How do you recognise a good summary?

The job of a summary is not to be shorter than the textbook. It is to arrange the work so the learner can see what matters and what is just the same thing said differently.

Five things to check

• It covers the right grade and the right term. A Grade 8 summary does not help with a Grade 9 paper.
• The language sits at the learner's level. If it takes two readings to understand, it is an extract, not a summary.
• Example questions come with the working, not just the answer.
• The memo explains why something is wrong, because that is where the learning happens.
• Diagrams and tables are clean and readable on a phone, because that is where most learners study.

Test it before relying on it

Ask for one free sample before buying a pack. A supplier willing to hand over a complete sample trusts its own work.

A good summary has the same effect as a good teacher: the learner starts asking the questions.