summary essay

You don’t need to have a fancy title; just “Summary of “[article title]” will be fine. At the bottom of the page, after your summary, put a citation of the article. Follow the format of this example: 

 

• Puri, S. (2005). Cultural identity vs. ethnic fashions. In T. Smoke (Ed.), A writer’s workbook: A writing text with readings (4th ed.) (pp. 63-65). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Your summary should use your own words. Absolutely DO NOT use words directly from the reading unless you are using them as a quote, and, even then, don't use too many quotes. Your summary should tell me who wrote the reading, when it was written, where it was published, what the author's main point is (and other important points), and why that main point is important. Always include important names, dates, places, and facts. An example of an essay-length summary can be found on pg. 89 of your textbook.