How to Summarize Articles and Boost Your Productivity on Your Website

What is a summary?

A summary is a short statement that tells the main points and ideas of an article. It uses your own words to explain what the article is about.

A summary does not include your opinions or interpretations. It only focuses on what the author has said and how they said it.

In simple terms, a summary is a brief and clear explanation of a text. It should include the most important points and be accurate, objective, and easy to understand. A good summary should make sense on its own without needing to read the original text.

How to summarize an article in 7 easy steps

A summary is a short version of a longer piece of writing. It covers the most important points in your own words. Here's how to write a good summary:

Read the entire article

Read the whole thing from start to finish. This could be a book, blog post, or essay. Read it carefully, so you don't miss anything important. You need to understand it before summarising.
As you read, notice any:

• Headings and subheadings
• Annotations (notes)
• References

Some tips:

• Take notes to help with your summary later.
• Mark any parts you don't understand to review again.
• Skim the headings first to get an idea of the content.

Take notes on the main idea

When you read, jot down key points. Think of them like puzzle pieces you'll use to make a summary later. If something is confusing, bookmark it to check later. Your notes will be the base for your summary. Look for:

• Recurring themes
• Central arguments
• Evidence or examples used

To make sure you don’t miss any important points, create a list. Use bullet points, numbers, or keywords to organize your notes. Highlight, underline, or take notes on the article as you read to help remember key points.

Identify the main arguments

After reading and taking notes, figure out the main arguments or central thesis. These are the key points the author aims to convey. Understanding these is essential for an accurate summary. When writing the summary, consider using a paraphrasing tool to help maintain the original article's tone.

Prepare a draft

With your notes and main arguments, draft your summary. Start with a clear introduction, providing context. Then summarise each section, focusing on the significant points. Leave out unnecessary details.

Write the summary

Using your draft, could you write the summary in your own words? Could you capture the original article's essence briefly and objectively? Don't add your own opinions or interpretations.

Include relevant quotes

If there are important quotes from the original that support the main points, you can include them. But be selective, and only use quotes that add value.

Review for clarity and length

Just like with any writing, proofreading is key! Make sure your summary is clear, concise (shorter than the original article, for sure!) and free of any mistakes. Read it through to catch any accidental copying or confusing parts. Review your summary to ensure it is:

• Accurately reflects the main ideas.
• Is concise and easy to read.
• Flows smoothly from start to finish.

How to use Somi AI to summarize an article

Struggling to balance time constraints and quality when summarising articles? Use an AI writing tool like Somi AI. From blog posts and landing pages to ad copy and social media posts, it can help you with various types of content.

Somi AI's text summarizer is a user interface design tool that can generate concise summaries of articles. Here's how you can use Somi AI to summarise an article:

• Visit the Somi AI website and sign up for a free account, or log in if you already have one.
• Click on the "Text Summarizer" option in the template library.
• Paste the text of the article you want to summarise into the input box.
• Choose the desired language and tone of voice for the summary.
• Click on the "Generate" button and wait for a few seconds. Somi AI will process the article and generate a concise summary.
• You can edit and copy the summary as needed. If you're not satisfied with the initial summary, you can generate more variations by clicking on the "Generate More" button and comparing them to choose the best one.

With Somi AI's text summarizer, you can quickly and efficiently create high-quality summaries of articles, saving you valuable time and effort. Give it a try and streamline your content creation process!

How long should a good summary be?

A good summary captures the main ideas and arguments from the original text. But it is much shorter and easier to read.
A summary should be clear and concise. Its length can vary based on:

• How long and complex is the original text?
• Why are you writing the summary?
• Who will be reading it?

In most cases, a summary should be about one-third the length of the original or even shorter. There is no strict rule on how long it must be.

The key is to focus on the essential points and leave out minor details. A good summary gives readers a complete understanding of what the original text discussed. But it does so in a brief, straightforward way.

Tips for summarizing an article

When you're summarizing an article, it's not just about squeezing it down—it's about capturing its heart while keeping things clear and easy to follow. Check out these tips to get better at summarizing:

• Take your time reading through the whole article slowly. Make sure you understand the main points the author is making.
• When summarizing, only include the most important arguments and key points. Leave out any minor details or examples that aren't necessary.
• Don't just copy word-for-word from the original. Instead, restate the main ideas in your language. Putting things in your voice shows you get it and avoids accidental copying.
• A good summary captures the core message in a much shorter way than the original. Aim for around one-fourth the length or even less.
• Present just the facts and what the author said, without throwing in your own opinions. An effective summary is unbiased and fair.
• Organize your summary in a logical order that follows how the ideas were presented in the original piece.
• Right from the start, mention the author's name and the title of their work to make it clear you're summarizing.

Why summarizing articles matters in different fields

Academics	Helps students understand and retain key points from lengthy or complex texts. Improves reading comprehension, focus, and note-taking skills.
Business & Professional	Enables concise communication of complex information to colleagues and clients who have limited time. Facilitates efficient knowledge-sharing and decision-making by highlighting main points.
Journalism	Allows reporters to quickly convey the essence of news stories to readers. Provides an overview or preview to engage readers and convince them of an article's value.
Legal Field	Helps break down and explain legal cases, documents, and proceedings to clients and judges in a clear, concise manner. Enables lawyers to grasp the core issues and arguments quickly when reviewing case files.
Online Writing	Crucial for creating engaging, shareable content like blog posts, social media updates, and article previews. Helps capture readers' attention by presenting main ideas up front.

Summarizing…

Summarizing articles is a great way to grasp the main ideas quickly. Start by thoroughly reading the article and jotting down key points. Make sure you understand the content. When summarizing, put it in your own words rather than just repeating the original text. Keep your language straightforward and organize your summary logically, using short paragraphs or bullet points for clarity. For an even easier approach, consider using SomiAI, an AI tool that generates precise, concise summaries tailored to your needs and style. Give it a try to enhance your writing efficiency and creativity—summarizing articles will be a breeze!