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How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples
Published on November 23, 2020 by Shona McCombes . Revised on May 31, 2023.
Summarizing , or writing a summary, means giving a concise overview of a text’s main points in your own words. A summary is always much shorter than the original text.
There are five key steps that can help you to write a summary:
- Read the text
- Break it down into sections
- Identify the key points in each section
- Write the summary
- Check the summary against the article
Writing a summary does not involve critiquing or evaluating the source . You should simply provide an accurate account of the most important information and ideas (without copying any text from the original).
Table of contents
When to write a summary, step 1: read the text, step 2: break the text down into sections, step 3: identify the key points in each section, step 4: write the summary, step 5: check the summary against the article, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about summarizing.
There are many situations in which you might have to summarize an article or other source:
- As a stand-alone assignment to show you’ve understood the material
- To keep notes that will help you remember what you’ve read
- To give an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
When you’re writing an academic text like an essay , research paper , or dissertation , you’ll integrate sources in a variety of ways. You might use a brief quote to support your point, or paraphrase a few sentences or paragraphs.
But it’s often appropriate to summarize a whole article or chapter if it is especially relevant to your own research, or to provide an overview of a source before you analyze or critique it.
In any case, the goal of summarizing is to give your reader a clear understanding of the original source. Follow the five steps outlined below to write a good summary.
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You should read the article more than once to make sure you’ve thoroughly understood it. It’s often effective to read in three stages:
- Scan the article quickly to get a sense of its topic and overall shape.
- Read the article carefully, highlighting important points and taking notes as you read.
- Skim the article again to confirm you’ve understood the key points, and reread any particularly important or difficult passages.
There are some tricks you can use to identify the key points as you read:
- Start by reading the abstract . This already contains the author’s own summary of their work, and it tells you what to expect from the article.
- Pay attention to headings and subheadings . These should give you a good sense of what each part is about.
- Read the introduction and the conclusion together and compare them: What did the author set out to do, and what was the outcome?
To make the text more manageable and understand its sub-points, break it down into smaller sections.
If the text is a scientific paper that follows a standard empirical structure, it is probably already organized into clearly marked sections, usually including an introduction , methods , results , and discussion .
Other types of articles may not be explicitly divided into sections. But most articles and essays will be structured around a series of sub-points or themes.
Now it’s time go through each section and pick out its most important points. What does your reader need to know to understand the overall argument or conclusion of the article?
Keep in mind that a summary does not involve paraphrasing every single paragraph of the article. Your goal is to extract the essential points, leaving out anything that can be considered background information or supplementary detail.
In a scientific article, there are some easy questions you can ask to identify the key points in each part.
Introduction | or problem was addressed? |
---|---|
Methods | |
Results | supported? |
Discussion/conclusion |
If the article takes a different form, you might have to think more carefully about what points are most important for the reader to understand its argument.
In that case, pay particular attention to the thesis statement —the central claim that the author wants us to accept, which usually appears in the introduction—and the topic sentences that signal the main idea of each paragraph.
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
Now that you know the key points that the article aims to communicate, you need to put them in your own words.
To avoid plagiarism and show you’ve understood the article, it’s essential to properly paraphrase the author’s ideas. Do not copy and paste parts of the article, not even just a sentence or two.
The best way to do this is to put the article aside and write out your own understanding of the author’s key points.
Examples of article summaries
Let’s take a look at an example. Below, we summarize this article , which scientifically investigates the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Davis et al. (2015) set out to empirically test the popular saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are often used to represent a healthy lifestyle, and research has shown their nutritional properties could be beneficial for various aspects of health. The authors’ unique approach is to take the saying literally and ask: do people who eat apples use healthcare services less frequently? If there is indeed such a relationship, they suggest, promoting apple consumption could help reduce healthcare costs.
The study used publicly available cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were categorized as either apple eaters or non-apple eaters based on their self-reported apple consumption in an average 24-hour period. They were also categorized as either avoiding or not avoiding the use of healthcare services in the past year. The data was statistically analyzed to test whether there was an association between apple consumption and several dependent variables: physician visits, hospital stays, use of mental health services, and use of prescription medication.
Although apple eaters were slightly more likely to have avoided physician visits, this relationship was not statistically significant after adjusting for various relevant factors. No association was found between apple consumption and hospital stays or mental health service use. However, apple eaters were found to be slightly more likely to have avoided using prescription medication. Based on these results, the authors conclude that an apple a day does not keep the doctor away, but it may keep the pharmacist away. They suggest that this finding could have implications for reducing healthcare costs, considering the high annual costs of prescription medication and the inexpensiveness of apples.
However, the authors also note several limitations of the study: most importantly, that apple eaters are likely to differ from non-apple eaters in ways that may have confounded the results (for example, apple eaters may be more likely to be health-conscious). To establish any causal relationship between apple consumption and avoidance of medication, they recommend experimental research.
An article summary like the above would be appropriate for a stand-alone summary assignment. However, you’ll often want to give an even more concise summary of an article.
For example, in a literature review or meta analysis you may want to briefly summarize this study as part of a wider discussion of various sources. In this case, we can boil our summary down even further to include only the most relevant information.
Using national survey data, Davis et al. (2015) tested the assertion that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and did not find statistically significant evidence to support this hypothesis. While people who consumed apples were slightly less likely to use prescription medications, the study was unable to demonstrate a causal relationship between these variables.
Citing the source you’re summarizing
When including a summary as part of a larger text, it’s essential to properly cite the source you’re summarizing. The exact format depends on your citation style , but it usually includes an in-text citation and a full reference at the end of your paper.
You can easily create your citations and references in APA or MLA using our free citation generators.
APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator
Finally, read through the article once more to ensure that:
- You’ve accurately represented the author’s work
- You haven’t missed any essential information
- The phrasing is not too similar to any sentences in the original.
If you’re summarizing many articles as part of your own work, it may be a good idea to use a plagiarism checker to double-check that your text is completely original and properly cited. Just be sure to use one that’s safe and reliable.
If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
- ChatGPT vs human editor
- ChatGPT citations
- Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
- Using ChatGPT for your studies
- What is ChatGPT?
- Chicago style
- Paraphrasing
Plagiarism
- Types of plagiarism
- Self-plagiarism
- Avoiding plagiarism
- Academic integrity
- Consequences of plagiarism
- Common knowledge
A summary is a short overview of the main points of an article or other source, written entirely in your own words. Want to make your life super easy? Try our free text summarizer today!
A summary is always much shorter than the original text. The length of a summary can range from just a few sentences to several paragraphs; it depends on the length of the article you’re summarizing, and on the purpose of the summary.
You might have to write a summary of a source:
- As a stand-alone assignment to prove you understand the material
- For your own use, to keep notes on your reading
- To provide an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
- In a paper , to summarize or introduce a relevant study
To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:
- Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
- Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.
An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarize the whole text, not just introduce it.
An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarize a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.
All can be done within seconds with our free text summarizer .
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McCombes, S. (2023, May 31). How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-summarize/
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Home » Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide
Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide
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Research Summary
Definition:
A research summary is a brief and concise overview of a research project or study that highlights its key findings, main points, and conclusions. It typically includes a description of the research problem, the research methods used, the results obtained, and the implications or significance of the findings. It is often used as a tool to quickly communicate the main findings of a study to other researchers, stakeholders, or decision-makers.
Structure of Research Summary
The Structure of a Research Summary typically include:
- Introduction : This section provides a brief background of the research problem or question, explains the purpose of the study, and outlines the research objectives.
- Methodology : This section explains the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. It describes the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
- Results : This section presents the main findings of the study, including statistical analysis if applicable. It may include tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data.
- Discussion : This section interprets the results and explains their implications. It discusses the significance of the findings, compares them to previous research, and identifies any limitations or future directions for research.
- Conclusion : This section summarizes the main points of the research and provides a conclusion based on the findings. It may also suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
- References : This section lists the sources cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.
How to Write Research Summary
Here are the steps you can follow to write a research summary:
- Read the research article or study thoroughly: To write a summary, you must understand the research article or study you are summarizing. Therefore, read the article or study carefully to understand its purpose, research design, methodology, results, and conclusions.
- Identify the main points : Once you have read the research article or study, identify the main points, key findings, and research question. You can highlight or take notes of the essential points and findings to use as a reference when writing your summary.
- Write the introduction: Start your summary by introducing the research problem, research question, and purpose of the study. Briefly explain why the research is important and its significance.
- Summarize the methodology : In this section, summarize the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. Explain the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
- Present the results: Summarize the main findings of the study. Use tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data if necessary.
- Interpret the results: In this section, interpret the results and explain their implications. Discuss the significance of the findings, compare them to previous research, and identify any limitations or future directions for research.
- Conclude the summary : Summarize the main points of the research and provide a conclusion based on the findings. Suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
- Revise and edit : Once you have written the summary, revise and edit it to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors. Make sure that your summary accurately represents the research article or study.
- Add references: Include a list of references cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.
Example of Research Summary
Here is an example of a research summary:
Title: The Effects of Yoga on Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis
Introduction: This meta-analysis examines the effects of yoga on mental health. The study aimed to investigate whether yoga practice can improve mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, stress, and quality of life.
Methodology : The study analyzed data from 14 randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of yoga on mental health outcomes. The sample included a total of 862 participants. The yoga interventions varied in length and frequency, ranging from four to twelve weeks, with sessions lasting from 45 to 90 minutes.
Results : The meta-analysis found that yoga practice significantly improved mental health outcomes. Participants who practiced yoga showed a significant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as stress levels. Quality of life also improved in those who practiced yoga.
Discussion : The findings of this study suggest that yoga can be an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. The study supports the growing body of evidence that suggests that yoga can have a positive impact on mental health. Limitations of the study include the variability of the yoga interventions, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Conclusion : Overall, the findings of this meta-analysis support the use of yoga as an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the optimal length and frequency of yoga interventions for different populations.
References :
- Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Langhorst, J., Dobos, G., & Berger, B. (2013). Yoga for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depression and anxiety, 30(11), 1068-1083.
- Khalsa, S. B. (2004). Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published research studies. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology, 48(3), 269-285.
- Ross, A., & Thomas, S. (2010). The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(1), 3-12.
Purpose of Research Summary
The purpose of a research summary is to provide a brief overview of a research project or study, including its main points, findings, and conclusions. The summary allows readers to quickly understand the essential aspects of the research without having to read the entire article or study.
Research summaries serve several purposes, including:
- Facilitating comprehension: A research summary allows readers to quickly understand the main points and findings of a research project or study without having to read the entire article or study. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the research and its significance.
- Communicating research findings: Research summaries are often used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public. The summary presents the essential aspects of the research in a clear and concise manner, making it easier for non-experts to understand.
- Supporting decision-making: Research summaries can be used to support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. This information can be used by policymakers or practitioners to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
- Saving time: Research summaries save time for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders who need to review multiple research studies. Rather than having to read the entire article or study, they can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.
Characteristics of Research Summary
The following are some of the key characteristics of a research summary:
- Concise : A research summary should be brief and to the point, providing a clear and concise overview of the main points of the research.
- Objective : A research summary should be written in an objective tone, presenting the research findings without bias or personal opinion.
- Comprehensive : A research summary should cover all the essential aspects of the research, including the research question, methodology, results, and conclusions.
- Accurate : A research summary should accurately reflect the key findings and conclusions of the research.
- Clear and well-organized: A research summary should be easy to read and understand, with a clear structure and logical flow.
- Relevant : A research summary should focus on the most important and relevant aspects of the research, highlighting the key findings and their implications.
- Audience-specific: A research summary should be tailored to the intended audience, using language and terminology that is appropriate and accessible to the reader.
- Citations : A research summary should include citations to the original research articles or studies, allowing readers to access the full text of the research if desired.
When to write Research Summary
Here are some situations when it may be appropriate to write a research summary:
- Proposal stage: A research summary can be included in a research proposal to provide a brief overview of the research aims, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
- Conference presentation: A research summary can be prepared for a conference presentation to summarize the main findings of a study or research project.
- Journal submission: Many academic journals require authors to submit a research summary along with their research article or study. The summary provides a brief overview of the study’s main points, findings, and conclusions and helps readers quickly understand the research.
- Funding application: A research summary can be included in a funding application to provide a brief summary of the research aims, objectives, and expected outcomes.
- Policy brief: A research summary can be prepared as a policy brief to communicate research findings to policymakers or stakeholders in a concise and accessible manner.
Advantages of Research Summary
Research summaries offer several advantages, including:
- Time-saving: A research summary saves time for readers who need to understand the key findings and conclusions of a research project quickly. Rather than reading the entire research article or study, readers can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.
- Clarity and accessibility: A research summary provides a clear and accessible overview of the research project’s main points, making it easier for readers to understand the research without having to be experts in the field.
- Improved comprehension: A research summary helps readers comprehend the research by providing a brief and focused overview of the key findings and conclusions, making it easier to understand the research and its significance.
- Enhanced communication: Research summaries can be used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public, in a concise and accessible manner.
- Facilitated decision-making: Research summaries can support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. Policymakers or practitioners can use this information to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
- Increased dissemination: Research summaries can be easily shared and disseminated, allowing research findings to reach a wider audience.
Limitations of Research Summary
Limitations of the Research Summary are as follows:
- Limited scope: Research summaries provide a brief overview of the research project’s main points, findings, and conclusions, which can be limiting. They may not include all the details, nuances, and complexities of the research that readers may need to fully understand the study’s implications.
- Risk of oversimplification: Research summaries can be oversimplified, reducing the complexity of the research and potentially distorting the findings or conclusions.
- Lack of context: Research summaries may not provide sufficient context to fully understand the research findings, such as the research background, methodology, or limitations. This may lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the research.
- Possible bias: Research summaries may be biased if they selectively emphasize certain findings or conclusions over others, potentially distorting the overall picture of the research.
- Format limitations: Research summaries may be constrained by the format or length requirements, making it challenging to fully convey the research’s main points, findings, and conclusions.
- Accessibility: Research summaries may not be accessible to all readers, particularly those with limited literacy skills, visual impairments, or language barriers.
About the author
Muhammad Hassan
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
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How To Write A Research Summary
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It’s a common perception that writing a research summary is a quick and easy task. After all, how hard can jotting down 300 words be? But when you consider the weight those 300 words carry, writing a research summary as a part of your dissertation, essay or compelling draft for your paper instantly becomes daunting task.
A research summary requires you to synthesize a complex research paper into an informative, self-explanatory snapshot. It needs to portray what your article contains. Thus, writing it often comes at the end of the task list.
Regardless of when you’re planning to write, it is no less of a challenge, particularly if you’re doing it for the first time. This blog will take you through everything you need to know about research summary so that you have an easier time with it.
What is a Research Summary?
A research summary is the part of your research paper that describes its findings to the audience in a brief yet concise manner. A well-curated research summary represents you and your knowledge about the information written in the research paper.
While writing a quality research summary, you need to discover and identify the significant points in the research and condense it in a more straightforward form. A research summary is like a doorway that provides access to the structure of a research paper's sections.
Since the purpose of a summary is to give an overview of the topic, methodology, and conclusions employed in a paper, it requires an objective approach. No analysis or criticism.
Research summary or Abstract. What’s the Difference?
They’re both brief, concise, and give an overview of an aspect of the research paper. So, it’s easy to understand why many new researchers get the two confused. However, a research summary and abstract are two very different things with individual purpose. To start with, a research summary is written at the end while the abstract comes at the beginning of a research paper.
A research summary captures the essence of the paper at the end of your document. It focuses on your topic, methods, and findings. More like a TL;DR, if you will. An abstract, on the other hand, is a description of what your research paper is about. It tells your reader what your topic or hypothesis is, and sets a context around why you have embarked on your research.
Getting Started with a Research Summary
Before you start writing, you need to get insights into your research’s content, style, and organization. There are three fundamental areas of a research summary that you should focus on.
- While deciding the contents of your research summary, you must include a section on its importance as a whole, the techniques, and the tools that were used to formulate the conclusion. Additionally, there needs to be a short but thorough explanation of how the findings of the research paper have a significance.
- To keep the summary well-organized, try to cover the various sections of the research paper in separate paragraphs. Besides, how the idea of particular factual research came up first must be explained in a separate paragraph.
- As a general practice worldwide, research summaries are restricted to 300-400 words. However, if you have chosen a lengthy research paper, try not to exceed the word limit of 10% of the entire research paper.
How to Structure Your Research Summary
The research summary is nothing but a concise form of the entire research paper. Therefore, the structure of a summary stays the same as the paper. So, include all the section titles and write a little about them. The structural elements that a research summary must consist of are:
It represents the topic of the research. Try to phrase it so that it includes the key findings or conclusion of the task.
The abstract gives a context of the research paper. Unlike the abstract at the beginning of a paper, the abstract here, should be very short since you’ll be working with a limited word count.
Introduction
This is the most crucial section of a research summary as it helps readers get familiarized with the topic. You should include the definition of your topic, the current state of the investigation, and practical relevance in this part. Additionally, you should present the problem statement, investigative measures, and any hypothesis in this section.
Methodology
This section provides details about the methodology and the methods adopted to conduct the study. You should write a brief description of the surveys, sampling, type of experiments, statistical analysis, and the rationality behind choosing those particular methods.
Create a list of evidence obtained from the various experiments with a primary analysis, conclusions, and interpretations made upon that. In the paper research paper, you will find the results section as the most detailed and lengthy part. Therefore, you must pick up the key elements and wisely decide which elements are worth including and which are worth skipping.
This is where you present the interpretation of results in the context of their application. Discussion usually covers results, inferences, and theoretical models explaining the obtained values, key strengths, and limitations. All of these are vital elements that you must include in the summary.
Most research papers merge conclusion with discussions. However, depending upon the instructions, you may have to prepare this as a separate section in your research summary. Usually, conclusion revisits the hypothesis and provides the details about the validation or denial about the arguments made in the research paper, based upon how convincing the results were obtained.
The structure of a research summary closely resembles the anatomy of a scholarly article . Additionally, you should keep your research and references limited to authentic and scholarly sources only.
Tips for Writing a Research Summary
The core concept behind undertaking a research summary is to present a simple and clear understanding of your research paper to the reader. The biggest hurdle while doing that is the number of words you have at your disposal. So, follow the steps below to write a research summary that sticks.
1. Read the parent paper thoroughly
You should go through the research paper thoroughly multiple times to ensure that you have a complete understanding of its contents. A 3-stage reading process helps.
a. Scan: In the first read, go through it to get an understanding of its basic concept and methodologies.
b. Read: For the second step, read the article attentively by going through each section, highlighting the key elements, and subsequently listing the topics that you will include in your research summary.
c. Skim: Flip through the article a few more times to study the interpretation of various experimental results, statistical analysis, and application in different contexts.
Sincerely go through different headings and subheadings as it will allow you to understand the underlying concept of each section. You can try reading the introduction and conclusion simultaneously to understand the motive of the task and how obtained results stay fit to the expected outcome.
2. Identify the key elements in different sections
While exploring different sections of an article, you can try finding answers to simple what, why, and how. Below are a few pointers to give you an idea:
- What is the research question and how is it addressed?
- Is there a hypothesis in the introductory part?
- What type of methods are being adopted?
- What is the sample size for data collection and how is it being analyzed?
- What are the most vital findings?
- Do the results support the hypothesis?
Discussion/Conclusion
- What is the final solution to the problem statement?
- What is the explanation for the obtained results?
- What is the drawn inference?
- What are the various limitations of the study?
3. Prepare the first draft
Now that you’ve listed the key points that the paper tries to demonstrate, you can start writing the summary following the standard structure of a research summary. Just make sure you’re not writing statements from the parent research paper verbatim.
Instead, try writing down each section in your own words. This will not only help in avoiding plagiarism but will also show your complete understanding of the subject. Alternatively, you can use a summarizing tool (AI-based summary generators) to shorten the content or summarize the content without disrupting the actual meaning of the article.
SciSpace Copilot is one such helpful feature! You can easily upload your research paper and ask Copilot to summarize it. You will get an AI-generated, condensed research summary. SciSpace Copilot also enables you to highlight text, clip math and tables, and ask any question relevant to the research paper; it will give you instant answers with deeper context of the article..
4. Include visuals
One of the best ways to summarize and consolidate a research paper is to provide visuals like graphs, charts, pie diagrams, etc.. Visuals make getting across the facts, the past trends, and the probabilistic figures around a concept much more engaging.
5. Double check for plagiarism
It can be very tempting to copy-paste a few statements or the entire paragraphs depending upon the clarity of those sections. But it’s best to stay away from the practice. Even paraphrasing should be done with utmost care and attention.
Also: QuillBot vs SciSpace: Choose the best AI-paraphrasing tool
6. Religiously follow the word count limit
You need to have strict control while writing different sections of a research summary. In many cases, it has been observed that the research summary and the parent research paper become the same length. If that happens, it can lead to discrediting of your efforts and research summary itself. Whatever the standard word limit has been imposed, you must observe that carefully.
7. Proofread your research summary multiple times
The process of writing the research summary can be exhausting and tiring. However, you shouldn’t allow this to become a reason to skip checking your academic writing several times for mistakes like misspellings, grammar, wordiness, and formatting issues. Proofread and edit until you think your research summary can stand out from the others, provided it is drafted perfectly on both technicality and comprehension parameters. You can also seek assistance from editing and proofreading services , and other free tools that help you keep these annoying grammatical errors at bay.
8. Watch while you write
Keep a keen observation of your writing style. You should use the words very precisely, and in any situation, it should not represent your personal opinions on the topic. You should write the entire research summary in utmost impersonal, precise, factually correct, and evidence-based writing.
9. Ask a friend/colleague to help
Once you are done with the final copy of your research summary, you must ask a friend or colleague to read it. You must test whether your friend or colleague could grasp everything without referring to the parent paper. This will help you in ensuring the clarity of the article.
Once you become familiar with the research paper summary concept and understand how to apply the tips discussed above in your current task, summarizing a research summary won’t be that challenging. While traversing the different stages of your academic career, you will face different scenarios where you may have to create several research summaries.
In such cases, you just need to look for answers to simple questions like “Why this study is necessary,” “what were the methods,” “who were the participants,” “what conclusions were drawn from the research,” and “how it is relevant to the wider world.” Once you find out the answers to these questions, you can easily create a good research summary following the standard structure and a precise writing style.
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Writing a Summary – Explanation & Examples
Published by Alvin Nicolas at October 17th, 2023 , Revised On October 17, 2023
In a world bombarded with vast amounts of information, condensing and presenting data in a digestible format becomes invaluable. Enter summaries.
A summary is a brief and concise account of the main points of a larger body of work. It distils complex ideas, narratives, or data into a version that is quicker to read and easier to understand yet still retains the essence of the original content.
Importance of Summaries
The importance of summarising extends far beyond just making reading more manageable. In academic settings, summaries aid students in understanding and retaining complex materials, from textbook chapters to research articles. They also serve as tools to showcase one’s grasp of the subject in essays and reports.
In professional arenas, summaries are pivotal in business reports, executive briefings, and even emails where key points need to be conveyed quickly to decision-makers. Meanwhile, summarising skills come into play in our personal lives when we relay news stories to friends, recap a movie plot, or even scroll through condensed news or app notifications on our smartphones.
Why Do We Write Summaries?
In our modern information age, the sheer volume of content available can be overwhelming. From detailed research papers to comprehensive news articles, the quest for knowledge is often met with lengthy and complex resources. This is where the power of a well-crafted summary comes into play. But what drives us to create or seek out summaries? Let’s discuss.
Makes Important Things Easy to Remember
At the heart of summarisation is the goal to understand. A well-written summary aids in digesting complex material. By distilling larger works into their core points, we reinforce the primary messages, making them easier to remember. This is especially crucial for students who need to retain knowledge for exams or professionals prepping for a meeting based on a lengthy report.
Simplification of Complex Topics
Not everyone is an expert in every field. Often, topics come laden with jargon, intricate details, and nuanced arguments. Summaries act as a bridge, translating this complexity into accessible and straightforward content. This is especially beneficial for individuals new to a topic or those who need just the highlights without the intricacies.
Aid in Researching and Understanding Diverse Sources
Researchers, writers, and academics often wade through many sources when working on a project. This involves finding sources of different types, such as primary or secondary sources , and then understanding their content. Sifting through each source in its entirety can be time-consuming. Summaries offer a streamlined way to understand each source’s main arguments or findings, making synthesising information from diverse materials more efficient.
Condensing Information for Presentation or Sharing
In professional settings, there is often a need to present findings, updates, or recommendations to stakeholders. An executive might not have the time to go through a 50-page report, but they would certainly appreciate a concise summary highlighting the key points. Similarly, in our personal lives, we often summarise movie plots, book stories, or news events when sharing with friends or family.
Characteristics of a Good Summary
Crafting an effective summary is an art. It’s more than just shortening a piece of content; it is about capturing the essence of the original work in a manner that is both accessible and true to its intent. Let’s explore the primary characteristics that distinguish a good summary from a mediocre one:
Conciseness
At the core of a summary is the concept of brevity. But being concise doesn’t mean leaving out vital information. A good summary will:
- Eliminate superfluous details or repetitive points.
- Focus on the primary arguments, events, or findings.
- Use succinct language without compromising the message.
Objectivity
Summarising is not about infusing personal opinions or interpretations. A quality summary will:
- Stick to the facts as presented in the original content.
- Avoid introducing personal biases or perspectives.
- Represent the original author’s intent faithfully.
A summary is meant to simplify and make content accessible. This is only possible if the summary itself is easy to understand. Ensuring clarity involves:
- Avoiding jargon or technical terms unless they are essential to the content. If they are used, they should be clearly defined.
- Structuring sentences in a straightforward manner.
- Making sure ideas are presented in a way that even someone unfamiliar with the topic can grasp the primary points.
A jumble of ideas, no matter how concise, will not make for a good summary. Coherence ensures that there’s a logical flow to the summarised content. A coherent summary will:
- Maintain a logical sequence, often following the structure of the original content.
- Use transition words or phrases to connect ideas and ensure smooth progression.
- Group related ideas together to provide structure and avoid confusion.
Steps of Writing a Summary
The process of creating a compelling summary is not merely about cutting down content. It involves understanding, discerning, and crafting. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing a summary that encapsulates the essence of the original work:
Reading Actively
Engage deeply with the content to ensure a thorough understanding.
- Read the entire document or work first to grasp its overall intent and structure.
- On the second read, underline or highlight the standout points or pivotal moments.
- Make brief notes in the margins or on a separate sheet, capturing the core ideas in your own words.
Identifying the Main Idea
Determine the backbone of the content, around which all other details revolve.
- Ask yourself: “What is the primary message or theme the author wants to convey?”
- This can often be found in the title, introduction, or conclusion of a piece.
- Frame the main idea in a clear and concise statement to guide your summary.
List Key Supporting Points
Understand the pillars that uphold the main idea, providing evidence or depth to the primary message.
- Refer back to the points you underlined or highlighted during your active reading.
- Note major arguments, evidence, or examples that the author uses to back up the main idea.
- Prioritise these points based on their significance to the main idea.
Draft the Summary
Convert your understanding into a condensed, coherent version of the original.
- Start with a statement of the main idea.
- Follow with the key supporting points, maintaining logical order.
- Avoid including trivial details or examples unless they’re crucial to the primary message.
- Use your own words, ensuring you are not plagiarising the original content.
Fine-tune your draft to ensure clarity, accuracy, and brevity.
- Read your draft aloud to check for flow and coherence.
- Ensure that your summary remains objective, avoiding any personal interpretations or biases.
- Check the length. See if any non-essential details can be removed without sacrificing understanding if it is too lengthy.
- Ensure clarity by ensuring the language is straightforward, and the main ideas are easily grasped.
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Dos and Don’ts of Summarising Key Points
Summarising, while seemingly straightforward, comes with its nuances. Properly condensing content demands a balance between brevity and fidelity to the original work. To aid in crafting exemplary summaries, here is a guide on the essential dos and don’ts:
Use your Own Words
This ensures that you have truly understood the content and are not merely parroting it. It also prevents issues of plagiarism.
Tip: After reading the original content, take a moment to reflect on it. Then, without looking at the source, write down the main points in your own words.
Attribute Sources Properly
Giving credit is both ethical and provides context to readers, helping them trace back to the original work if needed. How to cite sources correctly is a skill every writer should master.
Tip: Use signal phrases like “According to [Author/Source]…” or “As [Author/Source] points out…” to seamlessly incorporate attributions.
Ensure Accuracy of the Summarised Content
A summary should be a reliable reflection of the original content. Distorting or misrepresenting the original ideas compromises the integrity of the summary.
Tip: After drafting your summary, cross-check with the original content to ensure all key points are represented accurately and ensure you are referencing credible sources .
Avoid Copy-Pasting Chunks of Original Content
This not only raises plagiarism concerns but also shows a lack of genuine engagement with the material.
Tip: If a particular phrase or sentence from the original is pivotal and cannot be reworded without losing its essence, use block quotes , quotation marks, and attribute the source.
Do not Inject your Personal Opinion
A summary should be an objective reflection of the source material. Introducing personal biases or interpretations can mislead readers.
Tip: Stick to the facts and arguments presented in the original content. If you find yourself writing “I think” or “In my opinion,” reevaluate the sentence.
Do not Omit Crucial Information
While a summary is meant to be concise, it shouldn’t be at the expense of vital details that are essential to understanding the original content’s core message.
Tip: Prioritise information. Always include the main idea and its primary supports. If you are unsure whether a detail is crucial, consider its impact on the overall message.
Examples of Summaries
Here are a few examples that will help you get a clearer view of how to write a summary.
Example 1: Summary of a News Article
Original Article: The article reports on the recent discovery of a rare species of frog in the Amazon rainforest. The frog, named the “Emerald Whisperer” due to its unique green hue and the soft chirping sounds it makes, was found by a team of researchers from the University of Texas. The discovery is significant as it offers insights into the biodiversity of the region, and the Emerald Whisperer might also play a pivotal role in understanding the ecosystem balance.
Summary: Researchers from the University of Texas have discovered a unique frog, termed the “Emerald Whisperer,” in the Amazon rainforest. This finding sheds light on the region’s biodiversity and underscores the importance of the frog in ecological studies.
Example 2: Summary of a Research Paper
Original Paper: In a study titled “The Impact of Urbanisation on Bee Populations,” researchers conducted a year-long observation on bee colonies in three urban areas and three rural areas. Using specific metrics like colony health, bee productivity, and population size, the study found that urban environments saw a 30% decline in bee populations compared to rural settings. The research attributes this decline to factors like pollution, reduced green spaces, and increased temperatures in urban areas.
Summary: A study analysing the effects of urbanisation on bee colonies found a significant 30% decrease in bee populations in urban settings compared to rural areas. The decline is linked to urban factors such as pollution, diminished greenery, and elevated temperatures.
Example 3: Summary of a Novel
Original Story: In the novel “Winds of Fate,” protagonist Clara is trapped in a timeless city where memories dictate reality. Throughout her journey, she encounters characters from her past, present, and imagined future. Battling her own perceptions and a menacing shadow figure, Clara seeks an elusive gateway to return to her real world. In the climax, she confronts the shadow, which turns out to be her own fear, and upon overcoming it, she finds her way back, realising that reality is subjective.
Summary: “Winds of Fate” follows Clara’s adventures in a surreal city shaped by memories. Confronting figures from various phases of her life and battling a symbolic shadow of her own fear, Clara eventually discovers that reality’s perception is malleable and subjective.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a summary.
A summary condenses a larger piece of content, capturing its main points and essence. It is usually one-fourth of the original content.
What is a summary?
A summary is a concise representation of a larger text or content, highlighting its main ideas and points. It distils complex information into a shorter form, allowing readers to quickly grasp the essence of the original material without delving into extensive details. Summaries prioritise clarity, brevity, and accuracy.
When should I write a summary?
Write a summary when you need to condense lengthy content for easier comprehension and recall. It’s useful in academic settings, professional reports, presentations, and research to highlight key points. Summaries aid in comparing multiple sources, preparing for discussions, and sharing essential details of extensive materials efficiently with others.
How can I summarise a source without plagiarising?
To summarise without plagiarising: Read the source thoroughly, understand its main ideas, and then write the summary in your own words. Avoid copying phrases verbatim. Attribute the source properly. Use paraphrasing techniques and cross-check your summary against the original to ensure distinctiveness while retaining accuracy. Always prioritise understanding over direct replication.
What is the difference between a summary and an abstract?
A summary condenses a text, capturing its main points from various content types like books, articles, or movies. An abstract, typically found in research papers and scientific articles, provides a brief overview of the study’s purpose, methodology, results, and conclusions. Both offer concise versions, but abstracts are more structured and specific.
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- How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples
How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples
Published on 25 September 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 12 May 2023.
Summarising , or writing a summary, means giving a concise overview of a text’s main points in your own words. A summary is always much shorter than the original text.
There are five key steps that can help you to write a summary:
- Read the text
- Break it down into sections
- Identify the key points in each section
- Write the summary
- Check the summary against the article
Writing a summary does not involve critiquing or analysing the source. You should simply provide an accurate account of the most important information and ideas (without copying any text from the original).
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Table of contents
When to write a summary, step 1: read the text, step 2: break the text down into sections, step 3: identify the key points in each section, step 4: write the summary, step 5: check the summary against the article, frequently asked questions.
There are many situations in which you might have to summarise an article or other source:
- As a stand-alone assignment to show you’ve understood the material
- To keep notes that will help you remember what you’ve read
- To give an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
When you’re writing an academic text like an essay , research paper , or dissertation , you’ll integrate sources in a variety of ways. You might use a brief quote to support your point, or paraphrase a few sentences or paragraphs.
But it’s often appropriate to summarize a whole article or chapter if it is especially relevant to your own research, or to provide an overview of a source before you analyse or critique it.
In any case, the goal of summarising is to give your reader a clear understanding of the original source. Follow the five steps outlined below to write a good summary.
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You should read the article more than once to make sure you’ve thoroughly understood it. It’s often effective to read in three stages:
- Scan the article quickly to get a sense of its topic and overall shape.
- Read the article carefully, highlighting important points and taking notes as you read.
- Skim the article again to confirm you’ve understood the key points, and reread any particularly important or difficult passages.
There are some tricks you can use to identify the key points as you read:
- Start by reading the abstract . This already contains the author’s own summary of their work, and it tells you what to expect from the article.
- Pay attention to headings and subheadings . These should give you a good sense of what each part is about.
- Read the introduction and the conclusion together and compare them: What did the author set out to do, and what was the outcome?
To make the text more manageable and understand its sub-points, break it down into smaller sections.
If the text is a scientific paper that follows a standard empirical structure, it is probably already organised into clearly marked sections, usually including an introduction, methods, results, and discussion.
Other types of articles may not be explicitly divided into sections. But most articles and essays will be structured around a series of sub-points or themes.
Now it’s time go through each section and pick out its most important points. What does your reader need to know to understand the overall argument or conclusion of the article?
Keep in mind that a summary does not involve paraphrasing every single paragraph of the article. Your goal is to extract the essential points, leaving out anything that can be considered background information or supplementary detail.
In a scientific article, there are some easy questions you can ask to identify the key points in each part.
Introduction | or problem was addressed? formulated? |
---|---|
Methods | |
Results | |
Discussion/conclusion |
If the article takes a different form, you might have to think more carefully about what points are most important for the reader to understand its argument.
In that case, pay particular attention to the thesis statement —the central claim that the author wants us to accept, which usually appears in the introduction—and the topic sentences that signal the main idea of each paragraph.
Now that you know the key points that the article aims to communicate, you need to put them in your own words.
To avoid plagiarism and show you’ve understood the article, it’s essential to properly paraphrase the author’s ideas. Do not copy and paste parts of the article, not even just a sentence or two.
The best way to do this is to put the article aside and write out your own understanding of the author’s key points.
Examples of article summaries
Let’s take a look at an example. Below, we summarise this article , which scientifically investigates the old saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’.
An article summary like the above would be appropriate for a stand-alone summary assignment. However, you’ll often want to give an even more concise summary of an article.
For example, in a literature review or research paper, you may want to briefly summarize this study as part of a wider discussion of various sources. In this case, we can boil our summary down even further to include only the most relevant information.
Citing the source you’re summarizing
When including a summary as part of a larger text, it’s essential to properly cite the source you’re summarizing. The exact format depends on your citation style , but it usually includes an in-text citation and a full reference at the end of your paper.
You can easily create your citations and references in APA or MLA using our free citation generators.
APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator
Finally, read through the article once more to ensure that:
- You’ve accurately represented the author’s work
- You haven’t missed any essential information
- The phrasing is not too similar to any sentences in the original.
If you’re summarising many articles as part of your own work, it may be a good idea to use a plagiarism checker to double-check that your text is completely original and properly cited. Just be sure to use one that’s safe and reliable.
A summary is a short overview of the main points of an article or other source, written entirely in your own words.
Save yourself some time with the free summariser.
A summary is always much shorter than the original text. The length of a summary can range from just a few sentences to several paragraphs; it depends on the length of the article you’re summarising, and on the purpose of the summary.
With the summariser tool you can easily adjust the length of your summary.
You might have to write a summary of a source:
- As a stand-alone assignment to prove you understand the material
- For your own use, to keep notes on your reading
- To provide an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
- In a paper , to summarise or introduce a relevant study
To avoid plagiarism when summarising an article or other source, follow these two rules:
- Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
- Reference the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.
An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarise the whole text, not just introduce it.
An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarise a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. (2023, May 12). How to Write a Summary | Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 19 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/how-to-write-a-summary/
Is this article helpful?
Shona McCombes
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How to write a summary of a research paper (with template)
by Diana Ribeiro Last updated Jul 20, 2020 | Published on Jun 27, 2020 Writing Skills 0 comments
In our daily work as medical writers, we have to read many scholarly articles and extract the main information from them. Having a process to retrieve that information and create a short summary that you can easily access will save you precious time. That’s why I decided to guide you through my process of summarising a research article and created a handy template.
Having short summaries of academic papers is useful to create news articles, press releases, social media posts, blog articles, or curated news reports, like the one I write weekly for my newsletter subscribers .
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What’s the importance of summarising research articles?
If you don’t have a system to extract the main information from a scholarly paper, you may have to re-read it repeatedly, looking for that piece of information you know it’s there. Sure, you can use a highlighter pen to mark the main points, but sometimes what happens is that you end up with yellow walls of text. Or green. Or even a rainbow. Which may be pretty, but it’s quite useless as a retrieval system.
What also happens when you highlight text is that you end up with a diverse array of writing styles, none of them being your own. This way, when you try to write a text with information from multiple sources, you have to search for the information and write it in a consistent style.
In this article, I’ll show you how to retrieve the most relevant information from a scientific paper, how to write it in a compelling way, and how to present it in a news-worthy style that’s easily adaptable to your audience. Ready?
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Three steps to summarise a research paper
1. scan and extract the main points.
First things first, so you have to read the paper. But that doesn’t mean you have to read it from start to finish. Start by scanning the article for its main points.
Here’s the essential information to extract from the research paper you have in front of you:
- Authors, year, doi
- Study question: look in the introduction for a phrase like “the aim of this study was”
- Hypothesis tested
- Study methods: design, participants, materials, procedure, what was manipulated (independent variables), what was measured (dependent variables), how data were analysed.
- Findings: from the results section; fill this before you look at the discussion section, if possible. Write bullet points.
- Interpretation: how did the authors interpreted their findings? Use short sentences, in your own words.
After extracting the key information , revisit the article and read it more attentively, to see if you missed something. Add some notes to your summary, but take care to avoid plagiarism. Write notes in your own words. If you can’t do that at this moment, use quotation marks to indicate that your note came straight from the study. You can rewrite it later, when you have a better grasp of the study.
2. Use a journalistic approach for the first draft
Some sources advise you to keep the same structure as the scientific article, but I like to use the journalistic approach of news articles and flush out the more relevant information first, followed by the details. This is more enticing for readers, making them want to continue reading. Yes, I know that your reader may be just you, but I know I have lost myself in some of the things I’ve written, so…keep it interesting, even for a future self 😊.
This is the main information you have to put together:
Title of the article: I like to keep the original article title for the summary, because it’s easier to refer back to the original article if I need to. Sometimes I add a second title, just for me, if the article title is too obscure or long.
- 1 st paragraph: Answer the 5 W’s in 3-4 sentences.
Who? (the authors)
What? (main finding)
When and where? (journal, date of publication)
Why? (relevance)
This should be a standalone paragraph, meaning that the reader should be able to take out the main information even if they just read this paragraph.
- Subsequent paragraphs: In 2-3 paragraphs or less, provide context and more information about the research done. If you’re not sure if a detail is important or not, you can include it here and edit it out in the next step.
3. Polish the rough edges
In this stage, you’re going to make a quick edit, checking for completeness and accuracy. Make sure you’ve included all the main points without repeating yourself. Double-check all the numbers. Stay focused on the research questions to avoid tangents. Avoid using jargon and the passive voice whenever possible.
Final summary
Using this approach, you’ll end up with a short summary of your article that you can use to craft other types of writing, such as press releases, news articles, social media blurbs, and many others.
The advantages of summarising research articles are that you can better understand what the article is about, and you’ll have a text written by you, so it’s easier to adapt and you avoid unintentional plagiarism.
That’s it! My guide to write a research paper summary 😊
I’ve created a handout with all the information in this blog post plus a fill-in-the-blanks template that you can use to summarise research articles, you can download it using the form below. You’ll be signed up to my mailing list, and receive a weekly roundup of news in the biomedical industry as a bonus!
If you have any comments or questions, please let me know in the comment box below.
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About Diana Ribeiro
Diana Ribeiro is a pharmacist and freelance medical writer based in Cascais, Portugal. Before starting her career in medical writing, Diana worked 10+ years in hospital and community pharmacies, where she helped patients and healthcare professionals with drug management and information. Nowadays, she helps pharma, biotech, and meddev companies communicate with their audiences in a clear, accurate, and compelling way. Diana is an active member of the European Medical Writers Association, where she volunteers for the webinar team. You can find more about her on LinkedIn .
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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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How to Write a Research Paper Summary
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One of the most important skills you can imbibe as an academician is to know how to summarize a research paper. During your academic journey, you may need to write a summary of findings in research quite often and for varied reasons – be it to write an introduction for a peer-reviewed publication , to submit a critical review, or to simply create a useful database for future referencing.
It can be quite challenging to effectively write a research paper summary for often complex work, which is where a pre-determined workflow can help you optimize the process. Investing time in developing this skill can also help you improve your scientific acumen, increasing your efficiency and productivity at work. This article illustrates some useful advice on how to write a research summary effectively. But, what is research summary in the first place?
A research paper summary is a crisp, comprehensive overview of a research paper, which encapsulates the purpose, findings, methods, conclusions, and relevance of a study. A well-written research paper summary is an indicator of how well you have understood the author’s work.
Table of Contents
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- 2. Invest enough time to understand the topic deeply
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- Mistakes to avoid while writing your research paper summary
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Frequently asked questions (faq), how to write a research paper summary.
Writing a good research paper summary comes with practice and skill. Here is some useful advice on how to write a research paper summary effectively.
1. Determine the focus of your summary
Before you begin to write a summary of research papers, determine the aim of your research paper summary. This will give you more clarity on how to summarize a research paper, including what to highlight and where to find the information you need, which accelerates the entire process. If you are aiming for the summary to be a supporting document or a proof of principle for your current research findings, then you can look for elements that are relevant to your work.
On the other hand, if your research summary is intended to be a critical review of the research article, you may need to use a completely different lens while reading the paper and conduct your own research regarding the accuracy of the data presented. Then again, if the research summary is intended to be a source of information for future referencing, you will likely have a different approach. This makes determining the focus of your summary a key step in the process of writing an effective research paper summary.
2. Invest enough time to understand the topic deeply
In order to author an effective research paper summary, you need to dive into the topic of the research article. Begin by doing a quick scan for relevant information under each section of the paper. The abstract is a great starting point as it helps you to quickly identify the top highlights of the research article, speeding up the process of understanding the key findings in the paper. Be sure to do a careful read of the research paper, preparing notes that describe each section in your own words to put together a summary of research example or a first draft. This will save your time and energy in revisiting the paper to confirm relevant details and ease the entire process of writing a research paper summary.
When reading papers, be sure to acknowledge and ignore any pre-conceived notions that you might have regarding the research topic. This will not only help you understand the topic better but will also help you develop a more balanced perspective, ensuring that your research paper summary is devoid of any personal opinions or biases.
3. Keep the summary crisp, brief and engaging
A research paper summary is usually intended to highlight and explain the key points of any study, saving the time required to read through the entire article. Thus, your primary goal while compiling the summary should be to keep it as brief, crisp and readable as possible. Usually, a short introduction followed by 1-2 paragraphs is adequate for an effective research article summary. Avoid going into too much technical detail while describing the main results and conclusions of the study. Rather focus on connecting the main findings of the study to the hypothesis , which can make the summary more engaging. For example, instead of simply reporting an original finding – “the graph showed a decrease in the mortality rates…”, you can say, “there was a decline in the number of deaths, as predicted by the authors while beginning the study…” or “there was a decline in the number of deaths, which came as a surprise to the authors as this was completely unexpected…”.
Unless you are writing a critical review of the research article, the language used in your research paper summaries should revolve around reporting the findings, not assessing them. On the other hand, if you intend to submit your summary as a critical review, make sure to provide sufficient external evidence to support your final analysis. Invest sufficient time in editing and proofreading your research paper summary thoroughly to ensure you’ve captured the findings accurately. You can also get an external opinion on the preliminary draft of the research paper summary from colleagues or peers who have not worked on the research topic.
Mistakes to avoid while writing your research paper summary
Now that you’ve understood how to summarize a research paper, watch out for these red flags while writing your summary.
- Not paying attention to the word limit and recommended format, especially while submitting a critical review
- Evaluating the findings instead of maintaining an objective , unbiased view while reading the research paper
- Skipping the essential editing step , which can help eliminate avoidable errors and ensure that the language does not misrepresent the findings
- Plagiarism, it is critical to write in your own words or paraphrase appropriately when reporting the findings in your scientific article summary
We hope the recommendations listed above will help answer the question of how to summarize a research paper and enable you to tackle the process effectively.
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How to summarize a research paper with Paperpal?
To generate your research paper summary, simply login to the platform and use the Paperpal Copilot Summary feature to create a flawless summary of your work. Here’s a step-by-step process to help you craft a summary in minutes:
- Paste relevant research articles to be summarized into Paperpal; the AI will scan each section and extract key information.
- In minutes, Paperpal will generate a comprehensive summary that showcases the main paper highlights while adhering to academic writing conventions.
- Check the content to polish and refine the language, ensure your own voice, and add citations or references as needed.
The abstract and research paper summary serve similar purposes but differ in scope, length, and placement. The abstract is a concise yet detailed overview of the research, placed at the beginning of a paper, with the aim of providing readers with a quick understanding of the paper’s content and to help them decide whether to read the full article. Usually limited to a few hundred words, it highlights the main objectives, methods, results, and conclusions of the study. On the other hand, a research paper summary provides a crisp account of the entire research paper. Its purpose is to provide a brief recap for readers who may want to quickly grasp the main points of the research without reading the entire paper in detail.
The structure of a research summary can vary depending on the specific requirements or guidelines provided by the target publication or institution. A typical research summary includes the following key sections: introduction (including the research question or objective), methodology (briefly describing the research design and methods), results (summarizing the key findings), discussion (highlighting the implications and significance of the findings), and conclusion (providing a summary of the main points and potential future directions).
The summary of a research paper is important because it provides a condensed overview of the study’s purpose, methods, results, and conclusions. It allows you to quickly grasp the main points and relevance of the research without having to read the entire paper. Research summaries can also be an invaluable way to communicate research findings to a broader audience, such as policymakers or the general public.
When writing a research paper summary, it is crucial to avoid plagiarism by properly attributing the original authors’ work. To learn how to summarize a research paper while avoiding plagiarism, follow these critical guidelines: (1) Read the paper thoroughly to understand the main points and key findings. (2) Use your own words and sentence structures to restate the information, ensuring that the research paper summary reflects your understanding of the paper. (3) Clearly indicate when you are paraphrasing or quoting directly from the original paper by using appropriate citation styles. (4) Cite the original source for any specific ideas, concepts, or data that you include in your summary. (5) Review your summary to ensure it accurately represents the research paper while giving credit to the original authors.
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Not every source you found should be included in your annotated bibliography or lit review. Only include the most relevant and most important sources.
Get Organized
- Lit Review Prep Use this template to help you evaluate your sources, create article summaries for an annotated bibliography, and a synthesis matrix for your lit review outline.
Summarize your Sources
Summarize each source: Determine the most important and relevant information from each source, such as the findings, methodology, theories, etc. Consider using an article summary, or study summary to help you organize and summarize your sources.
Paraphrasing
- Use your own words, and do not copy and paste the abstract
- The library's tutorials about plagiarism are excellent, and will help you with paraphasing correctly
Annotated Bibliographies
Annotated bibliographies can help you clearly see and understand the research before diving into organizing and writing your literature review. Although typically part of the "summarize" step of the literature review, annotations should not merely be summaries of each article - instead, they should be critical evaluations of the source, and help determine a source's usefulness for your lit review.
Definition:
A list of citations on a particular topic followed by an evaluation of the source’s argument and other relevant material including its intended audience, sources of evidence, and methodology
- Explore your topic.
- Appraise issues or factors associated with your professional practice and research topic.
- Help you get started with the literature review.
- Think critically about your topic, and the literature.
Steps to Creating an Annotated Bibliography:
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How to Write a Summary of a Research Paper
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This article was reviewed by Annaliese Dunne and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Annaliese Dunne is a Middle School English Teacher. With over 10 years of teaching experience, her areas of expertise include writing and grammar instruction, as well as teaching reading comprehension. She is also an experienced freelance writer. She received her Bachelor's degree in English. This article has been viewed 28,718 times.
Writing a summary of an academic research paper is an important skill, and it shows that you understand all of the relevant information presented to you. However, writing a summary can be tough, since it requires you to be completely objective and keep any analysis or criticisms to yourself. By keeping your goal in mind as you read the paper and focusing on the key points, you can write a succinct, accurate summary of a research paper to prove that you understood the overall conclusion.
Reading the Research Paper
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 1 Figure out the focus of your summary.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/75/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-1.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-1.jpg)
- For instance, if you’re supporting an argument in your own research paper, focus on the elements that are similar to yours.
- Or, if you’re comparing and contrasting methodology, focus on the methods and the significance of the results.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 2 Scan through the article to pick out important information.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/5b/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-2.jpg)
- You can also read the abstract of the paper as a good example of what the authors find to be important in their article.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 3 Read the article fully 1 to 2 times.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/11/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-3.jpg)
- Depending on how long and dense the paper is, your initial reading could take you up to an hour or more.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 4 Underline or highlight important information.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/46/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-4.jpg)
- The important information will usually be toward the end of the paper as the authors explain their findings and conclusions.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 5 Take notes summarizing sections in your own words.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0f/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-5.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-5.jpg)
- Writing a summary without plagiarizing, or copying the paper, is really important. Writing notes in your own words will help you get into the mindset of relaying information in your own way.
Including Relevant Information
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 1 Aim to report the findings, not evaluate them.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b7/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-6.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-6.jpg)
- For example, “The methods used in this paper are not up to standards and require more testing to be conclusive.” is an analysis.
- ”The methods used in this paper include an in-depth survey and interview session with each candidate.” is a summary.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 2 Keep your summary brief.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/52/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-7.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-7.jpg)
- If you’re writing a summary for class, your professor may specify how long your summary should be.
- Some summaries can even be as short as one sentence.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 3 State the research question and hypothesis.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/6e/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-8.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-8.jpg)
- ”Environmental conditions in North Carolina pose a threat to frogs and toads.”
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 4 Describe the testing and analyzation methods.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a0/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-9.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-9.jpg)
- For example: “According to the climate model, frog and toad populations have been decreasing at a rapid rate over the past 10 years, and are on track to decrease even further in the coming years.”
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 5 Talk about the results and how significant they were.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8d/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-10.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-10.jpg)
- For example: “Smith and Herman (2008) argue that by decreasing greenhouse gases, frog and toad populations could reach historical levels within 20 years, and the climate model projections support that statement.”
- You can add in the authors and year of publication at any time during your summary.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 6 Edit your summary for accuracy and flow.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/70/Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-11.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-of-a-Research-Paper-Step-11.jpg)
- If you have time, try reading your summary to someone who hasn’t read the original paper and see if they understand the key points of the article.
Expert Q&A
- Make sure you fully understand the paper before you start writing the summary. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- Plagiarism can have serious consequences in the academic world, so make sure you’re writing your summary in your own words. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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- ↑ https://writingcenter.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/593/2014/06/How_to_Summarize_a_Research_Article1.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/academic-success-centre/handouts/Summarizing-a-Scholarly-Journal-Article-rev2018.pdf
- ↑ https://integrity.mit.edu/handbook/academic-writing/summarizing
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/summary-using-it-wisely/
- ↑ https://davidson.libguides.com/c.php?g=349327&p=2361763
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How to Write a Research Paper Summary [Infographic]
Whether you’re a seasoned academic or a budding scholar, summarizing your research findings concisely and effectively is a vital skill to acquire. In the fast-paced world of academia, a well-crafted research paper summary can do wonders, helping the reader capture the essence of your study and giving them an opportunity to delve deeper into your research paper. Creating an effective research paper summary requires finesse, precision, and the art of distilling complex information into bite-sized pieces of knowledge.
Here’s an infographic explaining the 3 key things you must keep in mind as you write a research paper summary.
![how to write a summary for research paper](https://blog.researcher.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Beige-Orange-and-Black-Ripped-Paper-Comparison-Infographic.png)
Paperpal is an AI academic writing assistant that can help researchers deliver perfectly composed, error-free text. With comprehensive language corrections, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, academic translation and rewrites, Paperpal helps you enhance your writing and move ever closer to publishing success. Try Paperpal on Word and Web for free or unlock unlimited access to premium features when you get Paperpal Prime for just $12/month . If you want more, we recommend buying a Researcher.Life All Access Pack, which gives you full access to Paperpal Prime and more!
Researcher.Life is a subscription-based platform that unifies top AI tools and services designed to speed up, simplify, and streamline a researcher’s journey, from reading to writing, submission, promotion and more. Based on over 20 years of experience in academia, Researcher.Life empowers researchers to put their best research forward and move closer to success.
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An executive summary is a thorough overview of a research report or other type of document that synthesizes key points for its readers, saving them time and preparing them to understand the study's overall content. It is a separate, stand-alone document of sufficient detail and clarity to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the main research study. An executive summary can be anywhere from 1-10 pages long depending on the length of the report, or it can be the summary of more than one document [e.g., papers submitted for a group project].
Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80 Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.
Importance of a Good Executive Summary
Although an executive summary is similar to an abstract in that they both summarize the contents of a research study, there are several key differences. With research abstracts, the author's recommendations are rarely included, or if they are, they are implicit rather than explicit. Recommendations are generally not stated in academic abstracts because scholars operate in a discursive environment, where debates, discussions, and dialogs are meant to precede the implementation of any new research findings. The conceptual nature of much academic writing also means that recommendations arising from the findings are distributed widely and not easily or usefully encapsulated. Executive summaries are used mainly when a research study has been developed for an organizational partner, funding entity, or other external group that participated in the research . In such cases, the research report and executive summary are often written for policy makers outside of academe, while abstracts are written for the academic community. Professors, therefore, assign the writing of executive summaries so students can practice synthesizing and writing about the contents of comprehensive research studies for external stakeholder groups.
When preparing to write, keep in mind that:
- An executive summary is not an abstract.
- An executive summary is not an introduction.
- An executive summary is not a preface.
- An executive summary is not a random collection of highlights.
Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary that Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter (July 2003): 2-4; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; Murphy, Herta A., Herbert W. Hildebrandt, and Jane P. Thomas. Effective Business Communications . New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997; Vassallo, Philip. "Executive Summaries: Where Less Really is More." ETC.: A Review of General Semantics 60 (Spring 2003): 83-90 .
Structure and Writing Style
Writing an Executive Summary
Read the Entire Document This may go without saying, but it is critically important that you read the entire research study thoroughly from start to finish before you begin to write the executive summary. Take notes as you go along, highlighting important statements of fact, key findings, and recommended courses of action. This will better prepare you for how to organize and summarize the study. Remember this is not a brief abstract of 300 words or less but, essentially, a mini-paper of your paper, with a focus on recommendations.
Isolate the Major Points Within the Original Document Choose which parts of the document are the most important to those who will read it. These points must be included within the executive summary in order to provide a thorough and complete explanation of what the document is trying to convey.
Separate the Main Sections Closely examine each section of the original document and discern the main differences in each. After you have a firm understanding about what each section offers in respect to the other sections, write a few sentences for each section describing the main ideas. Although the format may vary, the main sections of an executive summary likely will include the following:
- An opening statement, with brief background information,
- The purpose of research study,
- Method of data gathering and analysis,
- Overview of findings, and,
- A description of each recommendation, accompanied by a justification. Note that the recommendations are sometimes quoted verbatim from the research study.
Combine the Information Use the information gathered to combine them into an executive summary that is no longer than 10% of the original document. Be concise! The purpose is to provide a brief explanation of the entire document with a focus on the recommendations that have emerged from your research. How you word this will likely differ depending on your audience and what they care about most. If necessary, selectively incorporate bullet points for emphasis and brevity. Re-read your Executive Summary After you've completed your executive summary, let it sit for a while before coming back to re-read it. Check to make sure that the summary will make sense as a separate document from the full research study. By taking some time before re-reading it, you allow yourself to see the summary with fresh, unbiased eyes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Length of the Executive Summary As a general rule, the correct length of an executive summary is that it meets the criteria of no more pages than 10% of the number of pages in the original document, with an upper limit of no more than ten pages [i.e., ten pages for a 100 page document]. This requirement keeps the document short enough to be read by your audience, but long enough to allow it to be a complete, stand-alone synopsis. Cutting and Pasting With the exception of specific recommendations made in the study, do not simply cut and paste whole sections of the original document into the executive summary. You should paraphrase information from the longer document. Avoid taking up space with excessive subtitles and lists, unless they are absolutely necessary for the reader to have a complete understanding of the original document. Consider the Audience Although unlikely to be required by your professor, there is the possibility that more than one executive summary will have to be written for a given document [e.g., one for policy-makers, one for private industry, one for philanthropists]. This may only necessitate the rewriting of the introduction and conclusion, but it could require rewriting the entire summary in order to fit the needs of the reader. If necessary, be sure to consider the types of audiences who may benefit from your study and make adjustments accordingly. Clarity in Writing One of the biggest mistakes you can make is related to the clarity of your executive summary. Always note that your audience [or audiences] are likely seeing your research study for the first time. The best way to avoid a disorganized or cluttered executive summary is to write it after the study is completed. Always follow the same strategies for proofreading that you would for any research paper. Use Strong and Positive Language Don’t weaken your executive summary with passive, imprecise language. The executive summary is a stand-alone document intended to convince the reader to make a decision concerning whether to implement the recommendations you make. Once convinced, it is assumed that the full document will provide the details needed to implement the recommendations. Although you should resist the temptation to pad your summary with pleas or biased statements, do pay particular attention to ensuring that a sense of urgency is created in the implications, recommendations, and conclusions presented in the executive summary. Be sure to target readers who are likely to implement the recommendations.
Bailey, Edward, P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing . (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 73-80; Christensen, Jay. Executive Summaries Complete The Report. California State University Northridge; Executive Summaries. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Clayton, John. "Writing an Executive Summary That Means Business." Harvard Management Communication Letter , 2003; Executive Summary. University Writing Center. Texas A&M University; Green, Duncan. Writing an Executive Summary. Oxfam’s Research Guidelines series ; Guidelines for Writing an Executive Summary. Astia.org; Markowitz, Eric. How to Write an Executive Summary. Inc. Magazine, September, 15, 2010; Kawaski, Guy. The Art of the Executive Summary. "How to Change the World" blog; Keller, Chuck. "Stay Healthy with a Winning Executive Summary." Technical Communication 41 (1994): 511-517; The Report Abstract and Executive Summary. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Executive Summaries. Effective Writing Center. University of Maryland; Kolin, Philip. Successful Writing at Work . 10th edition. (Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2013), p. 435-437; Moral, Mary. "Writing Recommendations and Executive Summaries." Keeping Good Companies 64 (June 2012): 274-278; Todorovic, Zelimir William and Marietta Wolczacka Frye. “Writing Effective Executive Summaries: An Interdisciplinary Examination.” In United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Conference Proceedings . (Decatur, IL: United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2009): pp. 662-691.
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How to Write Research Summary
By: Henrique Bertulino
![how to write a summary for research paper How to Write Research Summary](https://studybay.com/storage/upload/how_to_write_an_academic_summary.jpg)
A research summary or a research article comprehensively covers a topic. It is a brief overview of a study typically from a peer-reviewed journal. Many universities and colleges give such assignments and assess the students' performance based on how they interpret the scientific knowledge and data presented in the written academic article . If you are a student worried about your next assignment that involves in-depth analysis, then you have landed on the right page. The way you analyze and provide critical review determines your grades. That is why learning how to summarize research is crucial for your academic success.
Find Out the Focus Area of Your Paper
Assemble all relevant points, read and make an analysis, find additional literature, start writing the summary, proofread and edit, dos and don'ts of writing a research summary, step-by-step guide to writing a summary paper.
Writing a research report requires you to read the entire article thoroughly. First, skim through the paper and understand the gist of the article. Once you have gone through the contents, you will have a fairly good idea of what the paper is all about. Identify the topic and build the content around it. Read other papers and information on the same topic to build a better understanding of the subject. It is important to gauge the purpose of the research quickly. Figure out:
- What is the research all about?
- How has the researcher addressed the issue?
- What are the key findings?
The main points can be listed in bullet form. This way, you will not miss out on any important point.
Jot down all the key points presented in the article. When you quickly go through the paper, you will identify the research question, hypothesis, and purpose behind the entire research. Here is what you should note down when skimming through the article.
- Write down the purpose of the research;
- Mention the research question;
- Note the hypothesis presented;
- Determine the methodology used;
- Find out the key findings;
- The interpretation and critical analysis of those key points;
- Present your analysis.
When scanning through the research project, you must scribble down your thoughts in the margins. This helps narrow down your points, and you will be able to analyze the summary better.
Although there is an abstract section in the research paper that contains concise information, it still can't be fully relied on. You must make notes and write down all the points as you skim through the article. This way, you won't miss out on any important information. At the same time, the notes will help you formulate a better research summary. Don't bank on the abstract and use it as a summarized version.
After skimming through the original document, you must now give it a good read. Read it in detail from start to finish. Take a look at the notes you made in the margins as well. Read all the sections in the content to summarize it. This way, you can address relevant points.
- How has the research contributed to answering the main question?
- Is the methodology working well with the central concept?
- Which points did the researcher not discuss?
- Does the research make an impact in future studies?
- What is the scope of the research project?
It is a good idea to read out the summary to someone you know. If you know the topic well and you can easily narrate it to someone else, this means you are now ready to write an executive summary on your own. Please, note that summary writing doesn't mean that you have to duplicate what is already written. Do not write the same words. Instead, when writing the summary, close the original article so that you avoid copying the content.
Don't just stick to the information given in the paper. Collect research articles and information from other sources as well. Your literature review should comprise on various topics. Study any research paper you find on this particular topic. Include it when summarizing. This shows that you have taken the assignment seriously and have done some background reading.
Be clear and use short sentences to convey your message. It is somewhat like an abstract but in more detail. Make sure to use only relevant information to write a research summary. Do not clutter and use wordiness. Follow this order to write a compelling summary.
- State the research question;
- Write the hypothesis;
- Discuss the methodology used in the paper, including the number of participants, independent and dependent variables, and the process;
- Mention the results and key findings;
- Analyze the data and give your input;
- Remember that the interpretation and result should be related to the hypothesis;
- The first draft should be written in a carefree way, you can always edit it later.
It is important to keep your summary papers compact and concise. You don't want to lose the purpose of your research summary by overstuffing keywords. Don't write generic statements. It should be relevant to the topic. Once you have written the paper, make sure it is plagiarism-free. You don't earn a bad grade just because you have used the same words as written in the original document. Here are a few points to consider when proofreading your research summary.
- Make sure all the information is covered;
- Double-check your notes and literature review to ensure nothing is missed out;
- Paraphrase quotes instead of copying them as are, or else it could be counted as plagiarism;
- Cut down unnecessary long sentences;
- Check out for grammar and spellings;
- Avoid any typo errors;
- Read the summary out loud;
- Tweak the article for better clarity.
Your summary is ready to be submitted. Before you send the assignment to your professor, make sure to keep a check on these dos and don'ts of submitting a research paper.
- Use appropriate subheadings where necessary;
- Do some background reading;
- Make notes as you read;
- Add relevant literature and additional findings;
- Paraphrase quotes of famous personalities instead of copying them as is;
- Do make sure that it is not a copy of the original document;
- Read it out loud before submitting.
- Don't begin writing before finding out the purpose of the research;
- Don't rely too much on the abstract;
- Don't clutter the document with heavy sounding words;
- Avoid plagiarism. Make sure to avoid similar words;
- Avoid wordiness and overstuffing of keywords.
This simple guide to writing an impressive research summary will help you earn a good grade in your assignment. You will be able to understand the topic of your study in detail. Edit the document only when you have finished writing your first draft. Good luck!
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How to Write a Summary
Last Updated: July 26, 2024 Approved
Sample Summaries
Reviewing the piece, writing the summary in your own words, revising your draft into a coherent summary, expert q&a.
This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 26 testimonials and 90% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,831,854 times.
Writing a summary is a great way to process the information you read, whether it’s an article or a book. If you’re assigned a summary in school, the best way to approach it is by reviewing the piece you’re summarizing. Read it thoroughly and take notes on the major points you want to include in your summary. When you get to writing your summary, rely on your memory first to make sure the summary is in your own words. Then, revise it to ensure that your writing is clear and the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are all perfect.
How do you write a good summary?
Start by reviewing the piece and identifying what the major points of it are. Highlight the author and the name of their work first, and then try to recall all of the major plot points from memory. Tighten up your draft by ensuring that your content is in chronological order, and by checking for errors or repetition.
![how to write a summary for research paper how to write a summary for research paper](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/74/Summary-Plot-of-Macbeth.png/340px-Summary-Plot-of-Macbeth.png)
- The author might also state their thesis more plainly by saying something like "my argument is...." or I believe...
- In a fiction piece, the author will more likely emphasize themes. So if you notice that love - discussions or descriptions of it, for example - come up a lot, one of the main points of the piece is probably love.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 3 Reread the piece, taking notes on the major points of it.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/06/Write-a-Summary-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-3-Version-3.jpg)
- To put something in your own words, write it down as if you were explaining or describing it to a friend. In that case, you wouldn't just read what the author wrote. Do the same when you're writing down the major points in your own words.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 4 Don't focus on the evidence that the author uses to support those points.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c0/Write-a-Summary-Step-4-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-4-Version-3.jpg)
- For fiction pieces, this means avoiding rewriting every single thing that happens in the piece. Focus instead on the major plot points and the main motivator for those points. Don't include everything that happens to the character along the way.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 1 Start with the source’s information.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/ba/Write-a-Summary-Step-5-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-5-Version-3.jpg)
- For example, you can start with something like “George Shaw’s '‘Pygmalion’' is a play that addresses issues of class and culture in early twentieth-century England.”
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 2 Work from memory to write the main point of each section.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/53/Write-a-Summary-Step-6-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-6-Version-3.jpg)
- If you absolutely must use the original author’s words, put them in quotation marks. This tells your reader those words aren’t yours. Not doing this is academic plagiarism, and it can get you in a lot of trouble.
- Make sure you format the quote correctly!
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 3 Present the material using the author’s point of view.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/df/Write-a-Summary-Step-7-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-7-Version-3.jpg)
- For example, you might think that Hamlet spends a lot of time thinking and not a lot of time acting. You can say something like, "Hamlet is a man of thought, rather than action," instead of saying, "Why doesn't Hamlet do something once in a while?"
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 4 Use language appropriate to a summary.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a9/Write-a-Summary-Step-8-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-8-Version-3.jpg)
- In fiction pieces, you can say something like "Shakespeare's Hamlet then spends a lot of time brooding on the castle ramparts." This tells your reader you're talking about Shakespeare's play, not inventing your own story.
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 1 Reread the draft you wrote from memory against your notes.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d9/Write-a-Summary-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-9-Version-3.jpg)
- For example, in a summary of an article about the cause of the American Revolution, you might have a paragraph that summarizes the author's arguments about taxes, and another about religious freedom. You can say something like, "Although some colonists believed that taxes should entitle them to representation in Parliament, the author also argues that other colonists supported the Revolution because they believed they were entitled to representation in heaven on their own terms."
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 5 Check for grammatical and spelling errors.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b3/Write-a-Summary-Step-13-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-13-Version-2.jpg)
- Don't use spell-checker for spelling errors. It will catch if you spell something wrong, but not if you use the wrong spelling of a word. For example, it won't catch that you used "there" when you meant "their."
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 6 Check your length.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/77/Write-a-Summary-Step-14-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-14-Version-2.jpg)
- Generally, a summary should be around one quarter the length of the original piece. So if the original piece is 4 pages long, your summary should be no more than 1 page. [13] X Research source
![how to write a summary for research paper Step 7 Ask someone else to read your work.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c8/Write-a-Summary-Step-15.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Summary-Step-15.jpg)
- Not only should they be comparing your work for accuracy, ask them to read it for flow and summation. They should be able understand what happened in the article or story by reading your summary alone. Don't hesitate to ask for criticism; then weigh those criticisms and make valid changes.
![how to write a summary for research paper Alexander Peterman, MA](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/49/Alex_Peterman.png/-crop-200-200-200px-Alex_Peterman.png)
- If you notice an author has made the same point multiple times, though, it’s a good indicator that this is an important point, and it should definitely be in your summary. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Tips from our Readers
- Start your summary out with where the story takes place, or something that is on the first page or in the first chapter.
- Look at the chapter title of the book.This might help summarize the chapter as you start working on your summary.
![how to write a summary for research paper how to write a summary for research paper](https://www.wikihow.com/images/4/49/Quiz_logo_v1_stock_420x250_2.jpg)
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- ↑ http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/comprehension/authorsmainidea.pdf
- ↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
- ↑ http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/summaryhints.htm
- ↑ https://public.wsu.edu/~mejia/Summary.htm
- ↑ http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Guidelines-for-Writing-a-Summary
About This Article
![how to write a summary for research paper Richard Perkins](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/2f/Richard_Perkins.png/-crop-100-100-100px-Richard_Perkins.png)
Before you write a summary, read the piece you’re summarizing, then make notes on what you think the main point and major supporting arguments are. When you’re ready to draft your summary, start with the author and title, then use your own words to write what you think the author’s main point is in each section. Be sure to focus on what the author thinks and feels rather than what you do! Finally, reread your summary and check it for good spelling, punctuation, and grammar. For more suggestions from our reviewer about polishing your summary and improving transitions, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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A Complete Guide to Writing a Research Summary
A summary is a key part of any research. So, how should you go about writing one?
You will find many guides on the Internet about writing research. But, any article seldom covers the prospect of writing a research summary. While many things are shortened versions of the original article, there’s much more to research summaries.
From descriptive statistics to writing scientific research, a summary plays a vital role in describing the key ideas within. So, it begs a few questions, such as:
- What exactly is a research summary?
- How do you write one?
- What are some of the tips for writing a good research summary ?
In this guide, we’ll answer all of these questions and explore a few essential factors about research writing. So, let’s jump right into it.
What is a Research Summary?
A research summary is a short, concise summary of an academic research paper. It is often used to summarize the results of an experiment, summarize the major findings and conclusions, and provide a brief overview of the methods and procedures used in the study.
The purpose of a research summary is to provide readers with enough information about an article to decide whether they want to read it in its entirety. It should be no more than two paragraphs long and should include:
- A brief introduction summarizing why the article was written
- The main idea of the article
- The major findings and conclusions
- An overview of how the study was conducted
In order to write effective research summaries, it is important that you can capture the essential points of the research and provide a concise overview. The key step in writing a good summary is to read through the article and make notes of the key points.
This can be done by underlining or highlighting key phrases in the article. One essential thing is to organize these points into an outline format, which includes an introduction and conclusion paragraph.
Another best and quick way to generate a precise summary of your research paper is to take assistance from the online text summarizer, like Summarizer.org .
The online summarizing tool gets the research paper and creates a precise summary of it by taking the important points.
Finally, you must edit your work for grammar and spelling errors before submitting it for grading.
The purpose of the research summary is to provide a comprehensive sum of everything that’s in the research. This includes a summarization of scientific/literal research, as well as of the writer’s aim and personal thoughts.
As for the summary length, it shouldn’t be more than 10% of the entire content. So, if your research is around 1000-words or so, then your summary should be 100-words. But, considering how most research papers are around 3000-4000 words, it should be 300-400 words.
Key pillars of a Research Summary
The summary of any research doesn’t just include the summarized text of the entire research paper. It includes a few other key things, which we’ll explore later on in this article. But, the purpose of a summary is to give proper insights to the reader, such as:
- The writer’s intention
- sources and bases of research
- the purpose & result.
That’s why it’s important to understand that the summary should tell your reader all these elements. So, the fundamentals of any summary include:
- Write a section and state the importance of the research paper from your perspective. In this section, you will have to describe the techniques, tools, and sources you employed to get the conclusion.
- Besides that, it’s also meant to provide a brief and descriptive explanation of the actionable aspect of your research. In other words, how it can be implemented in real life.
- Treat your research summary like a smaller article or blog. So, each important section of your research should be written within a subheading. However, this is highly optional to keep things organized.
- As mentioned before, the research summary shouldn’t exceed 300-400 words. But, some research summaries are known to surpass 10000-words. So, try to employ the 10% formula and write one-tenth of the entire length of your research paper.
These four main points allow you to understand how a research summary is different from the research itself. So, it’s like a documentary where research and other key factors are left to the science (research paper), while the narration explains the key points (research summary)
How do you write a Research Summary?
Writing a research summary is a straightforward affair. Yet, it requires some understanding, as it’s not a lengthy process but rather a tricky and technical one. In a research summary, a few boxes must be checked. To help you do just that, here are 6 things you should tend to separately:
A summary’s title can be the same as the title of your primary research. However, putting separate titles in both has a few benefits. Such as:
- A separate title shifts attention towards the conclusion.
- A different title can focus on the main point of your research.
- Using two different titles can provide a better abstract.
Speaking of an abstract, a summary is the abstract of your research. Therefore, a title representing that very thought is going to do a lot of good too. That’s why it’s better if the title of your summary differs from the title of your research paper.
2. Abstract
The abstract is the summarization of scientific or research methods used in your primary paper. This allows the reader to understand the pillars of the study conducted. For instance, there has been an array of astrological research since James Webb Space Telescope started sending images and data.
So, many research papers explain this Telescope’s technological evolution in their abstracts. This allows the reader to differentiate from the astrological research made by previous space crafts, such as Hubble or Chandra .
The point of providing this abstract is to ensure that the reader grasps the standards or boundaries within which the research was held.
3. Introduction
This is the part where you introduce your topic. In your main research, you’d dive right into the technicalities in this part. However, you’ll try to keep things mild in a research summary. Simply because it needs to summarize the key points in your main introduction.
So, a lot of introductions you’ll find as an example will be extensive in length. But, a research summary needs to be as concise as possible. Usually, in this part, a writer includes the basics and standards of investigation.
For instance, if your research is about James Webb’s latest findings , then you’ll identify how the studies conducted by this Telescope’s infrared and other technology made this study possible. That’s when your introduction will hook the reader into the main premise of your research.
4. Methodology / Study
This section needs to describe the methodology used by you in your research. Or the methodology you relied on when conducting this particular research or study. This allows the reader to grasp the fundamentals of your research, and it’s extremely important.
Because if the reader doesn’t understand your methods, then they will have no response to your studies. How should you tend to this? Include things such as:
- The surveys or reviews you used;
- include the samplings and experiment types you researched;
- provide a brief statistical analysis;
- give a primary reason to pick these particular methods.
Once again, leave the scientific intricacies for your primary research. But, describe the key methods that you employed. So, when the reader is perusing your final research, they’ll have your methods and study techniques in mind.
5. Results / Discussion
This section of your research needs to describe the results that you’ve achieved. Granted, some researchers will rely on results achieved by others. So, this part needs to explain how that happened – but not in detail.
The other section in this part will be a discussion. This is your interpretation of the results you’ve found. Thus, in the context of the results’ application, this section needs to dive into the theoretical understanding of your research. What will this section entail exactly? Here’s what:
- Things that you covered, including results;
- inferences you provided, given the context of your research;
- the theory archetype that you’ve tried to explain in the light of the methodology you employed;
- essential points or any limitations of the research.
These factors will help the reader grasp the final idea of your research. But, it’s not full circle yet, as the pulp will still be left for the actual research.
6. Conclusion
The final section of your summary is the conclusion. The key thing about the conclusion in your research summary, compared to your actual research, is that they could be different. For instance, the actual conclusion in your research should bring around the study.
However, the research in this summary should bring your own ideas and affirmations to full circle. Thus, this conclusion could and should be different from the ending of your research.
5 Tips for writing a Research Summary
Writing a research summary is easy once you tend to the technicalities. But, there are some tips and tricks that could make it easier. Remember, a research summary is the sum of your entire research. So, it doesn’t need to be as technical or in-depth as your primary work.
Thus, to make it easier for you, here are four tips you can follow:
1. Read & read again
Reading your own work repeatedly has many benefits. First, it’ll help you understand any mistakes or problems your research might have. After that, you’ll find a few key points that stand out from the others – that’s what you need to use in your summary.
So, the best advice anyone can give you is to read your research again and again. This will etch the idea in your mind and allow you to summarize it better.
2. Focus on key essentials in each section
As we discussed earlier, each section of your research has a key part. To write a thoroughly encapsulating summary, you need to focus on and find each such element in your research.
Doing so will give you enough leverage to write a summary that thoroughly condenses your research idea and gives you enough to write a summary out of it.
3. Write the research using a summarizing tool
The best advice you can get is to write a summary using a tool. Condensing each section might be a troublesome experience for some – as it can be time-consuming.
To avoid all that, you can simply take help from an online summarizer. It gets the lengthy content and creates a precise summary of it by using advanced AI technology.
As you can see, the tool condenses this particular section perfectly while the details are light.
Bringing that down to 10% or 20% will help you write each section accordingly. Thus, saving precious time and effort.
4. Word count limit
As mentioned earlier, word count is something you need to follow thoroughly. So, if your section is around 200-word, then read it again. And describe it to yourself in 20-words or so. Doing this to every section will help you write exactly a 10% summary of your research.
5. Get a second opinion
If you’re unsure about quality or quantity, get a second opinion. At times, ideas are in our minds, but we cannot find words to explain them. In research or any sort of creative process, getting a second opinion can save a lot of trouble.
There’s your guide to writing a research summary, folks. While it’s not different from condensing the entire premise of your research, writing it in simpler words will do wonders. So, try to follow the tips, tools, and ideas provided in this article, and write outstanding summaries for your research.
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One Page Research Summary
Ai generator.
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When it comes to doing research, a lot of people may find it difficult to get it right. That often than not, they get too frustrated to even begin the research. However, what others may not have noticed is that it is not the research that gets frustrating, but it is how to summarize the entire research into a single page. When you have done good research, you often think to yourself that this would be easy to summarize but when given a specific task to summarize to a single page, you may want to think on how you can do this. Others may think that this is too impossible to fit a research summary into a single page.
But what if I told you that there is a way for you to be able to do it? Would you believe me or would you still think it is too impossible? Don’t get me wrong, there are others who do believe it to be possible, while others do not. Why don’t you try it? How do you make a whole research summary fit into a single page ? This is why the article is the one you should be checking out right now. 6+ examples to show you how to write a one page research summary.
6+ One Page Research Summary Examples
1. one page research summary template.
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2. Sample One Page Research Summary
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3. One Page Research Summary Proposal
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4. One Page Research Summary in PDF
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5. Printable One Page Research Summary
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6. One Page Research Summary Example
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7. Formal One Page Research Summary
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What Is a One Page Research Summary?
So to start off, you may still be thinking about how impossible it is to fit a whole research in a single page. But let me tell you that it is not. But first, let us define what a one page research summary is. This is a kind of document , or an academic writing. This kind of research summary holds the information that a student or an academic person has done in order to expound on what they had learned through their research. What the research may be about often targets the readers who may also want to learn more about it. In a way, instead of having to read more than a page of research summaries, the one page research summary is going to be the best fit. This way, any important information can simply be written in a general but still a very clear and concise way . This means that regardless of the single page it is written, it still does its purpose by giving the reader the information that they need.
How to Write a One Page Research Summary?
The next agenda on your list would be to know how to write a one page research summary. Have I been able to convince you yet that it is possible to write a page research summary? If I have not, you should check these tips below. By simply following these simple steps or guides , you are going to find it easier to do a page research summary.
1. Read the Chapter and Make a Draft
The best way to begin is to make a draft while you read the chapter or the chapters you are told to summarize. The whole purpose of the draft is for you to be able to concentrate on taking out the most important information . While reading the chapter or chapters, take some time to take down your own notes and place it in the draft. That way it would be easier for you to finalize everything later on.
2. Look For the Important Information From Your Draft
Apart from reading the chapters and making the draft, seek out the important information that would support your summary and your research. Make sure to not take away any information that is connected to the previous chapters and information you took from there. Your key points should also be found in your summary or in your draft. They serve as your helping hand.
3. Begin With Your Final Output
Once you have all the information written out in your draft and placed in the correct places, it is time you write your final output. Start by writing out the summary of your research. Avoid forgetting the important facts and details that you wrote in your draft. Make sure that you are also following the APA format when writing your research. This is an academic research paper, so your format should follow the APA format in writing.
4. Proofread Your Research Summary
Proofreading your work before you submit it is always the best way to check. Check whether you have added all the information you need for your research summary. As well as checking whether or not your research summary does not go beyond a single page. If it so happens that it does, make adjustments and see to it that it does not go beyond a single page. This includes the margins of your page. So be careful.
5. Cite Your Sources
The last tip I can give you is to remember to always cite your sources. Regardless of how short or how long your research summary is, you should always cite your sources. Even if you may have to say it in your own words, you must remember that doing your research, you should also state the person or the people, the book, the article that it belongs to. Avoid plagiarism at all costs. Even if you think that the words are yours, but the idea that it belongs to is not. Cite away.
What is a one page research summary?
From the term itself, it is a document or an academic paper that gives a general but concise summary of the topic you are given for research.
Why is it important to write a single page research summary?
A lot of people prefer to have to read a single page research summary over a lot of pages. It also can minimize the time wasted to look for the answers.
Why is it important to cite your sources?
Avoid any plagiarism when writing your research summary. This is the main problem and the main issue when it comes to academic papers. When you quote or state something from your research, always cite where you have taken it from or quoted it from.
This is the end of the article. Have I convinced you yet of how easy it really is to make a one page research summary? I do hope I have. As I mentioned earlier, it really is easy especially if you only have to follow the simple tips above. As well as using the examples you can download from this article. The next time you’re planning on writing a research summary, why don’t you try a one page research summary and see the difference that it makes.
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How to Write a Research Paper [Steps & Examples]
As a student, you are often required to complete numerous academic tasks, which can demand a lot of extra effort. Writing a research paper is one of these tasks. If researching for the topic isn't challenging enough, writing it down in a specific format adds another layer of difficulty. Having gone through this myself, I want to help you have a smoother journey in writing your research paper. I'll guide you through everything you need to know about writing a research paper, including how to write a research paper and all the necessary factors you need to consider while writing one.
Order for Preparation of your research paper
Before beginning your research paper, start planning how you will organize your paper. Follow the specific order I have laid out to ensure you assemble everything correctly, cover all necessary components, and write more effectively. This method will help you avoid missing important elements and improve the overall quality of your paper.
Figures and Tables
Assemble all necessary visual aids to support your data and findings. Ensure they are labeled correctly and referenced appropriately in your text.
Detail the procedures and techniques used in your research. This section should be thorough enough to allow others to replicate your study.
Summarize the findings of your research without interpretation. Use figures and tables to illustrate your data clearly.
Interpret the results, discussing their implications and how they relate to your research question. Address any limitations and suggest areas for future research.
Summarize the key points of your research, restating the significance of your findings and their broader impact.
Introduction
Introduce the topic, provide background information, and state the research problem or hypothesis. Explain the purpose and scope of your study.
Write a concise summary of your research, including the objective, methods, results, and conclusion. Keep it brief and to the point.
Create a clear and informative title that accurately reflects the content and focus of your research paper.
Identify key terms related to your research that will help others find your paper in searches.
Acknowledgements
Thank those who contributed to your research, including funding sources, advisors, and any other significant supporters.
Compile a complete list of all sources cited in your paper, formatted according to the required citation style. Ensure every reference is accurate and complete.
Types of Research Papers
There are multiple types of research papers, each with distinct characteristics, purposes, and structures. Knowing which type of research paper is required for your assignment is crucial, as each demands different preparation and writing strategies. Here, we will delve into three prominent types: argumentative, analytical, and compare and contrast papers. We will discuss their characteristics, suitability, and provide detailed examples to illustrate their application.
A.Argumentative Papers
Characteristics:
An argumentative or persuasive paper is designed to present a balanced view of a controversial issue, but ultimately aims to persuade the reader to adopt the writer's perspective. The key characteristics of this type of paper include:
Purpose: The primary goal is to convince the reader to support a particular stance on an issue. This is achieved by presenting arguments, evidence, and refuting opposing viewpoints.
Structure: Typically structured into an introduction, a presentation of both sides of the issue, a refutation of the opposing arguments, and a conclusion that reinforces the writer’s position.
Tone: While the tone should be logical and factual, it should not be overly emotional. Arguments must be supported with solid evidence, such as statistics, expert opinions, and factual data.
Suitability:
Argumentative papers are suitable for topics that have clear, opposing viewpoints. They are often used in debates, policy discussions, and essays aimed at influencing public opinion or academic discourse.
Topic: "Should governments implement universal basic income?"
Pro Side: Universal basic income provides financial security, reduces poverty, and can lead to a more equitable society.
Con Side: It could discourage work, lead to higher government expenditure, and might not be a sustainable long-term solution.
Argument: After presenting both sides, the paper would argue that the benefits of reducing poverty and financial insecurity outweigh the potential drawbacks, using evidence from various studies and real-world examples.
Writing Tips:
Clearly articulate your position on the issue from the beginning.
Present balanced arguments by including credible sources that support both sides.
Refute counterarguments effectively with logical reasoning and evidence.
Maintain a factual and logical tone, avoiding excessive emotional appeals.
B.Analytical Papers
An analytical research paper is focused on breaking down a topic into its core components, examining various perspectives, and drawing conclusions based on this analysis. The main characteristics include:
Purpose: To pose a research question, collect data from various sources, analyze different viewpoints, and synthesize the information to arrive at a personal conclusion.
Structure: Includes an introduction with a clear research question, a literature review that summarizes existing research, a detailed analysis, and a conclusion that summarizes findings.
Tone: Objective and neutral, avoiding personal bias or opinion. The focus is on data and logical analysis.
Analytical research papers are ideal for topics that require detailed examination and evaluation of various aspects. They are common in disciplines such as social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, where deep analysis of existing research is crucial.
Topic: "The impact of social media on mental health."
Research Question: How does social media usage affect mental well-being among teenagers?
Analysis: Examine studies that show both positive (e.g., social support) and negative (e.g., anxiety and depression) impacts of social media. Analyze the methodologies and findings of these studies.
Conclusion: Based on the analysis, conclude whether the overall impact is more beneficial or harmful, remaining neutral and presenting evidence without personal bias.
Maintain an objective and neutral tone throughout the paper.
Synthesize information from multiple sources, ensuring a comprehensive analysis.
Develop a clear thesis based on the findings from your analysis.
Avoid inserting personal opinions or biases.
C.Compare and Contrast Papers
Compare and contrast papers are used to analyze the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. The key characteristics include:
Purpose: To identify and examine the similarities and differences between two or more subjects, providing a comprehensive understanding of their relationship.
Structure: Can be organized in two ways:
Point-by-Point: Each paragraph covers a specific point of comparison or contrast.
Subject-by-Subject: Each subject is discussed separately, followed by a comparison or contrast.
Tone: Informative and balanced, aiming to provide a thorough and unbiased comparison.
Compare and contrast papers are suitable for topics where it is important to understand the distinctions and similarities between elements. They are commonly used in literature, history, and various comparative studies.
Topic: "Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X."
Comparison Points: Philosophies (non-violence vs. militant activism), methods (peaceful protests vs. more radical approaches), and impacts on the Civil Rights Movement.
Analysis: Describe each leader's philosophy and method, then analyze how these influenced their effectiveness and legacy.
Conclusion: Summarize the key similarities and differences, and discuss how both leaders contributed uniquely to the movement.
Provide equal and balanced coverage to each subject.
Use clear criteria for comparison, ensuring logical and coherent analysis.
Highlight both similarities and differences, ensuring a nuanced understanding of the subjects.
Maintain an informative tone, focusing on objective analysis rather than personal preference.
How to Write A Research Paper [Higher Efficiency & Better Results]
Conduct Preliminary Research
Before we get started with the research, it's important to gather relevant information related to it. This process, also known as the primary research method, helps researchers gain preliminary knowledge about the topic and identify research gaps. Whenever I begin researching a topic, I usually utilize Google and Google Scholar. Another excellent resource for conducting primary research is campus libraries, as they provide a wealth of great articles that can assist with your research.
Now, let's see how WPS Office and AIPal can be great research partners:
Let's say that I have some PDFs which I have gathered from different sources. With WPS Office, these PDFs can be directly uploaded not just to extract key points but also to interact with the PDF with special help from WPS AI.
Step 1: Let's open the PDF article or research paper that we have downloaded on WPS Office.
Step 2: Now, click on the WPS AI widget at the top right corner of the screen.
Step 3: This will open the WPS PDF AI pane on the right side of the screen. Click on "Upload".
Step 4: Once the upload is complete, WPS PDF AI will return with the key points from the PDF article, which can then be copied to a fresh new document on WPS Writer.
Step 5: To interact further with the document, click on the "Inquiry" tab to talk with WPS AI and get more information on the contents of the PDF.
Research is incomplete without a Google search, but what exactly should you search for? AIPal can help you with these answers. AIPal is a Chrome extension that can help researchers make their Google searches and interactions with Chrome more effective and efficient. If you haven't installed AIPal on Chrome yet, go ahead and download the extension; it's completely free to use:
Step 1: Let's search for a term on Google related to our research.
Step 2: An AIPal widget will appear right next to the Google search bar, click on it.
Step 3: Upon clicking it, an AIPal window will pop up. In this window, you will find a more refined answer for your searched term, along with links most relevant to your search, providing a more refined search experience.
WPS AI can also be used to extract more information with the help of WPS Writer.
Step 1: We might have some information saved in a Word document, either from lectures or during preliminary research. We can use WPS AI within Writer to gain more insights.
Step 2: Select the entire text you want to summarize or understand better.
Step 3: Once the text is selected, a hover menu will appear. Click on the "WPS AI" icon in this menu.
Step 4: From the list of options, click on "Explain" to understand the content more deeply, or click on "Summarize" to shorten the paragraph.
Step 5: The results will be displayed in a small WPS AI window.
Develop the Thesis statement
To develop a strong thesis statement, start by formulating a central question your paper will address. For example, if your topic is about the impact of social media on mental health, your thesis statement might be:
"Social media use has a detrimental effect on mental health by increasing anxiety, depression, and loneliness among teenagers."
This statement is concise, contentious, and sets the stage for your research. With WPS AI, you can use the "Improve" feature to refine your thesis statement, ensuring it is clear, coherent, and impactful.
Write the First draft
Begin your first draft by focusing on maintaining forward momentum and clearly organizing your thoughts. Follow your outline as a guide, but be flexible if new ideas emerge. Here's a brief outline to get you started:
Using WPS AI’s "Make Longer" feature, you can quickly elaborate key ideas and points of your studies and articles into a descriptive format to include in your draft, saving time and ensuring clarity.
Compose Introduction, Body and Conclusion paragraphs
When writing a research paper, it’s essential to transform your key points into detailed, descriptive paragraphs. WPS AI can help you streamline this process by enhancing your key points, ensuring each section of your paper is well-developed and coherent. Here’s how you can use WPS AI to compose your introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs:
Let's return to the draft and start composing our introduction. The introduction should provide the background of the research paper and introduce readers to what the research paper will explore.
If your introduction feels too brief or lacks depth, use WPS AI’s "Make Longer" feature to expand on key points, adding necessary details and enhancing the overall narrative.
Once the introduction is completed, the next step is to start writing the body paragraphs and the conclusion of our research paper. Remember, the body paragraphs will incorporate everything about your research: methodologies, challenges, results, and takeaways.
If this paragraph is too lengthy or repetitive, WPS AI’s "Make Shorter" feature can help you condense it without losing essential information.
Write the Second Draft
In the second draft, refine your arguments, ensure logical flow, and check for clarity. Focus on eliminating any unnecessary information, ensuring each paragraph supports your thesis statement, and improving transitions between ideas. Incorporate feedback from peers or advisors, and ensure all citations are accurate and properly formatted. The second draft should be more polished and coherent, presenting your research in a clear and compelling manner.
WPS AI’s "Improve Writing" feature can be particularly useful here to enhance the overall quality and readability of your paper.
WPS Spellcheck can assist you in correcting spelling and grammatical errors, ensuring your paper is polished and professional. This tool helps you avoid common mistakes and enhances the readability of your paper, making a significant difference in the overall quality.
Bonus Tips: How to Get Inspiration for your Research Paper- WPS AI
WPS Office is a phenomenal office suite that students find to be a major blessing. Not only is it a free office suite equipped with advanced features that make it competitive in the market, but it also includes a powerful AI that automates and enhances many tasks, including writing a research paper. In addition to improving readability with its AI Proofreader tool, WPS AI offers two features, "Insight" and "Inquiry", that can help you gather information and inspiration for your research paper:
Insight Feature:
The Insight feature provides deep insights and information on various topics and fields. It analyzes literature to extract key viewpoints, trends, and research directions. For instance, if you're writing a research paper on the impact of social media on mental health, you can use the Insight feature to gather a comprehensive overview of the latest studies, key arguments, and emerging trends in this field. This helps you build a solid foundation for your paper and ensure you are covering all relevant aspects.
Inquiry Feature:
The Inquiry feature allows you to ask specific questions related to your research topic. This helps you gather necessary background information and refine your research focus effectively. For example, if you need detailed information on how social media usage affects teenagers' self-esteem, you can use the Inquiry feature to ask targeted questions and receive relevant answers based on the latest research.
FAQs about writing a research paper
1. can any source be used for academic research.
No, it's essential to use credible and relevant sources. Here is why:
Developing a Strong Argument: Your research paper relies on evidence to substantiate its claims. Using unreliable sources can undermine your argument and harm the credibility of your paper.
Avoiding Inaccurate Information: The internet is abundant with data, but not all sources can be considered reliable. Credible sources guarantee accuracy.
2. How can I avoid plagiarism?
To avoid plagiarism, follow these steps:
Keep Records of Your Sources: Maintain a record of all the sources you use while researching. This helps you remember where you found specific ideas or phrases and ensures proper attribution.
Quote and Paraphrase Correctly: When writing a paper, use quotation marks for exact words from a source and cite them properly. When paraphrasing, restate the idea in your own words and include a citation to acknowledge the original source.
Utilize a Plagiarism Checker: Use a plagiarism detection tool before submitting your paper. This will help identify unintentional plagiarism, ensuring your paper is original and properly referenced.
3. How can I cite sources properly?
Adhere to the citation style guide (e.g., APA, MLA) specified by your instructor or journal. Properly citing all sources both within the text and in the bibliography or references section is essential for maintaining academic integrity and providing clear credit to the original authors. This practice also helps readers locate and verify the sources you've used in your research.
4. How long should a research paper be?
The length of a research paper depends on its topic and specific requirements. Generally, research papers vary between 4,000 to 6,000 words, with shorter papers around 2,000 words and longer ones exceeding 10,000 words. Adhering to the length requirements provided for academic assignments is essential. More intricate subjects or extensive research often require more thorough explanations, which can impact the overall length of the paper.
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How to Write a Discussion for a Lab Report: A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples
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Writing the discussion for a lab report can be tricky. You’ve gathered all the pieces—your data, results—but now comes the hard part: making sense of it.
Did your results align with your hypothesis, or did they take an unexpected turn? How do your findings fit into the bigger picture? Imagine you’ve conducted an experiment that didn’t go exactly as planned. What does that mean for your hypothesis? How do your results compare with what others have found?
These are the kinds of questions you’ll need to answer to write a compelling discussion.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the essential steps for crafting a lab discussion that’s both clear and insightful:
- Step 1. Summarize Your Key Findings
- Step 2. Interpret the Results
- Step 3. Compare with Existing Literature
- Step 4. Discuss Potential Limitations
- Step 5. Suggest Future Research
Below, we’ll break down each step with examples to guide you through the process.
What is a Discussion in a Lab Report?
Lab reports are among the most commonly written documents and can contribute up to 25% of the overall course grade. But there is often insufficient focus on teaching students how to write them effectively.
A lab report discussion section is where you thoroughly explain what your experiment's results really mean. This is where you connect the dots between your report findings and the big questions you set out to answer.
You'll assess whether your results line up with your hypothesis or if they throw a curveball at your expectations. It’s your opportunity to explain the 'why' and 'how'—why your results turned out the way they did and how they fit into the larger picture of your field.
This section is about the data, your interpretation, and the story the data tells.
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How Long Should a Discussion Be in a Lab Report?
Typically, the discussion section should take up about 1 to 2 pages . Within these pages, you'll interpret the data, answer the questions you started with, and explore the nuances that make your experiment stand out. It’s the perfect amount of room to connect your data to your hypothesis, consider any surprises, and place your findings within a broader scientific context.
What Should the Discussion in a Lab Report Include?
So, what is the purpose of a discussion in a lab report? Essentially, it's to communicate the significance of your work.
Imagine you've just wrapped up an experiment testing different types of light on plant growth. Here's how you might structure the discussion in your lab report, keeping it engaging and insightful:
- Interpretation of Results : Let’s say you found that red light significantly boosts plant growth. Discuss how and why red light might affect plant processes more than blue light, perhaps pulling in photosynthesis as a key player.
- Comparison with Literature : Match your findings with the scientific community’s previous adventures. If studies suggest blue light was the champion, it’s your cue to explore why your results might differ. Could it be the type of plants you used?
- Explanation of Anomalies : Did one plant under blue light grow unexpectedly tall? Here’s where you hypothesize what might have caused this odd one out—maybe it was a mutation, or perhaps that plant scored some extra nutrients by chance.
- Implications of Findings : Discuss what your findings mean for the real world. Could red light be the key to faster-growing crops? Here's where you can speculate on practical applications and how they might revolutionize farming practices.
- Suggestions for Further Research : Your experiment's done, but the scientific story is just beginning. Propose what future researchers might explore next. Maybe, a follow-up experiment could test different light intensities for even better growth results.
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Additional Parts of a Lab Report Discussion to Consider
The lab report doesn’t end with data and results. You can also add more layers—methodological reflections, theoretical integration, and personal insights—that extend your experiment’s reach:
- Methodological Reflections : What alternative approaches could you have taken? Consider different paths that might yield new insights.
- Theoretical Integration : How do your results align with or challenge existing theories? This is where your research converses with broader scientific ideas.
- Ethical Considerations : What are the broader consequences of your findings? Reflect on their potential influence on policies and practices.
- Personal Insights : Share unexpected lessons and discoveries encountered along your research journey, adding unique depth to your narrative.
How to Write a Discussion for a Lab Report?
Writing the discussion for a lab report is your opportunity to evaluate whether your results support your hypothesis or if they’ve taken you in a different direction. It’s all about explaining why things turned out the way they did and how they fit into the larger context of your field.
By the end, you’ll give your professor a clear understanding of what your results mean and why they matter.
Let’s go through the lap report format to make sure your discussion is as clear and insightful as possible.
Step 1: Summarize Your Key Findings
Start your lab discussion by laying out the main results of your experiment, focusing on what really matters to your hypothesis.
Let's say your project was testing out a new AI program to improve online learning. Here’s how you can break it down:
- Main Results : Start with something straightforward, like, "Our experiment showed that students using the AI learning platform had a 15% improvement in their test scores compared to those using a traditional e-learning system." This gives a clear picture of the outcome.
- How You Measured Results : Explain how you tracked progress—like the time students spent on activities, their completion rates, and quiz scores. This adds context to your findings.
- Experiment Setup: How long did your study last? Who participated in it? What types of courses were involved? This helps your professor (and other readers) understand the scope of your results.
Step 2: Interpret the Results
After you've summarized the key findings in your discussion lab report, it’s time to interpret what they mean. This is where you explore the “why” behind the data.
Ask yourself, why did the AI program boost the test scores by 15%? Is it because it offered personalized feedback that traditional methods didn’t? Or could it be that the AI made learning more interactive, keeping students focused longer?
Think about these possibilities and how your results support or contradict existing theories or studies in the field.
An extra tip: If something unexpected happened—like the AI increased engagement but didn’t improve scores as much as expected—explore why that might be. Perhaps the tool worked better for some students than others.
Step 3: Compare with Existing Literature
Once you’ve interpreted your results, it’s important to see how they line up with what others have found in the field.
- Contextualize Your Results: Start by placing your findings in context. For example, if your AI program improved test scores by 15%, check out what similar studies have reported. This helps you understand where your results fit within the broader research landscape.
- Compare Results: See how your findings compare. If previous studies only saw a 10% improvement, your results suggest that the new AI program might be more effective. If your results are quite different, think about why that might be. Did you use a different approach or have unique study conditions?
- Highlight Contributions: Talk about how your findings add to what’s already known. Do your results back up or challenge existing theories? By comparing your work to other research, you’re showing how your study contributes to the bigger picture.
This step helps you place your findings in context and shows that your work adds something valuable to the field.
Step 4: Discuss Potential Limitations
Is there something that went wrong? Something else that you wish you had included?
It’s fine, no experiment is flawless, and it’s important to be upfront about any limitations in your study when writing a discussion lab report. This just shows that you understand the scope of your work and where there might be room for improvement.
If your study on the AI program for online learning was conducted with a relatively small group of students, mention that. A small sample size might mean your results aren’t as widely applicable as you’d like. Similarly, if the study was short-term, it might not capture long-term effects.
Discussing these limitations doesn’t weaken your findings—it actually strengthens your discussion. It shows that you’re aware of the study’s boundaries and where further research might be needed.
Speaking of…
Step 5: Suggest Future Research
The final step in your discussion is to think ahead and suggest areas for future research. This is your chance to point out where your study could be expanded or where new questions might arise. Let’s take a look at the findings we discussed before:
- Limitations: If your AI program improved test scores but had some limitations, like a small sample size or short duration, it’s worth suggesting that future research could involve a bigger, longer study. This would help confirm your findings and give more solid data.
- Surprise findings: If you noticed that the AI tool seemed to work better for some students than others, future research could dig into why that happened. There might be a chance to tweak the program to make it work better for a wider range of students.
- Opportunities: You could also suggest testing the AI program in different settings or with other subjects to see how it holds up. This could give more insights and help improve the technology.
By suggesting these future research areas, you’re helping to push the field forward and guiding where future studies might go.
If you need assistance crafting a thoughtful discussion, you can rely on EssayPro's discussion writer service to guide you through the process.
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Tips for Writing the Discussion Lab Report: Do's and Don'ts
When it comes to writing the discussion section of a lab report, knowing what to include and what to steer clear of can make a big difference.
Here’s a guide to help you get it right:
Do's | Don'ts |
---|---|
✅ Talk about your completed research using the past tense. For instance, say, " " | ❌ Skip the dull summary. Instead of, " " explain what makes your findings interesting and relevant. |
✅ Make sure your discussion loops back to what you introduced at the start. If you started with a problem, show how your results tackle that. | ❌ Don’t just focus on theory. Avoid saying, " " |
✅ Suggest what to do next based on your findings. For example, " " | ❌ Instead, summarize the key points directly in your text, like, " " |
✅ Talk about any hiccups you encountered, like, " " | ❌ Avoid discussions that don’t connect back to your initial research questions: " " |
Lab Report Discussion Example
Let's now take a look at a practical example of a discussion section from a lab report to illustrate how you can effectively craft your own:
Whether your results matched your hypothesis or threw you a curveball, the discussion in a lab report is where you make sense of it all. You'll interpret your findings, compare them with existing research, discuss any limitations, and suggest ideas for future studies.
And if you’re still wondering, “How do I write my lab report ?”, check out EssayPro’s lab report writing service for expert help.
How to Write a Discussion in a Lab Report?
How do you start a discussion sentence in a lab report, what should be included in a lab report discussion.
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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
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Adapted from the University of Toronto Writing Advice. (n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/lab-report/
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Table of contents. When to write a summary. Step 1: Read the text. Step 2: Break the text down into sections. Step 3: Identify the key points in each section. Step 4: Write the summary. Step 5: Check the summary against the article. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about summarizing.
The Structure of a Research Summary typically include: Introduction: This section provides a brief background of the research problem or question, explains the purpose of the study, and outlines the research objectives. Methodology: This section explains the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study.
So, follow the steps below to write a research summary that sticks. 1. Read the parent paper thoroughly. You should go through the research paper thoroughly multiple times to ensure that you have a complete understanding of its contents. A 3-stage reading process helps.
A research paper summary is a short overview of a research paper. Generally, a research paper summary is about 300-400 words long, though with longer papers, they're usually no more than 10 percent the length of the original paper. Research paper summaries play an important role in academia.
A research article usually has seven major sections: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, and References. The first thing you should do is to decide why you need to summarize the article. If the purpose of the summary is to take notes to later remind yourself about the article you may want to write a longer summary ...
A summary must be coherent and cogent and should make sense as a stand-alone piece of writing. It is typically 5% to 10% of the length of the original paper; however, the length depends on the length and complexity of the article and the purpose of the summary. Accordingly, a summary can be several paragraphs or pages, a single paragraph, or ...
Example 2: Summary of a Research Paper. Original Paper: In a study titled "The Impact of Urbanisation on Bee Populations," researchers conducted a year-long observation on bee colonies in three urban areas and three rural areas. Using specific metrics like colony health, bee productivity, and population size, the study found that urban ...
Table of contents. When to write a summary. Step 1: Read the text. Step 2: Break the text down into sections. Step 3: Identify the key points in each section. Step 4: Write the summary. Step 5: Check the summary against the article. Frequently asked questions.
1. Scan and extract the main points. First things first, so you have to read the paper. But that doesn't mean you have to read it from start to finish. Start by scanning the article for its main points. Here's the essential information to extract from the research paper you have in front of you: Authors, year, doi.
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.
A research paper summary is a crisp, comprehensive overview of a research paper, which encapsulates the purpose, findings, methods, conclusions, and relevance of a study. A well-written research paper summary is an indicator of how well you have understood the author's work. Table of Contents. How to write a research paper summary. 1.
Tools To Write An Effective Summary For A Research Paper. 1. Summary By Google Docs. Recently Google has announced a new "summary" feature in their online docs. This will automatically generate a summary of the content written in Google Docs. This summary generating feature uses the latest AI technologies to generate a quick and precise summary ...
Annotated Bibliographies. Annotated bibliographies can help you clearly see and understand the research before diving into organizing and writing your literature review. Although typically part of the "summarize" step of the literature review, annotations should not merely be summaries of each article - instead, they should be critical ...
Introduction. Writing a summary or abstract teaches you how to condense information and how to read an article more effectively and with better understanding. Research articles usually contain these parts: Title/Author Information, Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Result or Findings, Discussion or Conclusion, and References.
Some summaries can even be as short as one sentence. 3. State the research question and hypothesis. To begin your summary, start by summarizing what the authors aim to answer and what their hypothesis was. You can combine both the question and the hypothesis into one short sentence to open up your summary.
Creating an effective research paper summary requires finesse, precision, and the art of distilling complex information into bite-sized pieces of knowledge. Here's an infographic explaining the 3 key things you must keep in mind as you write a research paper summary. Paperpal is an AI academic writing assistant that can help researchers ...
Always note that your audience [or audiences] are likely seeing your research study for the first time. The best way to avoid a disorganized or cluttered executive summary is to write it after the study is completed. Always follow the same strategies for proofreading that you would for any research paper. Use Strong and Positive Language
Write objectively. Summaries should not report your opinion on the matter, but should accurately reflect the author's ideas and style. Nevertheless, make note of your evaluative comments and opinions outside of the summary because they may prove useful when writing your paper. 5. Document the publishing information for later reference.
1 Read or watch the source material. The first step is fairly obvious: Read or watch whatever it is you're writing a summary about. If you're doing a book report or similar paper, there's always a temptation to skip this step and just rely on other people's summaries. We don't recommend it, though.
Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Summary Paper Find Out the Focus Area of Your Paper. Writing a research report requires you to read the entire article thoroughly. First, skim through the paper and understand the gist of the article. Once you have gone through the contents, you will have a fairly good idea of what the paper is all about.
The executive summary briefly describes the study's key points and suggests changes, actions and implementation strategies for the business. You can use the following steps to write an executive summary for a research paper: 1. Read the entire research paper.
2. Write down what you think the main point of the piece is. This will help you start to put the piece's arguments in your own words. You can also ask yourself what point or points or themes come up throughout the entire piece. The title can also give you a tip as to the main point of the piece. [1]
Here are a few steps on how to write a research summary: Read your paper. It should be a fact you should know beforehand; the importance of reading your entire research paper thoroughly to write an effective research summary. Along the way, take notes of the important details and key findings that you want to highlight in your paper.
To write a thoroughly encapsulating summary, you need to focus on and find each such element in your research. Doing so will give you enough leverage to write a summary that thoroughly condenses your research idea and gives you enough to write a summary out of it. 3. Write the research using a summarizing tool.
You may have thought the real writing for a research paper was done in step 5, but the truth is you're just getting to it. However, you're also at the last step for writing a research paper—so close to the finish line. To edit effectively, you must consider both the big picture and the details.
By simply following these simple steps or guides, you are going to find it easier to do a page research summary. 1. Read the Chapter and Make a Draft. The best way to begin is to make a draft while you read the chapter or the chapters you are told to summarize.
Scholarcy's AI summarization tool is designed to generate accurate, reliable article summaries. Our summarizer tool is trained to identify key terms, claims, and findings in academic papers. These insights are turned into digestible Summary Flashcards. Scroll in the box below to see the magic ⤸. The knowledge extraction and summarization ...
2 4.Evidence: the data—facts, examples, details—that you refer to, quote, or summarize in order to support your thesis. There needs to be enough evidence to be persuasive; it needs to be the right kind of evidence to support the thesis (with no obvious pieces of evidence
Write a concise summary of your research, including the objective, methods, results, and conclusion. Keep it brief and to the point. ... trends, and research directions. For instance, if you're writing a research paper on the impact of social media on mental health, you can use the Insight feature to gather a comprehensive overview of the ...
Custom Essay Writing Service Dissertation Writing Research Paper Writing Term Paper Writing Admission Essay Writing Essay Editing Coursework Writing Physics Help Buy Research Paper Buy Dissertation. ... Summary. Whether your results matched your hypothesis or threw you a curveball, the discussion in a lab report is where you make sense of it ...