To answer questions such as "What was the movie about?", "What did I miss in class today" you must be able to summarize. The person who asked you these questions does not want to know every detail. You are only required to select the important details and summarize them. Similarly, in your studies in the university you will have various opportunities to summarize the texts you have read.
· You may use summarizing as a useful study technique: you may write down the main points of a writer's article and learn the material you need.
· You may also be assigned to write summaries by your instructors so that they can check whether you have read the assigned passages.
· Most often, summaries are also included in other types of writing and academic papers. In a research paper you revise and summarize information on the topic under study. In an argumentative essay you may summarize texts and research findings that support your thesis.