Summarizing a reading Tips on summarizing a reading In the first sentence or two, mention the title of the reading, the name of the author (or authors), and the author’s thesis or central purpose. Use a neutral tone; be objective and fair. The goal of a summary is to report the author’s views as accurately as possible, without injecting your own opinions. Write from the third-person point of view, and use the present tense: McGovern and Dole argue that . . . [not I thought that or You will see that or McGovern and Dole argued that]. Put all or most of the summary in your own words; if you borrow a phrase or a sentence from the author, put it in quotation marks. Limit yourself to presenting the author’s key points. Although you must work within a word limit, give enough details to suggest the author’s evidence for his or her key points. Edit your draft for wordiness. A good summary is short but informative; every word should count. At the end of your summary, briefly echo the author’s main point. Sample paper: LaShawn Freeman The reading that Freeman summarized Back to the assignment Assignments list