An article summary example is easiest to learn from when you can see the original next to it, so that's how this guide works. Below is one short sample article, followed by five summaries of it: one sentence, one paragraph, bullet points, a work email and a summary that leads into a critique. Each one names the source, states the main point first and leaves out the author's examples and your own opinion. That's what teachers and managers look for. Once you see the same article shrunk five ways, writing your own gets much faster.
The sample article
All five examples summarize this short opinion piece. It was written for this guide, so you can compare every summary against the full text.
Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books (sample article by Jordan Avery)
Most people think of a library as a place to borrow books. But many families need things they use only a few times a year: a power drill, a sewing machine, a tent, a projector for a birthday party. Buying each one is expensive, and most of them spend years sitting in closets.
Libraries are well placed to fix this. They already have catalogues, borrowing systems and staff who know their communities. Adding a "library of things" uses the same tools to lend objects instead of paperbacks. A tool lent out twenty times does the work of twenty tools, which saves money for borrowers and keeps clutter and waste down.
Critics worry about damage and cost. Those concerns are real, but libraries handle them already. Books get lost and damaged too, and libraries deal with that through simple rules, deposits and repairs. Starting small, with a shelf of the most requested items, lets a library learn before it grows the collection.
The deeper reason is fairness. Not everyone can afford tools, instruments or equipment, and not everyone has a garage to store them. A library that lends things gives more people the chance to fix, make and learn. That is what libraries have always been for.
The main point is in the second paragraph: libraries should lend everyday objects, not just books. The supporting reasons are cost, waste and fairness. The critics paragraph is a counterpoint the author answers.
Example 1: One-sentence summary
In "Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books," Jordan Avery argues that public libraries should lend rarely used items such as tools and equipment, because sharing them saves money, reduces waste and gives everyone fairer access.
Why it works: It names the author and title, states the argument, and squeezes in all three reasons. The examples (drill, tent, projector) are gone, which is right; they illustrate the point but aren't the point.
Use this for an annotated bibliography, the first line of a longer summary, or any time someone asks "what's it about?"
Example 2: One-paragraph summary for class
In "Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books," Jordan Avery argues that libraries should add a "library of things" that lends everyday objects. Avery notes that families often need items such as tools or equipment only a few times a year, and that buying them is costly and wasteful. Because libraries already have catalogues, borrowing systems and staff, the author says they can lend objects using the tools they use for books, so one shared item replaces many purchases. Avery acknowledges concerns about damage and cost but argues that libraries already manage similar risks with books through rules, deposits and repairs, and suggests starting with a small collection. Finally, the author presents the idea as a matter of fairness, giving people who cannot afford or store such items a chance to use them.
Why it works: This is the standard school summary. It follows the article's order, uses signal phrases ("Avery notes," "the author says," "argues") so the reader always knows whose idea it is, and includes the counterargument because the author spends a full paragraph on it. At about 130 words it's long for a 220-word sample, because short articles leave little to cut. For a typical multi-page article, aim nearer a quarter of the original, the target Berkshire Community College's guide suggests.
Notice what's missing: no "I think," no "this is a great idea." Hunter College's guidelines put it simply: keep only the main idea and its essential supporting points.
Example 3: Bullet-point summary for notes
Avery, "Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books"
- Main point: Libraries should lend everyday objects (a "library of things"), not just books.
- Reason 1 – cost and waste: People need many items rarely; sharing one item replaces many purchases.
- Reason 2 – libraries are ready: They already have catalogues, borrowing systems and staff.
- Counterpoint: Damage and cost are real concerns, but libraries manage the same risks with books; start small.
- Reason 3 – fairness: Lending gives access to people who can't afford or store these items.
Why it works: Bullets are fine for your own study notes or a quick share with a group. Each line still uses your own words and still starts with the main point. Labelling the parts (main point, reason, counterpoint) makes the article's structure visible, which helps when you revise for an exam.
Don't hand in bullets when an assignment asks for a paragraph. They skip the connecting words that show how ideas relate.
Example 4: Summary in a work email
Subject: Summary: "library of things" article
Hi Sam,
Quick summary of the Jordan Avery article you sent. Avery argues that libraries should lend tools and equipment as well as books. The case rests on three points: people rarely use these items, so sharing saves money and waste; libraries already have the systems to lend them; and it widens access for people who can't buy or store them. Avery suggests piloting with a small shelf of the most requested items to manage damage and cost.
The pilot idea seems most relevant to our planning meeting.
Thanks, Priya
Why it works: Work summaries lead with what the reader needs to act on. This one keeps the core argument but trims the counterargument to the practical part, the small pilot. The last line is clearly separate from the summary: it's Priya's own note on why it matters, which is useful at work as long as it doesn't blend into what the author said.
Example 5: Summary that leads into a critique
Jordan Avery's "Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books" argues that libraries should lend everyday objects because sharing rarely used items saves money, reduces waste and makes access fairer. Avery responds to concerns about damage and cost by comparing them with the risks libraries already manage for books and recommends starting with a small collection.
Response: Avery's comparison with books is persuasive for small items, but it is less clear for larger equipment, which may need storage space and safety checks that books do not. The article would be stronger with an example of how a library handles those items.
Why it works: Many assignments ask you to summarize and then respond. The trick is to keep the two apart. The first paragraph is a neutral summary. The second is clearly labelled and uses the summary as a base. Teachers mark down responses that start critiquing halfway through the summary, because readers can't tell where the author stops and you start.
What makes these work
Put the five examples side by side and the same habits show up in every one:
| Habit | What it looks like in the examples |
|---|---|
| Source first | Author and title in the first sentence |
| Main point early | The argument comes before any reason |
| Key reasons only | Cost, waste, readiness and fairness; no drill or tent |
| Own words | Paraphrase throughout; one short quoted term ("library of things") |
| Neutral voice | No opinion inside the summary |
| Right length for the job | One sentence to one paragraph, matched to the reader |
The Columbia School of Social Work handout on summaries and most university guides list the same steps: find the thesis, find the supporting points, and restate them briefly and accurately.
Write your own
Use this five-step routine on any article:
- Read the whole article once without writing. You need the full picture before you can tell main points from examples.
- Find the main point and write it in one sentence. Look in the title, the first paragraphs and the conclusion. If you can't say it in one sentence, read the conclusion again.
- List the supporting reasons. Usually two to four. Skip examples, stories and statistics unless one is central to the argument.
- Write the summary from your list, not from the article. This keeps the wording your own. Start with the author, title and main point.
- Check it against the original. Did you change the author's meaning? Add your opinion? Copy whole phrases? Fix those, then trim to the length you need. Our guide on how to make a summary shorter shows six edits for cutting a draft down, and how to write concise sentences helps line by line.
If you use any AI tool along the way, follow your school's or employer's rules on AI, and always check the result against the article yourself.
How Summary App can help
Summary App lets you paste in an article, email, PDF or long document and get a short AI summary that pulls out the core arguments. That's handy for step 2 above: compare the app's version of the main point with yours and see if you missed something. You can also share a summary in one tap, which suits the work-email case in Example 4. It's a reading aid, not a replacement for reading: check every summary against the original, and rewrite it in your own words before handing anything in. It's available on iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an article summary be?
Most writing centers suggest about a quarter of the original length, though a one-sentence or one-paragraph summary is common for short assignments. Always check the word count your teacher or manager asks for first. If none is given, aim for the shortest version that still includes the main point and the key supporting reasons.
How do you start an article summary?
Start with the author's name, the article's title and, if relevant, where it was published, followed by the main point in one sentence. For example: 'In "Title," Author argues that…' This tells the reader exactly what is being summarized and what the article is about before any detail.
Should I include my opinion in an article summary?
No. A summary reports what the author said, not what you think of it. Adding your view makes it less reliable as a summary. If your assignment asks for a response or critique, write that as a separate paragraph after the summary and make the switch clear to the reader.
Can I use quotes in an article summary?
Use them sparingly. A summary should be mostly paraphrase, in your own words. A short quoted phrase is fine when the author's exact wording matters, such as a memorable term or a key claim. Put it in quotation marks and cite it as your class or workplace style requires.
Is it OK to use an AI tool to summarize an article?
It depends on the rules where you study or work, so check them first. An AI summary can help you spot the main points quickly, but you should read the article yourself, check the summary against it, and rewrite it in your own words if you're submitting it as your work.
Conclusion
Every good article summary example follows the same pattern: name the source, state the main point first, keep only the key reasons, use your own words and leave your opinion out. What changes is the length and format, from one sentence for a bibliography to a paragraph for class or a short email for a colleague. Practise on one article five ways, as above, and the pattern becomes automatic. For more help, browse the Summary App blog.