Differences between summary, abstract, overview, and synopsis

Solution 1:

Summary is the most catch-all term of this group, and the one that shows up the most in general everyday English.

Abstract is most commonly used in the scientific context. It is typically a formal requirement for publication, as the initial section of a scientific paper. Often times if you find scientific papers online, it is just the abstract that is available.

Overview is similar in literal meaning to "summary". It has a slight informality to it.

Synopsis again could be exchanged directly for "summary" in most contexts. It has a slightly more formal feel, and shows up in the literature and the arts a bit more frequently than other contexts (e.g., "I just want to read a synopsis of the novel, not the whole thing" sounds a bit better than "summary"). A synopsis is often more detailed than a regular "summary".

Executive Summary shows up most often in a business context, or sometimes also in a political context (e.g., think-tank white papers).

Any of these would probably work in a research report, but it would also depend on the audience. Scientists would probably be most comfortable with "Abstract"; MBAs with "Executive Summary"; for a more general public audience where you want to seem accessible, "Overview". If you're not sure, I can't imagine going wrong with "Summary".

Note that I'm American, so this answer applies most directly to American English.

Solution 2:

synopsis suggests an outline or series of key points, sometimes implying restraint in keeping factual, objective, professional, or formal ("a synopsis of North American flora" or "a synopsis of the novel")

summary implies moving from the specific to the more general or the gist or take-away of something, and it is more likely to include the subjective ("summarized the movie as a bad coming-of-age drama")

overview implies a comprehensive, coherent whole or bird's-eye view ("gave an overview of the project")

abstract and precis both denote that the subject is a text

abstract is commonly used in technical and scientific contexts ("wrote an abstract for a scholarly journal article")

Solution 3:

A little more detail:

The most appropriate term for a one page summary of a research report would normally be "Abstract", as it gives the abstract or high-level information without the details. The body may be labeled as "Detail". (They are essentially opposites, or complements. Abstract:Detail)

If the information is expected to summarize the points upon which a decision is to be made then "Executive Summary", meaning summary of the actionable parts, would be used.

See definitions of "Abstract" and "Executive" for the reasons this is so.

Although summary and synopsis are very close in meaning due to common usage, a summary is supposed to contain conclusions (sum, total) "In summary, therefore, I say to you .." while a synopsis is an overview.

I am an American English speaker.