Final answer:
Summarizing entails condensing the main points of a text into a brief statement in your own words, which requires understanding the original material and avoiding plagiarism through proper citation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Summarizing is the act of creating a brief statement or account of the main points of something. Rather than stealing someone else’s idea or repeating information word for word, summarizing involves condensing the content and expressing it in your own words while retaining the main point and major details. Summarizing is a crucial skill in academic writing as it demonstrates your understanding and can provide necessary background information or simplify complex ideas without overwhelming the reader with too much detail. To effectively summarize, you may outline or annotate the text, focusing on key sections such as abstracts or conclusions to distill the essential points of the original source. When summarizing, it’s important to avoid plagiarism by providing proper citations to acknowledge the original source of the material you are condensing.