What To Know If You're Looking For An Example Of A Summary Essay

Before you can go looking for an example of a great summary essay, you will need to know exactly what a summary essay is. As always, we are here to help:

A summary essay uses concise and precise language to describe the contents of the source. It should enable the reader to quickly comprehend the source’s thesis, themes and basic conclusions. A summary essay usually contains two to three paragraphs and is no longer than a third of the source’s length.

There are two main sections of a summary essay:

1. The Introduction

This is usually just one paragraph and starts off with a one sentence thesis statement. This statement is very important as it is the hook with which the reader is drawn into the paper. The thesis statement summarizes the main point the source is trying to make. It is usually not a direct quote from the source.

The introduction also provides the name of the source article or paper. It also names the source’s author and where appropriate also gives background information about the source and its author.

2. Body

This is usually one or two paragraphs. This is a condensed version of the source article or paper. It usually contains the main points related in the source paper but also omits the minor information. The summary can also include some of the author’s illustrations and examples to enhance your text.

There is usually no concluding paragraph in a summary essay. It is important to remember to not insert any of your own interpretations or illustrations in the summary. You are there to only report what the original source article or paper says and nothing more than that.

The main characteristics of a good summary essay are as follows:

• Summaries make heavy use of signal phrases such as “Davis theorizes in his book that…..” or “The Author makes the point that…..”
• A summary essay is a demonstration of your understanding of the source paper’s text.
• The only issues that get exposure in a summary essay are the original author’s ideas and subject matter. The summarizer, namely you, cannot include your own ideas or illustrative examples in a summary.
• No direct quotes or illustrations are used from the original text. A summary is dependent on the use of the summarizer’s words, but not his or her opinions.