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Guide to Effective Précis Writing

This document discusses how to write an effective precis. A precis is a short summary that retains the key points and structure of the original text, usually being about one-third the length. It precisely cuts out unnecessary details and examples while keeping the original proportions and flow. When writing a precis, identify the main idea, use your own words but keep some key terms, and write in the third person present tense without adding any new ideas or opinions. The goal is to concisely summarize the essential elements of the original text in a readable manner.

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S.M.Abbas Zadi.
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204 views10 pages

Guide to Effective Précis Writing

This document discusses how to write an effective precis. A precis is a short summary that retains the key points and structure of the original text, usually being about one-third the length. It precisely cuts out unnecessary details and examples while keeping the original proportions and flow. When writing a precis, identify the main idea, use your own words but keep some key terms, and write in the third person present tense without adding any new ideas or opinions. The goal is to concisely summarize the essential elements of the original text in a readable manner.

Uploaded by

S.M.Abbas Zadi.
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PRECIS WRITING

By Mrs Humera Aftab


What is a Précis
 A short version of a speech or written text that
contains only the most important points
 It is a clearly, orderly , concise summary which
preserves the organization and principal contents
of the original.
 A précis is shorter than the original, usually about
a third as long.
Some Concepts to Remember
 The word précis is cognate to the word precise
coming from a Latin word meaning “to cut”.
 A précis, then, is a cut version of the original,
retaining the main ideas and omitting all or most
of the examples and secondary ideas.
 The précis keeps the original proportion.
 The précis is a readable, not a series of notes.
Therefore , appropriate transitions must be
incorporated.
 The précis adds nothing of your own-no
comments or interpretation at all.
 The purpose is to condensed the original not to
explain it.
 Do not insert ’Einstein says’ or ‘Frost thinks’ as
transition.
 Your thesis statement and topic sentences will
convey the main idea of your essay; do not
mention them in your précis.
 To write an effective précis, you need to identify
yourself with the author, this technique requires
careful reading and thoughtful selection of
words.
Précis Writing
 Introduce the title of the selection and the author’s name
in the first sentence of your précis. ( it is called “tag”)
 Read carefully, sentence by sentence, the passage to be
summarized.
 Try to grasp the writer’s main point, spotting the topic
sentence will help.
 Look up in the dictionary any words whose meaning is
not clear.
 As you read, take brief notes to be used in your writing.
 When you have finally decided what the author’s main
point is, write it out in your own words.
 Do not use the wording of the original

except for certain key words that you may find


indispensible.
 Use your own language in the précis. Certainly words
or even phrases from the original will crop up in your
précis but not reproduce entire sentences.
 Carefully chosen synonyms should replace the
author’s wording whenever possible.
 Be especially careful not to rely too much on the
topic sentences.
 Do not add any idea or opinion of your own.
 Revise your writing until you are sure that you
have given an accurate summary.
 Always write your précis in third person, even if
the original is written in the first person or
second person.
 It should be written in present tense.
 Eliminate grammatical errors.

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