How do you write a summary that highlights key findings?

2 Review the original document

Next, you need to review the original document and extract the key findings that you want to highlight in your summary. Key findings are the most important or relevant results, conclusions, or recommendations that support your purpose and address your audience's needs or interests. To find the key findings, you can look for the main ideas, arguments, or evidence in each section of the document, as well as the executive summary, introduction, and conclusion. You can also use headings, subheadings, tables, graphs, or bullet points to identify the key findings.

3 Organize the key findings

After you have identified the key findings, you need to organize them in a logical and coherent way in your summary. You can use different methods to organize your key findings, such as chronological order, problem-solution structure, or thematic analysis. The method you choose should depend on the type, length, and complexity of the original document, as well as your purpose and audience. You should also use transition words, such as however, therefore, or moreover, to connect your key findings and show how they relate to each other.

4 Write the summary

Finally, you need to write the summary using clear and concise language and following the standard format of a summary. The standard format of a summary consists of three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide the title, author, and main purpose of the original document, as well as a brief overview of the key findings. The body should present the key findings in detail, using direct quotes, paraphrases, or summaries from the original document. The conclusion should restate the main purpose and summarize the key findings, as well as provide any implications or recommendations if applicable.

5 Edit and proofread the summary

The last step is to edit and proofread your summary to make sure it is accurate, complete, and clear. You should check your summary for any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. You should also check your summary for any irrelevant, redundant, or unclear information that might confuse or mislead your readers. You can use tools such as Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid to help you edit and proofread your summary. You can also ask someone else to review your summary and give you feedback.