What is a Summary? | Definition & Writing Tips
A summary is a shortened version of a text that focuses on distilling the main points from the original.
Use QuillBot’s Summarizer to quickly condense and add key insights from any text.
What is a summary?
Summarizing means to condense a longer text into its key points. A summary will be shorter than the original while still containing the most important information from it.
You want to provide quick access to the most important information available while organizing it in such a way that the main idea(s) are represented simply and clearly.
Why summarize a text?
The goal of summary writing is to make the intention of the original text as clear and easy to follow as possible.
- Reading comprehension: Summary-writing assignments at university help you improve your reading comprehension as you encounter complex texts.
- Real life applications: Learning how to summarize also strengthens your media literacy skills and helps you with research at work.
- Sharing information: Text summaries can make information more digestible to others, which facilitates effective interpersonal communication.
How to write a summary
Trying to summarize a long or complex piece of writing can feel overwhelming at first. These steps can help:
- Choose your text, and read it carefully.
- Identify the main point the author is making, and write it down.
- Approach the text by paragraphs or sections (if it includes subheadings), and write one sentence indicating the main message of each.
- Take what you’ve written so far; check that it flows naturally and makes sense. Did you miss anything?
- Cite your source material, and double check that your summary sticks to the facts.
You carefully read the full text and note that the main message of the article is how the security system at the museum failed to prevent the theft.
You then break the text down by its subheadings and write a sentence or two for each section:
The first section reports on the crime itself, describing where and when it took place, along with who the current suspects are. (e.g., Place: London Met, time: 3:52 AM, suspect: two men wearing balaclavas)
The second section includes key information about the failings of the security system that day, noting that it was easily hacked and disabled. (e.g., no 2-factor ID needed to log in and turn disable the security lasers)
The final section offers a few expert recommendations for preventing future museum robberies. (e.g., regular cybersecurity audits and better staff training)
Each of these points comes together to make your comprehensive article summary. You then cite the original article and double check that you included all key facts.
Frequently asked questions about summaries
- How do you write a summary?
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Write a summary by carefully reading your text and writing down the central message it is communicating.
Next, break the text down by paragraphs or sections and write one sentence summarizing the main point of each.
Finally, review your summary to ensure it contains all key information and cite your original text.
Save time by using QuillBot’s free Summarizer.
- How do you make a summary objective?
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Make a summary objective by sticking to the key facts in the original text, rather than focusing on your personal opinion of it.
Get help writing your summary with QuillBot’s Summarizer.
- Are there summary generator tools online?
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Yes, it is possible to find free summary generators online. These can save time by distilling key information for you.
For example, you can try QuillBot’s Summarizer.
Cite this Quillbot article
We encourage the use of reliable sources in all types of writing. You can copy and paste the citation or click the "Cite this article" button to automatically add it to our free Citation Generator.
Cichanowicz, L. (2026, January 27). What is a Summary? | Definition & Writing Tips. Quillbot. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://quillbot.com/blog/content-writing/what-is-a-summary/
