How to Write a Summary of an Article

Learning how to write a summary of an article is about showing that you understood the article's main point. It should be shorter than the original, neutral in tone, and focused on the author's ideas rather than your reaction.

What to Include

Use this structure:

  1. Start with the article title and topic.
  2. State the author's main argument.
  3. Explain the most important supporting points.
  4. End with the conclusion or takeaway.

For a school or formal summary, include the article title and author if you have them. Keep your wording original, avoid overquoting, and separate summary from opinion. If your assignment has a rubric, match the length, citation style, and source-attribution rules exactly.

Article Summary Template

In [article title], the author explains [topic]. The main point is [central claim]. The article supports this by showing [evidence or reason one], [reason two], and [reason three]. The article concludes that [final takeaway].

Before writing, it can help to generate a quick rough summary. Article Summarizer AI can summarize the current webpage, selected text, or pasted article text so you can see the main ideas faster. Then revise the output into your own final version.

Use that rough pass to write article summary notes in your own words before turning them into the final paragraph.

Need the reading process first? Start with How to Summarize an Article, then use Article Summarizer AI for a first-pass summary.