# Summary Templates Reference

## Academic Paper (IMRAD)

Use for peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and research studies.

### Structure
1. **Introduction** — What problem does the paper address? Why does it matter?
2. **Methods** — How was the study conducted? What data, what approach?
3. **Results** — What did they find? Key numbers, key patterns.
4. **Analysis** — What do the results mean? How do they compare to prior work?
5. **Discussion** — What are the implications? Limitations? Future work?

### Quality Signals
- Published in a peer-reviewed venue
- Clear methodology section with reproducible steps
- Statistical significance reported (p-values, confidence intervals)
- Limitations acknowledged openly
- Conflicts of interest disclosed

### Red Flags
- No methodology section
- Claims without supporting data
- Funded by an entity that benefits from specific results
- Published in a predatory journal (check Beall's List)

---

## Web Article (Claim-Evidence-Implication)

Use for blog posts, news articles, opinion pieces, and online publications.

### Structure
1. **Claim** — What is the author arguing or reporting?
2. **Evidence** — What data, examples, or sources support the claim?
3. **Implication** — So what? What should the reader do or think differently?

### Quality Signals
- Author has relevant expertise or credentials
- Sources are linked and verifiable
- Multiple perspectives acknowledged
- Published on a reputable platform
- Date of publication is clear

### Red Flags
- No author attribution
- No sources or citations
- Sensationalist headline vs. measured content
- Affiliate links or sponsored content without disclosure

---

## Technical Report (Executive Summary)

Use for industry reports, whitepapers, market research, and internal documents.

### Structure
1. **Executive Summary** — Bottom line in 2-3 sentences
2. **Scope** — What does this report cover?
3. **Key Data** — Most important numbers and findings
4. **Methodology** — How was the data gathered?
5. **Recommendations** — What should be done based on findings?
6. **Relevance** — Why does this matter for our specific context?

### Quality Signals
- Clear methodology for data collection
- Sample size and composition disclosed
- Published by a recognized research firm or organization
- Methodology section available (even if separate document)

### Red Flags
- "Report" is actually a marketing piece for a product
- Data from a single, small, unrepresentative sample
- No methodology disclosure
- Conclusions far exceed what the data supports

---

## Comparative Analysis (Matrix + Synthesis)

Use when evaluating 2-5 sources on the same topic.

### Comparison Dimensions
- **Central thesis** — What is each source's main argument?
- **Methodology** — How did each source arrive at its conclusions?
- **Key finding** — What is the headline result?
- **Sample/scope** — How broad or narrow is the evidence?
- **Credibility** — How trustworthy is the source?
- **Recency** — When was it published?

### Synthesis Framework
1. **Convergent findings** — Where sources agree (stronger signal)
2. **Divergent findings** — Where sources disagree (investigate further)
3. **Gaps** — What no source addresses
4. **Weight of evidence** — Which position has stronger support?

---

## Literature Review (Thematic)

Use when synthesizing 5+ sources into a research overview.

### Organization Approaches
- **Thematic** — Group by topic (preferred for most use cases)
- **Chronological** — Group by time period (good for showing evolution)
- **Methodological** — Group by research approach (good for methods papers)

### Per-Theme Structure
1. Theme name and scope
2. Key sources that address this theme
3. What the sources say (points of agreement)
4. What the sources disagree on
5. Strength of evidence for each position

### Synthesis Checklist
- [ ] All sources categorized into themes
- [ ] Gaps in literature identified
- [ ] Contradictions highlighted (not hidden)
- [ ] Overall state of knowledge summarized
- [ ] Future research directions suggested