Mastering the basics: How to summarize a scientific article effectively

If you’ve ever read a scientific article, you know how long and complex they can be. When you have good scientific articles to include in your study, the next step is to distill them and determine how they relate to your project. It may be overwhelming and unrealistic to read and reread entire research papers. That’s why many scholars turn to effective summaries of scientific articles.

Still, many students and professionals struggle to write summaries of scientific articles. Some opt to use a reliable Article review generator to condense long articles. However, if you’re keen to learn how to write effective summaries that effectively address all the main points of a scientific paper, master the basics from the guide and tips in this post.

What is a scientific article summary?

A scientific article summary is a short overview of a research article. It tells the reader about the main points covered in the article. It covers three main points: why the research article was done, what happened in the study, and what conclusions the author drew. Since scientific articles can be quite long, summaries help readers identify key points at a glance.

Writing an effective summary of a scientific article is important for demonstrating to your professor or publisher that you understood the basic facts of the paper. It convinces them that you can evaluate scientific evidence and explain why research could be important. It also improves research writing skills.

How to write a scientific article summary

To write a good scientific article summary, you must identify and condense all important details for your reader. This is only possible if you understand the article’s subject. The highlights to include in the summary are:

Research question

Purpose of the research

Data collected

Findings

To write an effective scientific article summary, follow the same order in the original article. Start with the research question and explain why it is interesting. Then, state the hypothesis tested. Also, describe the methodology applied in the paper, such as the research design, materials, participants, variables, procedure, and data analysis technique. Ensure you’re clear in explaining the observation because it is the meat of the article.

As with any scientific study, the results are what makes or breaks the research. Describe the results and their significance. Was the test successful? Were there unexpected developments? Pay careful attention to outline the correct findings without including your opinion or interpretations. Stay objective!

Lastly, include citations where necessary to maintain academic integrity and avoid plagiarism. For example, cite any time you include a quote, specific data, or a quote from an AI assistant. In addition, write the summary in your own words using basic terms. Choose plain language over jargon to summarize a scientific article effectively.

Tips for summarizing a scientific article effectively

Read the whole article and take notes

You can’t write an effective summary of a scientific article without reading and understanding it. It may seem tedious, but it’s essential to understand all the main points. As you read, note down important information, such as the findings. Taking notes will also save you lots of time when you write.

Set aside enough time

To write an effective summary, you need to delve deep into the research topic. There’s a lot to cover in each section, from the abstract and literature review to the methodology. Start the task early to have enough time for reading and writing.

Organize your thoughts

Use the notes to organize your thoughts about the paper. Sift through the numbers, statistics, and information in a scientific article and outline your thoughts. Prepare an outline of your summary to make the writing process more efficient.

Use keywords in the introduction

When writing the introduction, include keywords that will help the audience understand what the scientific article is about. Including keywords also catches the readers’ attention and ignites curiosity about how the researcher conducted their study.

Include the author’s conclusions

An effective summary of a scientific paper must include a brief statement of the author’s findings. This will help the reader to understand the aim and implications of the study. Since a summary contains very condensed details, include only the most relevant findings.

Keep it concise

A summary should be concise, objective, and focused on the main points rather than details. Do not add any new arguments or information that was not in the original paper. A good summary is about 300 words long, or no more than 10 percent for long research articles.

Maintain the author’s tone

It’s important to maintain the author’s academic tone and objectives. Your paper should be free of personal bias and use formal writing techniques. Still, if the summary is intended to be a critical review of the scientific article, you may need to use a different lens when reading and summarizing the paper.

Watch for plagiarism

Unless you’re using words coined by the author, always paraphrase text. Use your own words to explain concepts and data. Steer clear of direct quotations. It’s best to reference the sources used using the recommended format.

Edit and proofread

Reread your summary many times to make sure the content is accurate and clear. Eliminate unnecessary words like “in fact,” “that,” and adverbs. Check for spelling and grammatical errors using tools such as Grammarly or Hemingway. It helps to have a second pair of eyes to proofread and give feedback.

Activity

Check out a sample summary of a scientific article: Is artificial intelligence attractive? An empirical study on user’s intention to use AI-enabled applications by Zhao, El-Gayar, and Tu (2023).

Try to write a similar summary of a scientific article of your choice in your field. 

Summary

The purpose of this study is to analyze factors influencing an individual's intention to use AI-enabled applications (AIapps) with a proposed research model based on the Task-Technology Fit (TTF). The research model is empirically evaluated using the survey data and SEM method. Theoretically, this study focuses on how the unique characteristics of AIapps influence the task-technology fit and drive the intention of use. The independent variables are machine learning capability, human-like interacting capability, knowledge representation, reasoning capability, and autonomy. The dependent variable is the user’s intention to use AIapps. The mediating variable is the task-technology fit. 

The study finds that technology fit is influenced by task characteristics and technology features, machine learning capability, human-like interacting capability, and knowledge representation and reasoning capability positively affect TTF. The outcome aligns with findings from a similar study by Davenport & Kirby (2016). 

The study concludes that AIapps can bring users rich and relevant functionalities and fulfill users’ needs, driving extensive adoption. It emphasizes the need for deep evaluation of the relative importance of AIapps’ features that add insights into the technical characteristics. The article also identifies priorities for further research and development on the topic. 

References

Zhao, Y., El-Gayar, O., & Tu, Z. (2023). Is artificial intelligence attractive? An empirical study on user’s intention to use AI-enabled applications. Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/103426.

Davenport, T. H., & Kirby, J. (2016). Just how smart are smart machines? MITSloan Management Review, 57(3), 21–25.

An effective summary of a scientific article is crisp, brief, and engaging

To summarize a scientific article effectively, you must understand what it is, how to write it, and the dos and don’ts. Use key points from your notes as your guide, describe the observations objectively, and include a summary of the findings. Ultimately, the format of the summary should mirror the context and purpose of the scientific article.