Computers also tend to isolate students, to turn them into computer geeks who think cyberspace is actually real. Some students have found they have a serious and addictive case of "Webaholism," where they spend hours and hours on the computer at the expense of their family and friends. Unfortunately, computers tend to separate, not socialize students. Finally, we need to think about who has the most to gain or lose from computers in the schools. Are administrators getting more students "taught" for less money? Are big companies training a force of computer worker bees to run their businesses? Will corporate CEO's use technology to isolate and control their employees?

In short, the much ballyhooed promise of computers for education has yet to be realized. Education critic Theodore Roszak has a warning for us as we face the brave new world of computer education:

Like all cults, this one has the intention of enlisting mindless allegiance and acquiescence. People who have no clear idea of what they mean by information or why they should want so much of it are nonetheless prepared to believe that we live in an Information Age, which makes every computer around us what the relics of the True Cross were in the Age of Faith: emblems of salvation.

I think if you examine your own experience with computers, you'll agree that the cult of computers is still an empty promise for most students. Computers, the Internet, and the Web will not magically educate students. It still must be done with reading, study, good teaching, and social interaction. Excellence in education can only be achieved the old fashioned way--students must earn it.

--Dudley Erskine Devlin

Example Précis

Devlin believes the benefits of computers in education claimed by the technological optimists are wildly overrated in that equal access on the Internet is not a reality; that finding relevant and reliable information is tedious and time-consuming; that distance learning assumes an unrealistic learner; and that pornography, commercialism, "surfing," and social isolation are not consistent with the goals of education.

As Part of a Response or Position Paper

Many teachers ask students to react in some way to an assigned reading. Typically, such writing assignments include a summary to show that writers understood the original reading. Writers may begin their response or position paper with the summary, or they might work summary into their response. In either case, the summary needs to be clear and distinctive from the response or reaction.

As Part of an Annotated Bibliography

After a citation or bibliography entry, a brief summary constitutes the annotation in an objective annotated bibliography. Typically less detailed and shorter than the detailed summary that might begin a response paper, a summary as annotation rarely includes any quoted material and instead concentrates on main ideas. The length of the annotation or summary depends on how readers will use the bibliography. If readers are looking for a nutshell statement to help them decide whether to read the article, then the briefest summary will usually suffice. If readers are hoping to learn about the range of articles written about a topic (so that they don't have to read the articles themselves), then annotations usually are longer and include more details from the article.

In a critical annotated bibliography, the annotation includes both the summary as well as one or two lines of analysis/judgment of the published work's worth for a given topic/line of argument.

Example Critical Annotated Bibliography Entry

Rosen, Jeffrey. "The end of obscenity." The New Republic July 1996: 6-7.

In this article, Rosen talks about the Internet and the overturn of the Communications Decency Act. He believes the Philadelphia judges who overturned this Act deserve credit for enumerating the possibility of one person corrupting cyberspace with obscenities, but they did not take into account that the public are the ones who decipher what is considered to be obscenity. This article appears in a professional publication that targets readers concerned with law and the government. This article is useful to our research because it has to do with language on the Internet and the censorship of it.

Example Objective Annotated Bibliography Entry

Jolly, Frank. "Helping Children Learn About TV." Journal of Communication 30.3 (1980): 84-93.

In this article, Jolly expresses dismay about the time consumed by television, especially when children watch "inselectively." He does admit that programming brings language into the home and does affect the growing child in positive ways as far as language is concerned. Jolly includes statistics and graphs, including a bar graph indicating the time spent watching TV by children at different socio-economic levels. The article appears in a professional journal and is written for an audience of teachers.

As Part of a Larger Paper

Summaries of various sorts fit into larger papers. We often see summaries as part of a review of literature that sets the context for the writer's research or position in a controversy. Sometimes writers use summaries of polarized arguments to show the range of points of view in a dispute. Even more often, summaries are frequently used as "proof" for an argument or your position, to explain a given idea or fact, or to show where the information you are using came from. This is why many writers compose summaries frequently as they are researching for a larger essay. Writing a complete summary of each essay/book you cover in your research is a good time-saver because you can simply "paste" the summary at an appropriate point in your draft or refer to it for a central quote or idea.

When you're using summaries for one of these purposes, be sure to think about what your readers already know about the topic. If your readers know relatively little on your topic, your summaries will almost certainly be longer and give readers more background information. If you believe that your readers know a good deal about your topic, you can probably set the context or prove your point with a précis or brief summary.

Example of Summary to Set Context in a Review of Literature

(Note how the writer uses the source "summary" to set up a theoretical explanation of reading and then extends that definition to her argument about hypertext.)

The prior knowledge readers have about reading can be called reading schemata. David Rumelhart (1980) defines schemata as "the building blocks of cognition" that are "employed in the process of interpreting sensory data (both linguistic and nonlinguistic), in retrieving information from memory, in organizing actions, in determining goals and subgoals, in allocating resources, and generally in guiding the flow of processing in the system" (p. 33-34). If reading conventions are schematic, then a hypertext reader, even one with little experience reading from a computer screen, brings prior knowledge about reading paper texts to the task of reading hypertexts. This prior knowledge can be adapted to the development of hypertext-reading schemata. Rumelhart calls the evolution of schema "tuning" (p. 53). If we watch, analyze, and learn how readers read hypertexts, then we may be able to facilitate an evolution of paper text reading schemata to hypertext reading schemata.

Rumelhart says that one kind of "tuning" schemata amounts to "replacing a constant portion of a schema with a variable one--that is, adding a new variable to a schema" (p. 53). One constant portion of a paper text navigation schema, for example, is that texts are fixed in a linear structure. When a reader sees sentences and paragraphs on a computer screen that look like text in a paper document, the reader may instantiate a linear text navigation schema. But when the reader realizes that there are no page numbers, and no pages as the reader knows them, then the constant, that documents are made up of pages in a linear sequence, is replaced with a variable that sentences and paragraphs can appear like they do on pages, but not necessarily on paper. If the reader "tunes" this portion of the linear text navigation schema, then the reader becomes open to developing hypertext navigation schemata.

Rumelhart, D.E. (1980). Schemata: The building blocks of cognition. In R. J. Spiro, B. C. Bruce, and W. F. Brewer (Eds.), Theoretical Issues in Reading Comprehension (pp. 38-58). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Concise Statement of the Main Idea

Authors sometimes state their main idea in a thesis that will jump out at readers, but not always. And even those authors who seem to state a main point early in an article may refine that main idea by the end of the article. Sometimes, authors make several points in one text, and they expect readers to understand how the points relate to each other. So deciding on the main point of an essay can be difficult, especially when the author doesn't make the thesis stand out clearly. Looking for the main point many times means putting sub-points together on your own and/or summarizing information in a different order than it is presented in the original article. The key is to use your own words to generalize about the entire article, rather than following the organization and/or wording exactly as the author has described it.

Citing the Author and Title

A summary should clearly note that the information being conveyed is not your own. To be clear about who originally wrote the material, always begin your summary with the author's name and the title of the piece (i.e., book, article, Web page, etc.). You can introduce the author and title in any of several ways:

• According to author Mick Jagger in "Why My Lips are so Big," . . . (go on to main point).
• Mick Jagger, famous lead singer for the Rolling Stones, in "Why My Lips are so Big" describes . . . (go on to main point).
• An unfortunate childhood disease is the reason Mick Jagger provides for his readers in an article whose title reflects the question often asked of Jagger, "Why My Lips are so Big."

Even if you don't know the author, be sure to note the title at the beginning of your summary.

Details and Quotations

Once you have determined the main point and presented it for your reader, you need to note major supporting points if the author includes those. If not, look instead at the supporting detail that demonstrates to your reader how the original author makes his/her point. You do not need to summarize all the information an author provides; just show the key examples or details or outline the kinds of evidence the author uses. In other words, give your reader enough detail to illustrate the types of proof the author uses in the original article.

Documenting Sources

Even if your only purpose is to summarize a short article, you need to give your readers publication or copyright information about that article. Typically, any piece of writing that refers to another publication includes a "Works Cited" page or a "Bibliography." Quotations and/or paraphrases also need to be cited through footnotes, endnotes, or in-text documentation. The proper way to cite this information differs according to your audience.

Note: If you're writing a stand-alone summary of an essay from one of your textbooks, check with your teacher about whether you need to turn in a separate "Works Cited" page. Teachers will sometimes forego this formality when you're citing only a single source that is known to the whole class.

Style and Tone

Students often mistakenly assume that the style of a summary is unimportant. If the summary covers the main points, they think, then the summary is adequate. In fact, style and tone count heavily in summary. Most important, readers who look at a summary for the sole purpose of getting a quick glimpse of the article don't want to read extra words and phrases that don't further the meaning. So brevity counts! Moreover, readers want to be able to count on the summary for an accurate representation of the original piece. If the writer allows personal opinion to color word choice, then the tone of the summary can mislead readers.

Objectivity

Summaries should not include the opinion of the summary writer at all, not even in the smallest phrases or through biased word choices. Because we often use value-laden words without realizing it, we can easily misrepresent an author's view or color it with our own opinions. Especially when editing, watch for any value-laden words like these:

Compare the two student-written examples closely to see how easily opinion can slip through in a seemingly straightforward summary sentence.

Example Summaries

Non-objective summary : " Not surprisingly, the students did not like the test, for it showed their ignorance in a broad spectrum of topics.

Objective summary : The article reveals his opinion that students do not ask pertinent questions in an attempt to keep their ignorance concealed.

Both writers are summarizing the opinion of the author, but the first example does not attribute the thought to the author of the article. The highlighted sections allow the reader to infer that it is the summary writer's opinion that the students were ignorant and that the summary writer found this to be no surprise.

Using Author Tags

Even after you note the author and title at the beginning of your summary, readers can sometimes lose track of how much of your paper summarizes an article. When this happens, readers don't see the end of your summary and the beginning of your reaction or opinion. The best way to avoid this problem in an extended summary (or even one that includes only four to five sentences) is to repeat the author's name or appropriate pronouns. When you repeat the name, use verbs that underscore the author's purpose in writing the original article.

For example, Jaime O'Neill not only describes his classroom experiment in "No Allusions in the Classroom," but he also argues for "common knowledge." Look at the example summary again to see how many ways this student refers to O'Neill and describes O'Neill's writing.

Example Summary

Note: The author tags are underlined

Author Jaime O'Neill's article, "No Allusions in the Classroom," emphasizes the communication problem between teachers and students due to the students' lack of basic knowledge. The author supports this assertion by using a combination of personal experience, evidence obtained from recent polls, other professors' opinions, and the results of an experiment he conducted in his own classroom. The experiment O'Neill conducted was an ungraded eighty-six question "general knowledge" test issued to students on the first day of classes. On this test, "most students answered incorrectly far more often than they answered correctly." Incorrect answers included fallacies such as: "Darwin invented gravity" and "Leningrad was in Jamaica." Compounding the problem, students don't ask questions. This means that their teachers assume they know things that they do not. O'Neill shows the scope of this problem by showing that, according to their teachers, this seems to be a typical problem across the United States. O'Neill feels that common knowledge in a society is essential to communicate. Without this common knowledge, learning is made much more difficult because teacher and student do not have a common body of knowledge from which to draw. The author shows the deterioration of common knowledge through poll results, personal experience, other teachers' opinions, and his own experiment's results.

Jaime O'Neill, No Allusions in the Classroom, Newsweek , September 23, 1985.

Putting it All Together

Look at one more sample of a stand-alone detailed summary assigned to give students practice in the summary skills noted here as Key Issues. Look for a concise statement of the main idea, citation of the author and title, author tags throughout the summary, details and quotations to illustrate types of proof, and the style and tone. The sample is annotated with instructor’s comments.

Note: Comments are accessible at the bottom of the page.

John (Fire) Lame Deer, Richard Erdoes Summary of "Talking to the Owls and Butterflies"

John (Fire) Lame Deer and Richard Erdoes once had a discussion *Comment 1 about how they believed white men have made it difficult for themselves and Indians to "experience nature in the good way by being part of it" by creating a materialistic and unnatural society and way of life, but not necessarily without final hope. *Comment 2 Richard Erdoes wrote about their conversation in "Talking to the Owls and Butterflies," a request for the modern people of the world to sit down like the stones and trees, and "think and feel like animals."

John (Fire) Lame Deer believes that men have not only changed animals' living habits and attitudes, but they have also changed themselves by living such an organized life of career and habits, so that they are now trapped in the materialistic world that they put themselves in. "Watch the ashes, don't smoke, you'll stain the curtains. Watch the goldfish bowl, don't breath on the parakeet, don't lean your head against the wallpaper; your hair might be greasy. Don't spill liquor on the table; it has a delicate finish." *Comment 3 John (Fire) Lame Deer tells us of a reservation joke. "What is cultural deprivation? Answer: Being an upper-middle-class white kid living in a split level suburban home with a color TV." Americans have learned to sanitize everything, so that all nature has been taken out of it. This includes humans, food, and life. White men got rid of the man and woman smells, using perfumes and deodorant. White men have made food artificial, the taste and color. "Raw liver, raw kidney--that's what we old fashioned full bloods like to get our teeth into." Changing the food in this way results in bad nutrition; the Indians didn't need the vitamins and pills. He believes that white men do not enjoy the life in the open, the way he feels it should be. He gives us a vision in the beginning of the critique of how he believes life is supposed to be experienced. Let's have the grass for a mattress, experiencing it's sharpness and softness." "Talking to the Owls and Butterflies" speaks of how all life is sacred. "Men are spreading death" living in this world of materialistic, artificial trade. John *Comment 4 (Fire) Lame Deer says that white men do not want to experience the world, they don't want to hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it. He says that men are scared of the world they have created. The Indians of long ago didn't have heart trouble or cancer. All the illnesses they had, the medicine men had a cure for, but the white men destroyed their sweat lodges along with the cures. The men of the planet should not take it for granted, literally taking and not giving; selecting animals to die depending on the income they bring. The Indians use to apologize, explain, and pray to the spirits of the animals they killed. He wants modern men to experience nature, the earth, the weather, living beings and spirits the way that he and his people do.

John (Fire) Lame Deer feels that white men will soon come around, that they are at the end of their vicious materialistic and industrial circle. *Comment 5 Everything as it is now will end and men will soon live with the earth as Lame Deer illustrates. "The day is coming when nature will stop the electricity....There is a Light Man coming, to bring new light." Men will learn about the weather and about nature when they leave their houses and offices. Life will slow down, no more heart problems, just like the old Indians. Lame Deer believes men are moving back towards the natural part of life, living life as the Indians did. He believes that the original spirit and wisdom lies within each man, just like they see it in the animals of the wild. "Sometimes I feel like the first being in one of our Indian legends. This was a giant made of earth, water, the moon and the winds. He had timber for hair, a whole forest for trees. He had a huge lake in his stomach and a waterfall in his crotch." Each man is part of nature, is able to feel and live with nature, only if they let themselves be.

Bibliography Lame Deer, J., & Erdoes, R. (1998). "Talking to the Owls and Butterflies." In T. H. Crusius and C. E. Channell, The Aims of Argument: A Rhetoric and Reader , 2e; pp. 209-215. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.

Comment 1: A good summary always includes the title and author. For this essay that involves a unique collaboration, the student has found a graceful way to explain that Lame Deer talked to Richard Erdoes who then wrote and edited the essay. Comment 2: This writer finds a successful way to capture the sense of the overall argument in the introduction to the rest of the summary. Comment 3: In an essay so dominated by details, each summary writer will choose those that best capture the "flavor" of the original. In this sample, the writer chooses to quote some details and paraphrase others but includes many of the details that make the original essay interesting to read. Comment 4: Notice that this writer uses Lame Deer's name as well as "he" and "his" as author tags. Many of the verbs the writer uses with his author tags reinforce the emotional element of Lame Deer's position. Comment 5: This writer uses a paragraph break in the summary to indicate the two main chunks of the original essay.

Processes for Standard Summaries

The descriptions that follow focus either primarily on reading or writing, although they both make reference to each other. Choose the one that best represents your own preferred way of writing: do you begin with reading and spend a lot of time with sources? If so, choose source analysis.

Or, do you begin writing as soon as possible, consistently revising? If so, choose writing.

Process For Finding Main Point

Deciding on the main point of an essay can be difficult, since authors frequently make several points in one text. While all the points made might be important to demonstrate why the author believes what he does, they can usually be subsumed into a more general point that the entire article makes. Looking for this more general point many times means putting sub-points together on your own and/or summarizing information in a different order than it is presented in the original article. The steps here help ensure that you find the main point rather than only the first point that the author makes.

Steps For Finding Main Point

• Read the article through once.
• Read again, listing all points made.
• Look over the list for a more general purpose these points serve.
• Write one sentence that summarizes this general purpose. (i.e., the "why anyone wrote this thing to begin with" line).
• Check that purpose for accuracy by re-reading the article.
• Revise summary statement accordingly.

Process For Summarizing Support

Once you have your one-sentence summary of the overall purpose and content of the article, it's time to concentrate on demonstrating to the reader the types of support and proof the author uses to make his/her point. You may be able to use your original notes for this information, but it's frequently useful to return to the text again with a different focus in mind. Your question this time is: how does she/he demonstrate his/her point?

Steps For Summarizing Support

• Read through the article again, listing every example, quote, or argument the author uses.
• Look through your list for commonalities or categories of proof. For example, does the author use several different types of statistical analyses or does she rely on other published sources?
• Write a summary sentence that introduces all the different categories of proof.
• Provide one or two representative examples from your list. Choose examples that are either the most common or the most persuasive.

LeCourt, Donna, Kate Kiefer, &Stephen Reid. (1996). Summaries. Writing@CSU . Colorado State University. https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=30

• How to Write a Summary

Proficient students understand that  summarizing , identifying what is most important and restating the text (or other media) in your own words, is an important tool for college success.

After all, if you really know a subject, you will be able to summarize it. If you cannot summarize a subject, even if you have memorized all the facts about it, you can be absolutely sure that you have not learned it. And, if you truly learn the subject, you will still be able to summarize it months or years from now.

Proficient students may monitor their understanding of a text by summarizing as they read. They understand that if they can write a one- or two-sentence summary of each paragraph after reading it, then that is a good sign that they have correctly understood it. If they can not summarize the main idea of the paragraph, they know that comprehension has broken down and they need to use fix-up strategies to repair understanding.

Summary Writing Format

• When writing a summary, remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.
• A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main point of the text as you see it.
• A summary is written in your own words.
• A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions, interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
• Identify in order the significant sub-claims the author uses to defend the main point.
• Copy word-for-word three separate passages from the essay that you think support and/or defend the main point of the essay as you see it.
• Cite each passage by first signaling the work and the author, put “quotation marks” around the passage you chose, and put the number of the paragraph where the passages can be found immediately after the passage.
• Using source material from the essay is important. Why? Because defending claims with source material is what you will be asked to do when writing papers for your college professors.
• Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

Example Summary Writing Format

In the essay Santa Ana , author Joan Didion’s main point is ( state main point ). According to Didion “… passage 1 …” (para.3). Didion also writes “… passage 2 …” (para.8). Finally, she states “… passage 3 …” (para. 12) Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

• Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : http://lumenlearning.com/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Paul Powell. Provided by : Central Community College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Authored by : Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by : Chadron State College. Project : Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• How to Write a Definition Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Effective Thesis Statements
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

• Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

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Schools bet on performance-based salaries for teachers. did it pay off, how to summarize an essay.

College and high school students (as well as maybe some middle schoolers) will often face the task of summarizing a book, article, video, or anything they’ve seen/read. Sometimes, you will have to create summaries for yourself, so that you understand the material better. Other times though, you will have to write summary essays, the main purpose of which is to give others an overview of the original source. In both cases, summaries look somewhat the same: they are concise, contain only the most crucial points, and pass on the key idea or essence of the initial material, be it a movie or a book. To serve that purpose, summaries need to be well-written and we will show you exactly how to summarize an essay in the most effective format.

The Key Parts of a Summary: Structure

As a student, you know that most writing tasks have guidelines. You also most probably know that, if you are asked to write a certain type of writing, it has a specific structure and format. See, that’s why you can’t write summaries at random too. 

Thus, before starting the writing process, let’s first figure out what structure this type of writing has. This will allow you to create a summary essay outline that will make it easy for you to include all the essential information and will guide you throughout the writing process as well. 

Here’s what you absolutely have to include in your essay summary:

• Introduction + thesis, which will provide readers with all the necessary details about the work (title, author, etc) and its key idea
• Body paragraphs that support the main point of the essay and therefore include all the necessary details that show how the author justifies their claims
• Conclusion paragraph, which is usually one sentence that may rephrase the main idea and which is called to tie everything together.

You can use our checklist below to help you track down whether you included all the necessary components:

Writing a Summary Essay: Detailed Guide

Before jumping straight to writing, let’s see what we now know about these special summaries:

• What is a summary essay? – Check✅ It’s a concise overview of the essay you’ve read that communicates the key ideas of the material.
• What parts does a summary essay have? – Another check✅ Introduction, with details about the essay + thesis statement; body, with the summary of the main points; conclusion, which wraps up the key idea of the essay.
• How to write a Summary? – ⚠️This one we will break down further in this paragraph.

One would think that the guide to writing a summary couldn’t be that complex: just read the text, sit down, and write. However, if you scroll through the writing guide below, you will see that there are nuances.

Read & Study

First things first, get to know what the essay is about. Read through it carefully. If it helps you, take notes as you read, marking the most important arguments and ideas that need mentioning in your essay. A good thing is you can get a feeling for the author’s style, tone, and mood, and try to identify the main claims they made.

Divide & Outline

After you are done reading, break down the essay into several sections. Breaking the text into several parts will make the material easier to grasp. With their help, you can also create a rough outline of what your summary will look like.

Identify Key Ideas

Read each part you divided the essay into once more. This time, highlight some of the key points. Mark areas you want to refer to in your summary, as well as those that shouldn’t be included in your essay. If you are struggling with this part of the process, you can try using an AI summary generator for some help. During this stage, you should also be able to identify the general message and the essence of the essay.

Create an Introduction

You now have all the necessary details to be able to begin summarizing. Start with an introduction with an opening line that includes the name of the author and the title of their essay. Follow that information with a rather broad overview of the content of the work you will be summarizing. Sometimes, if it is important to understand the essay, you may present here the author’s background as well. And don’t forget the thesis statement that transmits the purpose/point of the work.

Move on to the Body

In the main body paragraphs, state the ideas you’ve chosen while reading the text. Expand on them by including one or more examples from the original text. Don’t forget to include citations if you do that. Our citation generator can give a hand with that.

Quick Citations for Your Convenience

Also, in this part, you can mention any supportive points given in the original text. These could be examples, or stories (but brief or rephrased) that the author originally mentioned.

Finish with a Conclusion & References

Phew, we are at the finish line now. All that is left is to write a concluding paragraph, which is usually around 2-3 sentences tops. Here you need to basically rewrite the thesis statement, once again emphasizing the main purpose or claim of the original source. After that, don’t forget to include a properly formatted reference of the original source to acknowledge the writer. It is not always a requirement but it is especially needed if you include quotes in the text of your summary.

Review & Proofread

Okay, the hardest part is left behind. You can now read through what you’ve written. Make sure everything sounds logical and clear. Pay attention to grammatical and punctuation mistakes. Try reading it aloud or giving it to somebody else to read it for you. This will help you pinpoint places that need improvement and maybe throughout 1 or 2 unnecessary details.

Dos and Don’ts of Summary Essay Writing

Look at you, knowing all this about writing an essay summary. Good for you! And what’s more, you can basically complete any type of summary now, just switching up its content. However, we are not done with teaching you yet. We got the basics settled, so now it’s time to get to the advanced stuff. These are the dos and don’ts that will serve as boosters for your writing. Keeping these tips in mind will help you craft your summaries more quickly and will largely reduce the proofreading time.

Essay Summary Example for Inspiration

Here’s a simple example of a summary of an essay that can serve as a sample and inspiration for your work:

How do you write a summary of an essay?

If you want to create a good summary, start by carefully reading. You need to understand its main ideas and arguments. Then, in your own words, write a brief overview that captures the essay’s central theme and key points. Don’t forget to include the author’s thesis statement and the evidence they use to support their argument. Keep your summary short and focused, avoiding any personal opinions or unnecessary details. 

How do I summarize my essay?

In case it’s your own essay you want to summarize, you should follow the same steps: identify your main argument, outline the supporting points, and then communicate this information in a short overview that gives a clear idea of your essay’s content.

What are the 5 parts of a summary?

Even though we mentioned only 3 major parts of the summary in our article, most summaries can be broken down into 5 aspects: introduction, thesis, body, conclusion, and references. Each of these is important for creating an all-inclusive summary.

What are the rules for summary essay?

Okay, let’s go over the basic summary rules once again. The summary should be short (around ¼ of the original) and concise (include only the most essential information without repetition). Additionally, this writing type should follow a logical structure, meaning you need to uncover the important facts in the same order as they are presented in the essay. Lastly, essay summaries should be independent. The readers chose to look through the summary because they didn’t want to read the whole text. Hence, they need to be able to learn everything important mentioned in the original.

What words should you start a summary essay with?

Usually, a summary of an essay starts with an introductory sentence that includes the name of the author, the title of the work, and the general idea of the text as you perceive it. Remember, you should describe everything in your own words, both to avoid plagiarism and to show your understanding of the material.

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When writing a summary, the goal is to compose a concise and objective overview of the original article. The summary should focus only on the article's main ideas and important details that support those ideas.

Guidelines for summarizing an article:

• State the main ideas.
• Identify the most important details that support the main ideas.
• Summarize in your own words.
• Do not copy phrases or sentences unless they are being used as direct quotations.
• Express the underlying meaning of the article, but do not critique or analyze.
• The summary should be about one third the length of the original article. 

Your summary should include:

• Give an overview of the article, including the title and the name of the author.
• Provide a thesis statement that states the main idea of the article.
• Use the body paragraphs to explain the supporting ideas of your thesis statement.
• One-paragraph summary - one sentence per supporting detail, providing 1-2 examples for each.
• Multi-paragraph summary - one paragraph per supporting detail, providing 2-3 examples for each.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence.
• Use transitional words and phrases to connect ideas.
• Summarize your thesis statement and the underlying meaning of the article.

 Adapted from "Guidelines for Using In-Text Citations in a Summary (or Research Paper)" by Christine Bauer-Ramazani, 2020

Additional Resources

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How to Write a Summary - Guide & Examples  (from Scribbr.com)

Writing a Summary  (from The University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center)

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When you underline and annotate a text, when you ask yourself questions about its contents, when you work out an outline of its structure, you are establishing your understanding of what you are reading. When you write a summary, you are demonstrating your understanding of the text and communicating it to your reader.

To summarize is to condense a text to its main points and to do so in your own words. To include every detail is neither necessary nor desirable. Instead, you should extract only those elements that you think are most important—the main idea (or thesis) and its essential supporting points, which in the original passage may have been interwoven with less important material.

Many students make the mistake of confusing summary with analysis. They are not the same thing. An analysis is a discussion of ideas, techniques, and/or meaning in a text. A summary, on the other hand, does not require you to critique or respond to the ideas in a text. When you analyze a piece of writing, you generally summarize the contents briefly in order to establish for the reader the ideas that your essay will then go on to analyze, but a summary is not a substitute for the analysis itself.

If you are writing a literature paper, for example, your teacher probably does not want you to simply write a plot summary. You may include some very brief summary within a literature paper, but only as much as necessary to make your own interpretation, your thesis, clear.

It is important to remember that a summary is not an outline or synopsis of the points that the author makes in the order that the author gives them. Instead, a summary is a distillation of the ideas or argument of the text. It is a reconstruction of the major point or points of development of a text, beginning with the thesis or main idea, followed by the points or details that support or elaborate on that idea.

If a text is organized in a linear fashion, you may be able to write a summary simply by paraphrasing the major points from the beginning of the text to the end. However, you should not assume that this will always be the case. Not all writers use such a straightforward structure. They may not state the thesis or main idea immediately at the beginning, but rather build up to it slowly, and they may introduce a point of development in one place and then return to it later in the text.

However, for the sake of clarity, a summary should present the author’s points in a straightforward structure. In order to write a good summary, you may have to gather minor points or components of an argument from different places in the text in order to summarize the text in an organized way. A point made in the beginning of an essay and then one made toward the end may need to be grouped together in your summary to concisely convey the argument that the author is making. In the end, you will have read, digested, and reconstructed the text in a shorter, more concise form.

WHEN AND HOW TO SUMMARIZE

There are many instances in which you will have to write a summary. You may be assigned to write a one or two page summary of an article or reading, or you may be asked to include a brief summary of a text as part of a response paper or critique. Also, you may write summaries of articles as part of the note-taking and planning process for a research paper, and you may want to include these summaries, or at least parts of them, in your paper. The writer of a research paper is especially dependent upon summary as a means of referring to source materials. Through the use of summary in a research paper, you can condense a broad range of information, and you can present and explain the relevance of a number of sources all dealing with the same subject.

You may also summarize your own paper in an introduction in order to present a brief overview of the ideas you will discuss throughout the rest of the paper.

Depending on the length and complexity of the original text as well as your purpose in using summary, a summary can be relatively brief—a short paragraph or even a single sentence—or quite lengthy—several paragraphs or even an entire paper.

QUALITIES OF A SUMMARY

A good summary should be comprehensive, concise, coherent, and independent . These qualities are explained below:

• A summary must be comprehensive: You should isolate all the important points in the original passage and note them down in a list. Review all the ideas on your list, and include in your summary all the ones that are indispensable to the author's development of her/his thesis or main idea.
• A summary must be concise: Eliminate repetitions in your list, even if the author restates the same points. Your summary should be considerably shorter than the source. You are hoping to create an overview; therefore, you need not include every repetition of a point or every supporting detail.
• A summary must be coherent: It should make sense as a piece of writing in its own right; it should not merely be taken directly from your list of notes or sound like a disjointed collection of points.
• A summary must be independent: You are not being asked to imitate the author of the text you are writing about. On the contrary, you are expected to maintain your own voice throughout the summary. Don't simply quote the author; instead use your own words to express your understanding of what you have read. After all, your summary is based on your interpretation of the writer's points or ideas. However, you should be careful not to create any misrepresentation or distortion by introducing comments or criticisms of your own.

TWO TECHNIQUES FOR WRITING SUMMARIES

Summarizing shorter texts (ten pages or fewer).

• Write a one-sentence summary of each paragraph.
• Formulate a single sentence that summarizes the whole text.
• Write a paragraph (or more): begin with the overall summary sentence and follow it with the paragraph summary sentences.
• Rearrange and rewrite the paragraph to make it clear and concise, to eliminate repetition and relatively minor points, and to provide transitions. The final version should be a complete, unified, and coherent.

Summarizing Longer Texts (more than ten pages)

• Outline the text. Break it down into its major sections—groups of paragraphs focused on a common topic—and list the main supporting points for each section.
• Write a one or two sentence summary of each section.
• Formulate a single sentence to summarize the whole text, looking at the author's thesis or topic sentences as a guide.
• Write a paragraph (or more): begin with the overall summary sentence and follow it with the section summary sentences.
• Rewrite and rearrange your paragraph(s) as needed to make your writing clear and concise, to eliminate relatively minor or repetitious points, and to provide transitions. Make sure your summary includes all the major supporting points of each idea. The final version should be a complete, unified, and coherent.

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Writing a Summary

• About this Guide
• What Is a Summary?
• Getting Started
• Components of a Summary Essay

Further Reading

This article provides additional guidance for writing an abstract:

Leggett, T. (2018). Getting to the Heart of the Matter: How to Write an Abstract.  Radiologic Technology ,  89 (4), 416–418.

Common Attributes of a Summary

The dos of summaries:.

Whether you are writing an essay that is completely a summary, or the summary is one small component of a different style of writing, every summary that you write should include:

• The name of the author
• The title of the work
• The main ideas of the work
• Definitions of key terms

Summary essays specifically should also include:

• An introduction paragraph
• A strong thesis statement that focuses on the main idea or purpose of the work
• Body paragraphs that support that thesis
• A conclusion paragraph that ties it all together

The DON'Ts of Summaries:

Summaries should not:

• Go into excessive details beyond the main ideas in the work
• Use examples, illustrations, or personal stories
• Include opinions about what you are summarizing
• Include lengthy quotes from the text
• Include phrases like "This work is about" or other awkward phrasing
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• Last Updated: May 22, 2023 10:46 AM
• URL: https://library.tiffin.edu/summary

Reading: Reading Strategies

Summarizing, introduction.

Are you familiar with the phrase, the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else ?

Writing a summary of a source is a very similar process to teaching someone the content–but in this case, the student you’re teaching is yourself.

Summarizing –condensing someone else’s ideas and putting it into your own shortened form–allows you to be sure that you’ve accurately captured the main idea of the text you’re reading.

How to Write Summary Statements

Use these processes to help you write summary statements:

• Underline important information and write key words in margin.
• Record ideas using a two-column note-taking system. Record questions you have about the text concepts in the left column and answers you find in the reading in the right column.
• Identify how concepts relate to what you already know.
• Add examples and detail.

For retaining key ideas as you read, write a summary statement at the end of each paragraph or section. For capturing the major ideas of the entire work, write a summary paragraph (or more) that describes the entire text.

These summary statements will be very useful to draw from in the final step of the reading process, reviewing .

For longer, overall summary projects that capture an entire reading, consider these guidelines for writing a summary:

• A summary should contain the main thesis or standpoint of the text, restated in your own words. (To do this, first find the thesis statement in the original text.)
• A summary is written in your own words. It contains few or no quotes.
• A summary is always shorter than the original text, often about 1/3 as long as the original.   It is the ultimate fat-free writing.  An article or paper may be summarized in a few sentences or a couple of paragraphs. A book may be summarized in an article or a short paper.  A very large book may be summarized in a smaller book.
• A summary should contain all the major points of the original text , and should ignore most of the fine details, examples, illustrations or explanations.
• The backbone of any summary is formed by crucial details (key names, dates, events, words and numbers). A summary must never rely on vague generalities.
• If you quote anything from the original text, even an unusual word or a catchy phrase, you need to put whatever you quote in quotation marks (” “).
• A summary must contain only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions, interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
• Revision and Adaptation. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• PQRST Script. Provided by : Lethbridge College. Located at : http://www.lethbridgecollege.net/elearningcafe/index.php/pqrst-script . Project : eLearning Cafe. License : CC BY: Attribution
• How to Write an A-plus Summary of a Text. Authored by : Owen M. Williamson. Provided by : The University of Texas at El Paso. Located at : http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/summaryhints.htm . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright

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How to Write a Research Summary: Comprehensive Student Guide

With a Juris Bachelor's degree and a decade of legal practice, Darious Davson excels in creating compelling and authoritative academic papers in Law and Ethics. His work is a testament to his profound knowledge of the legal system and commitment to upholding ethical writing practices. So, this experienced paper writer is your top-tier pick!

A research summary is a short version of a long research paper. It stresses the important points of the original work and introduces the reader to the main results of the work. Hence, the reader can quickly grasp the main idea and conclusion without reading the document. We created this guide to simplify writing a well-researched summary. So, let us explain things simply and clearly.

What is a Research Summary, and Why Is It Important?

Let's start with some basic terminology. A research summary is the short form of the research paper that covers the major aspects of a major research project. It covers the research's main ideas, techniques, findings, and conclusions. The summary is central in that it enables other people to effortlessly understand the essentials of your writing in a short time.

So, what is a research summary? Now you know the answer. Abstracts can help decide whether the full research paper is relevant to their needs. Furthermore, these social channels are frequently used to share the research findings with a general audience who may not have time or need to read the full paper.

When to Write a Summary?

Your research summary should be written after you have completed your research. This is critical because you must be able to present your research findings concisely without leaving anything out. Summaries can be needed when academic materials are being assessed, like in college assignments or science periodicals.

They are effective when submitting research grants or presenting your work at conferences. By summarising your research clearly and concisely, you enable your audience to grasp the information more easily and quickly. This way, your readers will be able to perceive the value of your work and engage with it on a deeper level. As you can see, writing a research paper summary is not rocket science.

Formatting Guidelines for Research Paper Summaries

Properly formatting your research summary is a key point of readability and professionalism. It guarantees that the flow of your summary is kept to the standard of academic writing. Just stick to these rules:

• Use a clear, readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.
• Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
• Keep the summary to one page, or about 250-300 words.
• Use double spacing to enhance readability.
• Align your text to the left; this makes it easier to read.
• Include a concise title at the top of your summary.

These guidelines help you build a good summary and help your audience understand your writing. A well-formatted summary allows readers to concentrate on the content, not the arrangement, making your research more effective. So, always try to learn how to summarize a research paper correctly.

Types of Research Paper Summaries

How to write a research summary – typical steps.

A research summary comprises several steps to produce an understandable and concise article. The summary systematically breaks down the research into bite-size pieces that allow the audience to grasp the study's core aspects. This helps preserve the authenticity and nature of the original research work in a way that is easy to understand.

Read the Text

Reading a research paper before you can start the summary is very important. Begin by reading the whole document thoroughly to get an understanding of the main issues and the objectives of the document. Look for the introductory and concluding paragraphs, which usually contain the major ideas and conclusions. Following this first reading, try to read through the text two or three more times to take a closer look at the research methods, data analysis, and some of the specific findings.

Here is how to write a research summary. Remembering the authors' key phrases and technical words is crucial – these words are like the foundation for understanding the research context accurately. So, master research paper summary writing every day!

Break the Text Down Into Sections

So, the next step is to split it into the logical parts of the paper. This part of the thesis is built around the main issues of the research: the research problem, the methodology, the findings, and the conclusions. This section should be assessed individually and about the overall research to determine the significance of each part.

Spend some time looking for the main idea in each part and trying to understand how they all come together to tell the research story. This process enables readers to comprehend the text better and organize the research summary meaningfully. Segmenting the text so that all key information is present in the summary and that the summarized work accurately represents the research makes this goal possible. Are you not ready to write on your own? Just say, “Write my essay for me!” We are always ready to assist!

Identify the Key Points in Each Section

The key points in each section are identified to create a powerful summary. This is the process of isolating the key details of utmost significance to the findings and the research objectives. So, stick to this research paper summary structure guide:

By identifying these main ideas, you can be certain that the summary covers the essence of the research, presenting a clear and concise version of the original paper. Now, you know how to write a research summary.

Write the Summary

The research summary is written to combine the main points you selected into a single but comprehensive paragraph. First, the main subject of the research will be set down, as well as its goals. A brief outline of the methodology will follow this to provide an overview of the study results. Last, the crucial results are indicated; only those data directly related to the research purpose.

Discuss the results of this study, and write the final remarks and the summary of the original paper. It is important to stay objective and avoid giving personal views or understanding. So, summarizing a research paper effectively is not that difficult.

Check the Summary Against the Article

Now that you have your summary, you must see if it matches the original article. This comparison makes sure that the summary is in line with the research and that any significant information is not left out or interpretation is not misplaced. Check if the summary keeps the original focus, especially concerning the research aims and outcomes. Here is how to write a research summary correctly.

Writing an effective research paper summary is paramount. Ensure there are no technical term errors and avoid personal interpretations or unnecessary details. This verification might involve reading more than once, concentrating on details such as precision, completeness, and readability. Besides, check out our latest article on mastering the research paper format for students!

Crucial Writing Tips to Follow

To write a good research summary, you must grasp the research content and know the skills that make a summary useful and interesting. Following several writing guidelines will ensure that your conclusion is relevant and brief. As a result, your summary will serve its purpose as a valuable academic tool.

Understand the Assignment

Summarizing research findings is crucial. Before submitting your summary, you should grasp all the assignment requirements. The purpose and the specific requirements are the first steps to figuring out your writing focus and approach. Here is what you should understand:

• Length: Check the required length to ensure your summary meets the guidelines.
• Format: Understand the formatting requirements, including font type, size, and margin specifications.
• Deadline: Know your deadline to manage your time effectively.

Knowledge of these elements helps you firmly establish the basis of your writing. It is a very helpful tool because it structures your work according to the needs of your assignment and ensures that the content of your summary is to the point and at the expected level. Here is how to write a research summary properly.

Identify Key Points

It is important to say that identifying the key points in the research may be the most vital part of writing a research summary. First, scrutinize the original article thoroughly, highlighting the central ideas and major findings. Be meticulous while working on the thesis statement because it is a core part of the paper and represents the essay's main idea. It is also essential to comprehend the methodology since the results are interpreted within the context of the methodology.

Use different research paper summary techniques. While emphasizing the data that directly reinforces the research findings, do not forget to include the results irrelevant to the main conclusion. Ensure you mention the talks about the effects and limitations of the obtained results. A powerful summary focuses on these important aspects.

Paraphrase Succinctly

The skill of paraphrasing is crucial for a research paper. According to the University of Connecticut, this process involves reformulating the original text to create a summary with the same meaning as the original but only in clear and short words. When paraphrasing, try to avoid using too many difficult words and expressions, but at the same time, do not let the main terms of the text and the results escape your attention.

Here is how to write a summary. Use synonyms and reword sentences to produce a text that is not a copy of the original. This prevents plagiarism and makes the content friendly and understandable to audiences of diverse backgrounds.

Focus on Structure

Do you need more research paper summary guidelines? Ok! The structure of a research summarization should allow the reader to read through it effortlessly and easily understand its contents. Begin by presenting an introduction that provides context by mentioning the research subject, purpose, and significance. Besides, you can always start with a proper research summary example. Every part should be presented one after the other, and the story should continue to the end using transitions that will aid the reader in following the summary easily.

Highlight the Significance and Implications

Here is what you should learn before checking research paper summary examples. Research summaries must always be written to highlight the importance of research and its wider implications. This emphasis facilitates readers to perceive how the study is important and related to the field. So, here is what you should do:

• Describe how the findings contribute to existing knowledge.
• Suggest how the results can be applied in real-world settings.
• Indicate potential directions for further investigation.
• Discuss how the study advances theoretical frameworks or concepts.

And stick to the research paper summary format. This will ensure that your summary reflects the research's outcomes and gives them a central role. It will also help strengthen your summary and make it more interesting and informative, directly linking the study to the wider field context.

Review and Revise

Last but not least, in writing a research summary is the revision and review of the document. This is a crucial step in summarizing, as it helps avoid inaccuracies, ambiguities, and lengthy sentences. First, read your abstract carefully to determine whether it reflects the original research without too much detail. Proofread for all the grammatical issues or phrases that can be misleading to the reader.

Besides, know all the tips for writing a research paper summary. Complying with the correct use of technical terms and formatting guidelines, if any, is essential. Ask a friend or a mentor to edit your summary; a new set of eyes can bring a new perspective and reveal things you would not have noticed.

Writing a Standout Summary: Things to Avoid

While writing a research summary, it's important to watch out for common pitfalls that can erode its quality and effectiveness. These errors will make your summary clearer and have the desired impact. Therefore, paying attention to them will help you summarize the research work precisely and accurately.

Plagiarism is a vital matter to consider when preparing any academic writing, particularly research summaries. It is the act of copying or taking someone else's ideas and expressions and presenting them as one's work without permission or acknowledgement. To avoid plagiarism, ensure that you paraphrase the original text by expressing the ideas in your own words and that the original sentence is unchanged.

So, find a good research summary example. Correct citation of the direct quotations and key concepts borrowed from the source material is also crucial. Utilizing plagiarism detection software may provide a means to verify that your work is plagiarism-free. Knowing and respecting intellectual property rights can safeguard academic integrity and stimulate in-depth knowledge and the true presentation of results.

Excessive Detail

The most common error while writing a summary is including too many details. In this case, a summary will be the most important part of the research, where the researcher only has to pay attention to the objectives, methodology, key outcomes, and conclusions. Avoid the temptation to wade into the pool of minor details and complex data that do not contribute to an overall understanding of the research's main outcomes.

Rather than mixing the two, it is appropriate to find a balance between economy and fullness by considering the details essential for the reader to grasp the significance and impact of the research. Maintaining the brevity and focus of the summary makes it easier to read. It ensures that it is useful to the audience, who may not need or want a superficial amount of detail. Here is how to write a good summary!

Biased Interpretation

Interpretation may be biased, and this can distort factual comprehension. It is seen as a situation when personal opinion or judgment interferes with the presentation of research results. Here is what you need to do:

• Avoid Personal Opinions: Keep interpretations neutral and based on the data.
• Stick to the Facts: Refer directly to the research for support.
• Use Neutral Language: Avoid emotionally charged or suggestive language.

It is essential to be as objective as possible, concentrating only on what the research data and results demonstrate. This method certifies the accuracy of the summary, which reflects the research without being distorted by personal views or external influences. Just stick to the research summary format.

Misrepresentation of Results

Incorrect misinformation in a research summary can grossly skew the perception of the research and its validity. This mistake could be made if the summary is skewed, important data is omitted, or the results are out of context. So, it is mandatory always to portray the research findings accurately and completely. Ensure that the data mentioned in the summary is the same as the data and conclusions of the research article.

Here is how to write a good summary. We should not jump to conclusions unsupported by the original research or leave out the negative results that are important in inferring the whole study's outcome. Accuracy and fidelity in data reproduction make the summary a trustworthy and credible source for academic and professional settings, thus ensuring the research is an authentic and ethical representation.

Incomplete Coverage

Now, you know how to write a summary. An incomplete summary is worthless because it fails to present all the information crucial to learning about the research. This problem can originate from the lack of detail regarding the important results, the failure to describe the research context, or the omission of the implications and limitations of the study. Besides, find a good research summary template for practicing.

The utmost attention should be paid to systematically presenting all research components, including hypothesis, methodology, results, and conclusions. Also, emphasize any limitations or boundaries of the research that make your topic area more effective. In addition to the above, this detail-oriented approach goes beyond the mere credibility of the summary.

What is the purpose of a research paper summary?

You must concisely overview a research study's main ideas, findings, and implications.

How long should a research paper summary be?

It should be about one page long, between 250 and 300 words. However, ask your professor first.

What are the key differences between summarizing and paraphrasing?

Summarizing involves condensing a large amount of information into a brief overview. Paraphrasing is rewording a specific text or idea without significantly shortening it.

How can I ensure objectivity and conciseness in a research paper summary?

You should stick to the facts, use neutral language, and highlight essential points of your research.

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'Splashdown confirmed!' SpaceX Starship successful in fourth test launch

SpaceX's jumbo 400-foot-long Starship rocket took off from the Texas Starbase site Thursday morning for its fourth test flight, resulting in its most successful run yet. All three previous tests ended in explosions.

The unmanned craft is classified as a super heavy-lift launch vehicle and is lauded as the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built. Working toward an ultimate goal of delivering astronauts back and forth between the Earth, moon and even Mars, SpaceX has called each previous test flight an improvement on the last.

SpaceX provided live coverage of the launch on the SpaceX website and X, formerly Twitter, account . The company has been provided millions in funding from NASA in hopes of producing a commercial rocket that can safely take astronauts to the moon by 2026.

Here is what happened during the Starship's fourth test launch and its previous test flights.

Starship test launches: Here's what happened in first 3 SpaceX Starship test launches

SpaceX Starship successfully splashes down

Roughly 49 minutes into the flight, Starship began its reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

The Starship's heat shields protected the craft as the atmosphere naturally slowed its descent without the use of engines to navigate toward the Earth's surface.

About 57 minutes into the flight, external cameras on the craft caught one of the heat shields sparking and debris ripping from the ship's exterior. While the damaged camera made for a spotty livestream, flares of light prompted rounds of cheers from the crowd watching at the launch site.

Roughly one hour and six minutes into the flight, Starship successfully completed its first-ever landing burn and splashed down into the Indian Ocean to raucous applause.

"Splashdown confirmed!" SpaceX shared on X moments after landing. "Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting fourth flight test of Starship!"

SpaceX Starship booster successfully splashes down

Around 7 minutes and 20 seconds into the flight, the craft's booster successfully separated and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. All six of Starship's engines powered it into successful orbital insertion.

SpaceX Starship takes off

The SpaceX Starship spacecraft lifted off from SpaceX’s private Starbase site in Boca Chica, Texas at 8:50 a.m. E.T. on Thursday.

This time, 32 of 33 booster engines lit as the craft launched. Roughly three minutes into the flight, the ship successfully began traveling on its own without the assistance of the booster.

What is the goal of the Starship test launches?

The improving test launches are a positive sign for SpaceX and NASA, which  awarded the company a $2.9 billion contract  in 2021 to develop the first commercial human lander for its upcoming Artemis III mission to the moon slated for 2026.

NASA agreed to pay Elon Musk's company the hefty sum in hopes SpaceX will develop a spacecraft able to transport astronauts to the moon's surface.

"We’re continuing to rapidly develop Starship, putting flight hardware in a flight environment to learn as quickly as possible as we build a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond," said the space company in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

NASA originally intended to launch this mission and its  Artemis II  astronauts into orbit by the end of the year on a 10-day trip circumnavigating the moon. The space agency then planned a moon landing for one year later, part of the Artemis III mission. However, the program missions have  since been delayed  by at least a year after NASA encountered a slew of issues.

NASA intends to eventually send a crew to the moon's unexplored south-polar region in a mission that would be the first of its kind in American history since the Apollo program ended in 1972.

What happened during previous Starship test launches?

SpaceX's Starship has had three previous test launches since April 2023. While all three ended in explosions, each one "made tremendous strides" toward the ultimate goal of developing rapidly reliable reusable rockets.

Starship got off to a rough start when it exploded just four minutes into its inaugural test flight on April 20, 2023.

The craft launched from the Starbase site, but several of the craft's engines failed to ignite, triggering an explosion before the booster and spacecraft were able to separate. The rocket's flight termination system  was activated  to destroy the tumbling vehicle, which reached a total height of about 24 miles above the ground.

The second launch attempt on Nov. 18, 2023 saw the craft survive longer and reach new milestones.

This time, the booster was able to successfully separate from the rocket, which reached space before the ground crew lost communication with it after nine minutes. Three minutes later, SpaceX lost both the booster and the spacecraft in  two explosions .

All 33 booster engines fired as designed in this launch, and the ship reached an altitude of 92 miles.

The third test launch, which took place on March 14, saw Starship successfully separating from the booster and making it to orbit shortly after launch.

A series of in-flight tests were conducted until Starship began to make its way back into the Earth's atmosphere, at which point signal to the craft was lost and about an hour into the mission and it was concluded the craft likely broke apart.

SpaceX said this flight reached several more milestones, including the first reentry from space, first opening and closing of the craft's payload door in space and a successful propellant transfer demonstration.

Corral Fire

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Resources assigned.

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Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.

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Situation summary.

Weather conditions became more favorable for firefighters, allowing crews to make progress constructing and improving control lines. 

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Confirmed Damage to Property, Injuries, and Fatalities.

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BANK EXAMINER

Springdale, AR, US, 72762

Position Number: [[22169294]]  County: [[Washington]]  Posting End Date: [[6/11/24]]  Anticipated Starting Salary: [[$45,010]]  [[Bank Examination Division - Safety and Soundness]] 

The mission of the Department of Commerce is to champion economic opportunities through strategic initiatives and an equitable regulatory environment that attracts and grows businesses, safeguards consumers, enhances workforce quality, and energizes our infrastructure, creating a better quality of life for all Arkansans.

The Arkansas State Bank Department is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce.  This Bank Examiner position is responsible for performing on-site examinations of Arkansas state-chartered banks. This position works under immediate supervision and is responsible for evaluating the adequacy of capital and earnings; the quality of assets; the competency of management (including compliance with federal and state laws and Bank Department rules and regulations, and the adequacy of the audit program and internal controls); the adequacy of liquidity and funds management; and the sensitivity to market risk of the institution's balance sheet and activities.

The Bank Department's main office is located in Little Rock, AR.  Additionally, the Bank Department operates satellite offices in both Springdale, AR, and Jonesboro, AR.   This position will be assigned to the Bank Department office located in Springdale, Arkansas.

Frequent in-state overnight travel is required.

Please attach a copy of your college transcript to your application.  In addition, an ORIGINAL transcript must be brought with you if you are selected for interview.

Class Code: A070C

Grade: GS08

FLSA Status: NON-EXEMPT

Salary Range: $45,010.00 - $65,265.00

The State of Arkansas is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Nearest Major Market: Fayetteville

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Committee Releases FY25 Defense Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2025 bill for the Defense Subcommittee. The bill will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow, June 5th at 8:00 a.m. The markup will be closed. Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said, “In a resource- and time-constrained environment, my top priority for the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Bill is to strengthen our military’s position against any threat presented by China. To accomplish this, I have once again increased investments in programs that fuel and field innovative technologies, including the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) initiative. Every dollar counts within the topline limitation imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Therefore, this bill withholds funds from initiatives and programs that are wasteful, inefficient, or do not contribute directly to our national security. It continues record levels of funding for the National Guard’s counterdrug programs to enhance the Department of Defense’s ability to counter China’s malicious incursions into our homeland. Lastly, this bill supports the true difference makers and our best national security assets – our men and women in uniform and their families – with a pay raise, including one specifically for our junior enlisted servicemembers.” Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “The privilege of peace is delivered through vigilance, and our military has supported that mission generation after generation. As we face renewed threats and aggressors across the globe, providing our men and women in uniform with the tools needed to deter, fight, and win is critically important. This FY25 bill strengthens America’s defense and the readiness of our armed forces. By focusing resources on the core duty of the Pentagon, the mission to deliver a combat-ready military that can prevent war and protect our great nation is met.” Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Bill The Defense Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $833.053 billion, which is $8.57 billion (1%) above the Fiscal Year 2024 level and consistent with the limit set in law by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.   The bill strategically refocuses the Pentagon on its core mission: delivering combat-ready military forces to deter war and ensure national security. It eliminates funding for divisive social agendas and initiatives that do not align with the Department’s primary purpose.   Due to persistent oversight of program execution across the Department of Defense (DOD), the bill rejects $18 billion in unjustified and unnecessary items included in the President’s Budget Request and redirects those resources to programs and activities that counter the People’s Republic of China and other near-peer adversaries, foster innovation, enhance the DOD’s role in combating the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, and support servicemembers and their families.   Key Takeaways

• Allocating $200 million for Taiwan's international security cooperation programs and prioritizing defense articles and services to Taiwan.
• Preventing the early retirement of three ships and retaining the U-2 and certain F-15s, rejecting the Biden Administration’s naval and air force divestment plans.
• Increasing investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft like the F-35 and Next Generation Air Dominance.
• Supporting the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which enhances U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, including funding for several INDOPACOM unfunded priorities.
• Funding the Office of Strategic Capital’s loans and loan guarantees to maximize the use of private capital to advance emerging technologies and manufacturing, including through private investment funds.
• Continuing $220 million in direct support to combatant commanders through the DIU to quickly obtain the cutting-edge technology and weapons they need and to rapidly get them to the warfighter.
• Increasing funding for DIU Fielding efforts and the military services to accelerate acquisition processes to ensure we have the most innovative technology in time for the fight.
• Fostering competition to attract America’s best companies and talent, increasing flexibility for DIU Fielding in exchange for greater transparency with Congress.
• Providing $400 million for the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program to help bridge a “Valley of Death” and transition cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter in an accelerated timeline.
• Investing in next-generation fighter aircraft, helicopters, tactical combat vehicles, and submarines.
• Supporting the modernization of the nuclear triad: the B-21 Raider, the Columbia Class Submarine, and Sentinel.
• Funding a 4.5% pay raise for all military personnel.
• Providing $2.5 billion for an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers.
• Prohibiting the moving of National Guard missions, functions, or personnel to the Space Force in contravention of current law.
• Cutting over $916 million from the President’s Budget Request for the civilian workforce.
• Maintaining pressure on the Pentagon and the military services to, in coordination with the Department’s technology experts, take a serious look at what functions can be done better by technology than by civilians.
• Ensuring the Department has an appropriate workforce for areas that directly serve the warfighter, like depots and shipyards.
• Cutting $500 million from the President’s Budget Request for excess advisory and assistance contractors.
• Identifying $100 million in savings to account for efficiencies and management improvements.
• Allocating $1.14 billion for drug interdiction and counterdrug activities, which is $242 million above the President’s Budget Request.
• Increasing funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.
• Transferring Mexico from U.S. Northern Command’s jurisdiction to U.S. Southern Command for better coordination and prioritization.
• Providing $500 million for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Programs, to include Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow missile defense systems.
• Providing $80 million above the President’s Budget Request for U.S.-Israeli anti-tunneling cooperation.
• Providing $55 million above the President’s Budget Request for counter-UAS development and directed energy and laser technology cooperation.
• Prohibiting funds to withhold the delivery of defense articles and defense services from the United States to Israel, requiring that any defense article withheld from delivery to Israel be delivered within 15 days, and requiring the Secretary of Defense to obligate any remaining unobligated balances for assistance for Israel within 30 days.
• Prohibiting funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
• Cutting $18 billion from the President’s Budget Request and redirecting that funding to address warfighting needs, counter China, and support our servicemembers and their families.
• Cutting $621.2 million from the President’s Budget Request for climate change initiatives.
• Cutting $53 million from the President’s Budget Request for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Prohibiting funds to House illegal immigrants on military installations.
• Prohibiting censoring constitutionally protected speech of Americans.
• Prohibiting funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion offices.
• Prohibiting the implementation, administration, or enforcement of the Biden Administration’s executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
• Defunding the position of Deputy Inspector General for Diversity and Inclusion and Extremism in the Military and the position of Chief Diversity Officer.
• Prohibiting the use of funds to perform medical procedures that attempt to change an individual’s biological gender.
• Prohibiting events on military installations or as part of recruiting programs that bring discredit upon the military, such as a drag queen story hour for children or the use of drag queens as military recruiters.
• Prohibiting the promotion or advancement of Critical Race Theory (CRT).
• Prohibiting funding for the President’s controversial climate change executive orders and regulations.
• Prohibiting paid leave and travel or related expenses of a federal employee or their dependents to obtain an abortion or abortion-related services.
• Protecting Americans against religious discrimination.
• Prohibiting the recruitment, hiring, or promotion of any person who has been convicted of charges related to child pornography or other sexual misconduct.
• Prohibiting the granting, renewing, or maintaining of a security clearance for individuals listed as a signatory on the “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails” dated October 19, 2020.
• Prohibiting contracts with NewsGuard Technologies Inc. which is known to target conservative news outlets.
• Preventing COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.
• Prohibiting funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and EcoHealth Alliance.

A summary of the bill is available here . Bill text is available here .  

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Paducah, KY

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Summary of multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes on May 26, 2024

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Environment

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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

Warning Statistics

It was an extremely busy day monitoring radar and issuing warnings for this event. NWS Paducah ended up issuing an astounding 97 combined warnings (Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, and Flash Flood) for our 58 county forecast area during this event. This was the 2nd most warnings issued in a single calendar day on record for our office, only falling shy of the May 8, 2024 event. At the peak of the event shortly before 9 PM, we had 25 total warnings in effect at the same time across parts of our area. Every single part of every county in our area was under some kind of warning at some point and many locations received multiple warnings between the morning and evening rounds. A warning was in effect for some portion of our area for over 20 consecutive hours from around 5:30 AM on May 26th until 2 AM on May 27th.

Two rounds of severe thunderstorms impacted the region on May 26th. The first wave moved through during the morning hours, starting shortly after 5 AM in southeast Missouri. This round exited the region by midday. A lull during the afternoon occurred before additional storms swept through the region during the evening from 6 to 11 PM.

Here is a radar loop of the morning round from 5 AM to 1 PM . 

Here is a radar loop of the evening round from 5 PM to 11 PM.

Rain Reports

Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches occurred across the region, along with localized higher amounts up to 5 inches. The highest amounts were focused across southeast Missouri, western Kentucky, and far southern Illinois. Multiple rounds of intense rainfall lead to flash flooding with numerous roads closed due to high water flowing across them.

The synoptic environment was characterized by a shortwave trough centered across the center of the country with a 60 knot mid level jet moving across northern Arkansas. A weak surface low was moving into southeast Missouri during the morning with a secondary low located further northwest. A warm frontal boundary was draped across our area. The most unstable environment was in place across southeast Missouri and far western Kentucky where MLCAPE values of 1500-2500 J/kg were present.

There was copious amounts of moisture to work with as precipitable water values peaked around 1.9 inches during the morning. This allowed storms to produce very efficient rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Effective shear was also quite impressive with values over 40 kts across southeast Missouri ahead of the bowing line of storms. All of these ingredients provided the needed fuel for the storms to continue as they quickly tracked east into western Kentucky through the morning. There were embedded circulations within the line that likely produced several tornadoes along its path.

After the morning round of storms, satellite imagery indicated rapid clearing across the region during the afternoon. Temperatures rose back into the 80s with dewpoints rising into the upper 60s to mid 70s. This produced a very unstable environment by early evening with MLCAPE values of 3000-4000 J/kg.

Effective bulk shear was greater than 50 kts across the region during the evening. The greatest low level shear and storm relative helicity was concentrated across western Kentucky, with lesser values further west. Mid-level lapse rates of 7.5 C/km were present, providing an ideal environment for large hail. Meanwhile, the downdraft CAPE was quite high, leading to an ideal environment for strong damaging winds to be transported to the surface.

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SpaceX successfully launches its Starship megarocket to orbit, returning it to Earth for the first time

SpaceX successfully launched its Starship megarocket Thursday on an uncrewed test flight to orbit and back, achieving several key milestones for the first time.

The nearly 400-foot rocket is the most powerful booster ever developed and SpaceX aims to make the system fully reusable.

It is being designed to carry out missions to the moon and eventually Mars. Starship is expected to play an important part in  NASA’s return-to-the-moon program : The agency selected it to carry astronauts to the lunar surface on its Artemis III mission, which could launch in 2026.

Starship lifted off at 8:50 a.m. ET from SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. This was the spacecraft's fourth test flight and the first time it survived the full journey from liftoff to splashdown. However, it's not yet clear how much of the vehicle survived re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere.

Still, the test flight notched several crucial milestones. SpaceX showed that both the Starship spacecraft and the rocket’s first-stage, known as Super Heavy, can survive the fiery trip back through Earth’s atmosphere and make a “soft” and controlled splash down.

Less than 10 minutes after liftoff, Super Heavy executed a successful landing burn for the first time and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. After cruising in orbit for around 40 minutes, the Starship spacecraft made its re-entry and completed a landing burn for the first time.

Live camera views aboard Starship showed debris and damage to the vehicle before it splashed down in the Indian Ocean, but SpaceX heralded the test flight as a success.

“Congratulations @SpaceX team on an epic achievement,” Elon Musk, the company’s founder and CEO, said on X.

Starship's flight came during a busy week of launches: On Wednesday, Boeing's Starliner capsule launched on its first crewed test flight to the International Space Station.

Relive the launch in slo-mo

Denise Chow

SpaceX released a video of Starship's launch in slow-motion, showing the rocket thunder to life and lift off the pad.

'An epic achievement,' Elon Musk says

Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and CEO, called today's test flight an "epic achievement."

"Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!" he posted on X.

'Toasting' Starship

SpaceX employees toasted marshmallows to celebrate Starship's "toasty" ride through the atmosphere.

It will likely take some time for the company to release data and results from today's outing, but SpaceX continues to make progress with each ambitious Starship test flight.

Starship's first-ever landing burn

Starship appears to have successfully executed its first-ever landing burn before splashing down in the ocean. It's not yet clear how much of the ship survived re-entry through the atmosphere, but mission controllers confirmed that the vehicle completed the key burn.

Still celebrating

Video feeds from Starship have been spotty during re-entry, as is to be expected but you can hear cheers from SpaceX employees at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California, every time live views return.

"This is a nail-biter," one launch commentator said.

Next up: splashdown

Splashdown is expected in a few minutes, but it's unclear how much of Starship has survived at this point.

Burning up?

Pieces of Starship appear to be burning off as the spacecraft makes its way through the atmosphere.

Debris seems to be covering the onboard cameras, at least one of which now has a cracked lens, but the company still seems to be able to collect data from Starship.

Live views of re-entry

Cameras are capturing incredible live views of Starship's re-entry, showing plasma building around the spacecraft as it travels through the atmosphere.

It's rare to get a real-time look at this intense and high-stakes phase of a space vehicle's return to Earth.

From re-entry to landing

The entire re-entry process is expected to last for about 6 minutes.

If Starship survives the fiery trip through the planet's atmosphere, it should then fire its engines to flip over, then execute a key landing burn before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

Starship begins re-entry

Starship is now attempting to execute the primary objective of today's test flight: re-entering Earth's atmosphere and splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

There is typically a communications blackout during this time, so it may take some time to confirm if the vehicle has survived the re-entry process.

A busy week of space launches

This morning's liftoff followed yesterday's launch of Boeing's Starliner capsule to the International Space Station. It's the spacecraft's first crewed flight — veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are currently onboard in low-Earth orbit.

The Starliner spacecraft is expected to dock with the space station today at 12:15 p.m. ET. You can catch up on the news of yesterday's launch here .

What's next for Starship

Starship has been flying for more than 20 minutes. Roughly 47 minutes into the flight, the vehicle will attempt to re-enter the atmosphere and land "softly" in the Indian Ocean.

It will be high-stakes moment for SpaceX. During Starship's last test flight in March, the company said it lost contact with the spacecraft roughly 50 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of around 40 miles.

Today, SpaceX is hoping to show that Starship can survive the extreme temperatures of atmospheric re-entry and execute a controlled splashdown.

Short break before landing

The live webcast is pausing for about 30 minutes as Starship continues to coast in orbit.

The next milestone will come when Starship attempts to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the Indian Ocean.

Celebrations from Texas

You can hear big cheers erupt from SpaceX employees at each milestone of the flight. The team has already accomplished one of the main objectives of today's test.

Splashdown of Super Heavy

SpaceX confirmed that the Super Heavy booster executed a successful landing burn and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a big milestone for the company.

Starship is now coasting

Starship is now expected to coast for about 40 minutes up to an altitude of roughly 130 miles.

Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster is attempting to make a controlled and "soft" landing in the Gulf of Mexico. During Starship's last test flight in March, Super Heavy did not execute a planned landing burn and was lost at around this stage of the flight.

And there it goes

Jason Abbruzzese

Separation of Super Heavy:

Starship separation confirmed

The Starship spacecraft has successfully separated from the Super Heavy first-stage booster, SpaceX confirmed.

The rocket's ascent seemed smooth, though it looked like one of the rocket's Raptor engines did not light at liftoff.

The moment of liftoff

SpaceX quickly posted a video of Starship's liftoff:

Looking good so far

The rocket passed through what's known as "Max Q," the moment of maximum dynamic pressure on Starship's ascent. The vehicle is now supersonic, flying faster than the speed of sound.

We have liftoff

The rocket has cleared the launch tower.

Fueling complete

SpaceX officials said the rocket and spacecraft are now fully loaded with 10 million pounds of propellant.

Five minutes to go

SpaceX said it is not working any issues ahead of the targeted launch at 8:50 a.m. ET.

If any issues do crop up, the company has a built-in hold in their launch countdown at T-minus 40 seconds. That means they can hold there for up to 30 minutes, if needed.

Weather looks good for launch

It looks cloudy around the launch pad, but SpaceX says weather conditions remain 95% favorable for this morning's launch.

Starship's flight trajectory

Take a look at what's in store for Starship as it prepares to journey into orbit and back.

Main objectives for today's flight

SpaceX is aiming to show that both the Super Heavy first-stage booster and Starship spacecraft can survive re-entry through Earth's atmosphere and achieve a "soft" splashdown.

Super Heavy is targeting a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. After reaching orbit, the Starship vehicle will aim to splash down in the Indian Ocean.

Both objectives will be crucial in developing Starship into a fully reusable system, which SpaceX has said will drive down costs and allow for quicker turnarounds between launches.

While full reusability is the company's ultimate goal, SpaceX said it is not planning to recover any hardware from today's test flight.

Live webcast underway

SpaceX's webcast of today's launch has begun. You can follow along on X .

How Starship stacks up

The nearly 400-foot-tall Starship megarocket is the most powerful booster ever developed. It is designed to take astronauts to the moon — and one day, perhaps on to Mars.

NASA is separately developing its own  Space Launch System megarocket and Orion spacecraft  for missions to the moon. As part of the agency’s Artemis program, NASA envisions regular missions to establish a base camp on the lunar surface before an eventual mission to Mars.

But the two rockets have key differences. Unlike NASA’s Space Launch System, SpaceX's Starship rocket will be fully reusable. A key objective of today’s test flight will be to demonstrate that the booster’s first stage, dubbed Super Heavy, can safely return to Earth and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield hopes for "soft landings"

Chris Hadfield posted his best wishes for a successful launch — and landing — for Starship.

Fueling underway

SpaceX officials confirmed that fueling is currently underway. Starship uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant.

What to expect for this flight

SpaceX made steady progress with each of its three prior Starship tests. The  rocket’s debut flight in April 2023  ended when the booster exploded several minutes after liftoff.

A  second Starship launch  in November achieved several milestones, including the separation of the first-stage booster and upper-stage spacecraft, but the  company lost contact with the vehicle  shortly after.

Starship’s third test flight in March saw the spacecraft successfully reach orbit, but the vehicle was lost as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere.

On Starship’s fourth test flight, SpaceX aims to show that both the upper-stage spacecraft and the rocket’s first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, can make controlled, safe landings on Earth.

During the last test flight, a planned burn in the landing process failed and the Super Heavy booster ultimately broke apart over the Gulf of Mexico. This time, SpaceX hopes to execute the landing burn successfully, achieving a “soft splashdown” of the booster in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also looking to nail a “controlled entry” of the Starship vehicle through Earth’s atmosphere before it splashes down in the Indian Ocean.

Throwback to March

This morning's test flight will follow a similar trajectory as Starship's last outing in March. Here's a look back at some of the highlights from that launch.

Live from Texas

SpaceX said it is now aiming to launch Starship at 8:50 a.m. ET. The company's webcast will begin at around 8:20 a.m. ET.

Why this test flight is important

Starship's test flights have been closely watched because the booster and spacecraft are expected to play an important part in  NASA’s return-to-the-moon program .

Starship was selected by NASA to carry astronauts to the lunar surface on the agency's upcoming Artemis III mission, which could launch in 2026.

SpaceX also hopes to use Starship to eventually reach Mars.

Welcome to the second rocket launch of the week

It's launch day for SpaceX's starship megarocket! The company will attempt to send Starship on a fourth, uncrewed test flight to orbit and back.

SpaceX's launch today is second of two back-to-back high-stakes spaceflights this week. Yesterday, we saw Boeing's Starliner capsule lift off with NASA astronauts onboard for the first time.

Starship will launch from SpaceX's Starbase test site in Boca Chica, Texas. The company is targeting a two-hour launch window that opens at 8 a.m. ET.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.