The purpose of this literature review is to discuss the importance of summarizing skills for students in today’s classrooms. While good readers may utilize many different strategies as they comprehend text, the skill of summarizing is arguably one of the most important and beneficial. Summarizing is a vital skill for reading comprehension and writing, which leads students to later be successful “in society, the workforce, and social situations” (Stevens et. al., 2018, pg.131). However, research suggests that many students do not possess the skills necessary to accurately and effectively summarize information from text. If the perceived benefits are indeed accurate, implementation of effective summarizing strategies can be a valuable tool for students’ success in many different content areas. It is vital that teachers implement targeted summarizing strategies into their instruction so students can refine this skill and become better readers, writers, and overall learners. This review will focus on three main themes: the definition of summarizing and the quality indicators in a summary, the benefits of summarizing skills for student achievement and understanding, and various research based strategies for teachers to include in their classrooms.