executive summary

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Writing an Effective Summary

We write summaries for many different purposes. In business, we tend to call all summaries "executive" summaries, but they are not just written for executives. Mostly, we write these for long reports to achieve two purposes: 1) prepare the reader for what is to come, and 2) enable a busy reader to obtain content while skipping the rest of the report. We also write summaries of other things in business: meetings, events, and articles, as you have been assigned.

Summary Writing Rules

First, here are some things you should NOT do when writing a summary:

· Do not add any of your own opinions or comments. Do not try to interpret or evaluate what the author said.

· Do not add an introduction, conclusion, or any sections not included in the original.

· Do not add any new headings, other than the ones in the article.

· Do not quote anything from the item you are summarizing. Ever.

· Do not give one part of the original document more space than the other parts.

It is critical to summarize evenly so that your readers get an understanding of the entire

original document and all the points made by the author or authors.

· Don't just cut off your summary at a random point because you cannot fit in the rest!

· If you have been given a length limitation and find that you are likely going to go substantially over that limit,

you need to go back and write more concisely so you can fit in a summary of the rest.

Tackling the "Elephant"!

Summarizing something is not as easy as it might sound. It is difficult to take several thousand words written about something and get it down to a fraction of that number, while still maintaining the central idea and supporting points so that the reader gets the full benefit of having read the entire original.

Summaries are common in business because busy people often need to know what something says,

but do not have the time to read the entire document. The important thing is to make sure your summary

accurately includes the main points and supporting arguments that the writer included in the article.

Much like how to go about eating that proverbial elephant, it helps to take it one step at a time.

Following are some techniques to make this task easier by breaking the task down into steps:

PRINT IT

Print out the document you are summarizing. Having a paper copy makes it easier to make notes.

MAIN IDEA

Before you start writing in earnest, make sure that YOU understand the main purpose of the article.

Try putting this main idea into a single sentence that you write down on scrap paper.

Ask yourself, "What is the main thing that this author is saying?"

a Circle the thesis sentence, if you can find one.

If not, try to find the main point in the article somewhere and circle it with a bold marker.

Identify it in the margin with a note and arrow.

b Write the major idea at the top of the printed article or report in your own words.

c Go through the opening paragraphs, and look for IMPORTANT ideas you want to include in your

summary and circle them.

SUBHEADINGS

If there are subheadings, do the same as #2 above. These will be the main points the author uses to support his or her main point or thesis.

1 Go through each of the subheadings and look for IMPORTANT you want to want to include and circle them.

2 Go through each of the subheadings and look for UNIMPORTANT information that does NOT need to go in your summary. Cross sections out with a pencil or light-colored marker.

DRAFT IT

Now, start your draft document on your computer. Add sub-headings, leaving lots of space between items to write in.

THESIS

Start with the main idea or thesis you have identified and put it and important ideas you have circled in your own words.

FILL IT IN

Do the same as #5 for each of the subheading sections, filling in the space in your summary document.

EDIT

When you are finished, edit and review to make sure you have summarized the entire document equally.

PROOFREAD!

PROOFREAD!