A summary tells the main idea of a text and is a great deal shorter than the original text.

A summary should:

   answer the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, and why).

   be written in your own words

   focus on the main idea

   contain only the most important supporting details or key facts.

   help the reader understand the most important information within the text.

   be much shorter than the original text.

A summary should not

   share the reader’s opinions.

   include all the minor details of the text.

   not be a retelling of the text.