Sammanfattningen

Sammanfattningen is a Swedish term meaning the summary of a text or document. It provides a concise, neutral overview intended to give readers a quick understanding of the main points without requiring a full reading. In Swedish writing, sammanfattningen is commonly placed at the beginning of reports, theses, articles, or books, often after the title page; in many contexts an English-language abstract is also provided.

In academic contexts the sammanfattningen is closely related to the English abstract. It should state the purpose or research question, the methods or approach, the core findings, and the main conclusions. It should not introduce new information beyond what is in the main text, and it is usually concise—often a few hundred words or less, depending on discipline and institutional guidelines.

The style of the sammanfattningen is neutral and self-contained. It is typically written in the same language as the main text, uses clear and precise language, and avoids footnotes or citations. Acronyms may be defined, and technical terms should be minimized or explained for a general reader.

In practice, sammanfattningen serves readers who need to decide quickly whether the full document is relevant, and it is a standard component of scholarly articles, theses, and many administrative or technical reports in Swedish contexts.