No idea that is not the author's should be included in the summary, and no opinion of the summary writer should be in the summary. Depending on the assignment, the summary should contain every main idea in the article. Stating only the first main idea, or only one main idea and details to support it, will not give the reader a complete idea of what the article was about. Giving equal attention to each main idea and stressing ideas that the author stressed will result in an accurate summary. Use of good transitions such as also, therefore, however, etc.
Every word counts.
How to Write a Summary Read the article quickly, looking for main ideas. Read it again carefully, absorbing the information. Depending on the assignment, select the major ideas you will need to use in your summary. Arrange these ideas carefully in order to achieve balance and completeness. Begin the summary with a sentence that informs your reader of the title and author of the article.