The Coventry University Guide to Referencing in Harvard Style

SUMMARISING

 

What is a summary?

 

Summarising (along with quoting and paraphrasing) is one way of integrating research sources into your writing. A summary of a source is much shorter than the original passage. It provides only information that is relevant for your own purpose. To summarise a source, select the key points and condense them within your own argument. Summarising is an effective means of integrating research into your writing because it shows first that you have fully understood the source, and secondly that you can make this information work for you.

 

How to acknowledge summaries in your writing

 

Every time you summarise a source you must include an in-text citation. At the same time, an entry in the List of References needs to be provided for each source summarised.

 

In-text citations

Provide an in-text citation suitable to the type of source used (in most cases, the author's surname and the date). As regards page numbers, there is an element of decision-making when it comes to summarising:

 

1) If you are giving a detailed summary of a particular part of an argument, or summarising information from a specific page, you must include page numbers, as you would for a quote or paraphrase.

 

Example
A recent study provides examples of how the eating habits of parents directly influence children (Wikes 2006: 19-20).

Wikes (2006:19-20) provides examples of how the eating habits of parents directly influence children. 

 

2) If you are summarising what an author has argued in an entire book or article, you do not need to provide page numbers.

Example
A recent study reveals new information about child health (Wikes 2006).

 

Reference

 

Format the corresponding entry in the List of References following the appropriate guidelines for each type of source paraphrased.