Which step is crucial for summarizing information?

Identifying the main ideas and supporting details is essential for summarizing information effectively. This step allows a reader to distill the core message of a text, separating what is most important from supplementary information. By recognizing the main ideas, a summary can be created that conveys the key points without the distractions of unnecessary details. Supporting details help to clarify and elaborate on those main ideas, ensuring that the summary not only reflects the primary concepts but also provides enough context for understanding.

In contrast, focusing on minor details, using complex vocabulary, or creating new interpretations may distract from the objective of summarizing. Minor details can overwhelm the summary and dilute the main message, while complex vocabulary can make the summary less accessible and clear. Creating new interpretations risks altering the original meaning of the text, which is not appropriate for a summary that aims to faithfully represent the source material. Thus, concentrating on main ideas and their supporting details is the most effective approach to summarizing information.