The purpose of summarizing is to briefly present the key points of a theory or work in order to provide context for your argument/thesis. Read the work first to understand the author's intent. This is a crucial step because an incomplete reading could lead to an inaccurate summary.
Why do we summarize in research?
Using short notes or summarizing key points in your own words forces you to rewrite the ideas into your own words later. Like an abstract in a published research article, the purpose of an article summary is to give the reader a brief overview of the study.
Why does summarize mean?
Summarize meaning
To summarize is to give a short version of something. An example of to summarize is to explain what happened in a movie. To prepare a summary of something. To give a recapitulation of the salient facts; to recapitulate or review.