How to Structure an Executive Summary

An executive summary helps others get information quickly.

The purpose of an executive summary is to give the reader an accurate report of what a longer document says. An executive summary may be written for yourself, as summary notes, or it may be written for others. When writing for others the level of detail should be determined by your estimate of how much information the reader needs. An executive summary is always brief, anywhere from a couple of sentences to a page or two.

Instructions

Review To Get The Main Idea

1. According to the Colorado State University writing guide, the executive summary should begin with a concise statement of the main idea. The main idea should be presented so that if the reader of the summary reads only that one statement, she will have a good, basic idea of what the material being summarized is about. For example, the main idea might be expressed as "Professor X maintains that the most important way to be a good communicator in conversations or group discussions is to be a good listener."

2. Present the main points. Main points elaborate on the main idea. In the above example, main points might be something like: "1) Good listening increases understanding and can help the listener determine the speaker's views and background knowledge on an issue; 2) Good listening tends to increase the willingness of the other person to talk and reveal himself; 3) Good listening requires practice --- many people are not good listeners because they spend too much time formulating what they intend to say next, rather than focusing on what the other person has to say.

3. Tell how main points are supported. Here you state how the writer came to his conclusions. In this example, Professor X may cite research that points to the conclusion that good listening is critical to being a good communicator. Succinct research results might be included in the executive summary such as: "In research at the State University, those who were able to accurately tell a speaker what he had said before speaking themselves, received higher ratings for being liked. They were also more likely to be able to persuade their conversation partner to their point of view."

4. Remain objective. An executive summary is just that, a succinct overview of the main points of a longer source. It is appropriate to put the longer source in context by noting the original author's potential biases. Or you may wish to note your opinion of the views expressed. If you do so, clearly distinguish your "commentary" from your objective executive summary.

References

• Colorado State U: Writing Guide, Executive Summary
• California State U Northridge: Executive Summaries Complete The Report

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• tips for effective executive summaries