59 How to: Write a Summary

At the very beginning of your summary, mention the title of the text you are summarizing, the name of the author, and the central point or argument of the text. Always maintain a neutral tone and use the third-person point of view and present tense (i.e. Tompkins asserts…). Keep the focus of the summary on the text, not on what you think of it, and try to put as most of the summary as you can in your own words. Present the text’s main points only and be concise! Every word counts.