What does a good summary contain?

A good summary is crafted by distilling the main ideas and significant details of a text while expressing them in a concise manner. The purpose of a summary is to provide an overview of the content, allowing readers to grasp the essential points without needing to read the entire text.

Including main ideas ensures that the most critical aspects of the text are represented. Important details are also included to support those main ideas, but they are presented succinctly rather than elaborately. This approach helps maintain clarity and focus, keeping the summary brief and relevant.

In contrast, summarizing with only the author's opinions, every detail, or just the conclusion would not capture the essence of the entire text. A summary should reflect the core message and supporting points, rather than specific perspectives or exhaustive information. Therefore, focusing on main ideas and key details is the hallmark of an effective summary.