Read the assigned work without taking notes or highlighting passages. For the first reading, you want to acquaint yourself with the material and the author's writing style and purpose.
Reread the text, this time highlighting or underlining the main idea in each paragraph. Look up definitions, not only of unfamiliar terms, but words you know, as you search for synonyms.
Write a one- or two-sentence summary of each paragraph. Consider not only the paragraph's content but its placement in the text. Why does the idea appear here? Is it providing a foundation for development? If the reading has a thesis statement, perhaps quote it word-for-word. Do not summarize examples, illustrations or anecdotes within paragraphs. Do not insert your judgments or opinions about the text.
Compose a rough draft by copying the thesis and the summary sentences for each paragraph in the original text. When composing rough drafts, focus on the ideas conveyed, not the writing itself. The revision process cleans up the writing.
Set aside the rough draft for a couple of hours at least before comparing your summary to the original text. Did you say the same thing as the original, in the same order and with the same emphasis, but in synonymous language?
Revise the rough draft in three steps, each time taking breaks between revisions so that you can see the work anew. First, check paragraph structure for topic sentences. Include transitions to signal movement to a new idea within a paragraph. Next, look at individual sentences for grammar and punctuation errors. Insert correct citations if needed. Finally, search for spelling errors and revise individual words by reading the work aloud.