Condensing for others.
WHAT A SUMMARY IS FOR
Letting someone act without reading everything.
WHAT IT MUST PRESERVE
The conclusion Anything that changes a decision Material qualifications
WHAT IT MAY DROP
Supporting detail Process Repetition
WHAT TO DO FIRST
Establish what the reader needs to decide.
WHY
It determines what is essential.
WHAT TO WRITE
The conclusion, then what supports it.
WHAT LENGTH TO AIM FOR
A tenth of the original, or less.
WHAT TO AVOID
Summarising in the original's order Preserving emphasis the original had but the reader does not need Removing a qualification that changes the meaning
WHY THAT LAST ONE MATTERS MOST
A summary that misleads is worse than none.
WHAT TO FLAG
Where you have simplified something contested.
WHAT TO DO WITH SEVERAL SOURCES
Organise by theme, not by source.
WHY
Readers want the picture, not a list of documents.
WHAT TO NOTE
Where sources disagree.
WHAT TO PROVIDE
A reference back to the original.
WHY
Some readers will want to check.
WHAT TO CHECK
That someone reading only your summary reaches the same conclusion you did.
