Last updated on Nov 5, 2024

How do you tailor your summary for different readers?

A summary is a concise and accurate overview of a longer text, such as a research paper, a report, or a book. It highlights the main points, purpose, and findings of the original work, without providing any new information or analysis. Writing a good summary requires careful reading, comprehension, and synthesis of the source material, as well as clear and coherent expression of the key ideas. However, writing a good summary also requires considering the needs and expectations of different readers, who may have different backgrounds, goals, and interests. How do you tailor your summary for different readers? Here are some tips to help you adapt your summary to suit your audience and context.

1 Know your audience

The first step to tailor your summary for different readers is to identify who they are and what they want to know. Depending on your discipline, genre, and purpose, your summary may be read by experts, peers, students, general public, or other stakeholders. Each of these groups may have different levels of familiarity with your topic, terminology, and methods, as well as different questions, concerns, and motivations. For example, an expert reader may be interested in the details of your methodology and results, while a general reader may be more interested in the implications and applications of your findings. Therefore, you need to consider how much background information, technical language, and explanation you need to provide in your summary, as well as how to emphasize the relevance and significance of your work for your intended audience.

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Vanessa B

Here to learn and master
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I remember managers being so efficient that the workflow was great and enjoyable, i dont think many manager can achieve this anymore in our world today

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Dr. Achi Bekomson

Educational/Counseling Psychologist | Senior University Lecturer | Author | Academic Researcher and Consultant | Public Speaker | G100 Nigeria Country Chair, Mental Health | Board Member at Wendy Noren- IHRC
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Tailoring a summary for different readers as an academic writer is essential for effectively communicating your research findings to various audiences. Different readers have different levels of expertise, interests, and purposes for reading your work. To craft a compelling and tailored summary, you must understand who your target readers are. Are they fellow academics, students, industry professionals, policymakers, or the general public? Clarify the primary objective of your summary. Is it to inform, educate, persuade, or provoke discussion? Adjust the technicality, highlight key findings, and provide context and background information to help them understand the significance of your research.

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Sandee Thompson

Program Head-English: University of Doha for Science and Technology , Qatar
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We also need to think about language level and possibly using plain language if those reading our work are not native language speakers. This can also dictate the length of your summary and your lexical choices.

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SIMRAN SARDANA

Senior Executive Content Developer at NIIT Limited
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Tailoring a summary for different readers starts with understanding their interests and level of knowledge. For a general audience, keep language simple, avoid jargon, and focus on broad, relatable insights. If you're writing for experts, dive deeper into technical details, using terminology they're familiar with. For managers or decision-makers, emphasize key findings, practical applications, and potential impacts, keeping it brief but impactful. When addressing peers, balance clarity with nuance, presenting a well-rounded perspective that encourages discussion. Tailoring isn’t just about the words you choose—it’s about aligning your tone, focus, and depth of information with what each reader values most.

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2 Follow the guidelines

The second step to tailor your summary for different readers is to follow the guidelines and conventions of your field, genre, and publication. Depending on where and how you are publishing your summary, you may have to adhere to specific requirements for the length, format, style, and content of your summary. For example, if you are writing an abstract for a journal article, you may have to follow a structured format that includes sections such as introduction, methods, results, and conclusion, and use a formal and objective tone. If you are writing a summary for a book review, you may have to provide a brief overview of the main arguments, themes, and perspectives of the book, and use a critical and evaluative tone. Therefore, you need to consult the instructions and examples of your target publication and genre, and adjust your summary accordingly.

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3 Use clear and concise language

The third step to tailor your summary for different readers is to use clear and concise language that conveys your main points effectively and efficiently. Regardless of your audience and context, your summary should be easy to read and understand, without any unnecessary words, jargon, or ambiguity. To achieve this, you need to use simple and precise words, short and active sentences, and logical and coherent transitions. You also need to avoid repetition, redundancy, and irrelevant information that may distract or confuse your readers. Moreover, you need to use appropriate punctuation, grammar, and spelling to ensure the accuracy and credibility of your summary.

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Sandee Thompson

Program Head-English: University of Doha for Science and Technology , Qatar
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Plain language and repetition through the use of synonyms and near-synonyms rather than repeating the same word can help lower lever readers grasp your meaning more easily without adding redundancy to your text.

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4 Highlight the main contribution

The fourth step to tailor your summary for different readers is to highlight the main contribution of your work, and how it adds value to the existing knowledge or practice in your field. Your summary should not only summarize what you did and what you found, but also why you did it and why it matters. To do this, you need to state the research question or problem that motivated your work, the gap or limitation that you addressed, the novelty or originality of your approach or solution, and the implications or recommendations of your findings. You also need to use strong and confident language that demonstrates the significance and impact of your work, without exaggerating or overclaiming.

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5 Use keywords and phrases

The fifth step to tailor your summary for different readers is to use keywords and phrases that reflect the main concepts, terms, and themes of your work, and that match the expectations and interests of your readers. Keywords and phrases are important for making your summary visible and searchable in online databases and platforms, as well as for attracting and retaining the attention of your readers. To choose effective keywords and phrases, you need to identify the most relevant and specific words that describe your topic, method, result, and contribution, and that are commonly used by your audience and field. You also need to use them strategically throughout your summary, especially in the title, the first sentence, and the last sentence.

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6 Get feedback and revise

The sixth step to tailor your summary for different readers is to get feedback and revise your summary based on the comments and suggestions of others. Getting feedback can help you improve the quality and clarity of your summary, as well as identify any gaps, errors, or inconsistencies that you may have overlooked. You can seek feedback from different sources, such as your supervisor, colleague, peer, friend, or editor, who can offer different perspectives and insights on your summary. You can also use online tools or services that can check your summary for grammar, spelling, plagiarism, or readability issues. Based on the feedback you receive, you need to revise your summary accordingly, and make sure it meets the needs and expectations of your readers.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you tailor your summary for different readers?

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1 Know your audience

2 Follow the guidelines

3 Use clear and concise language

4 Highlight the main contribution

5 Use keywords and phrases

6 Get feedback and revise

7 Here’s what else to consider

Academic Writing

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