How do you tailor your summary for different readers?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?