A Definition of Précis
The word précis is derived from French that means
summary and précis writing means the art of
summarizing. Précis writing is one of the most useful
skills you can acquire for your work both as a student
and as a professional. Précis writing involves
summarizing a document to extract the maximum
amount of information, then conveying this information
to a reader in minimum words.
To précis is to put in your own words a shortened
version of written material, stating the main points and
leaving out everything that is not essential. Précis
writing is more than retelling; it involves analyzing
information, distinguishing important from
unimportant elements and reformulating large chunks
of information into a few short coherent sentences.
Fiction and nonfiction texts, media, conversations,
meetings, and events can all be summarized.
The Purpose of the Précis
Précis writing aims at intelligent reading and clear
accurate writing. A précis is a brief, original summary
of the important ideas. Its aim is to give the general
effect created by the original selection. It is a concise
and lucid summary that forsakes all unnecessary
details (including illustrations, amplifications,
embellishments, definitions, examples, etc.) in favor of
reproducing the logic, development, organization and
emphasis of the original. It is a skill of both analysis
and synthesis that critically questions every thought
(what does this idea tell me?) included and excluded,
each word used to express those thoughts, and the
proportions and arrangements of those thoughts — both
in the original and in the précis.
How to Précis a Text?
- Start by skimming the text to get an idea of what it is
about.
- Cross out sentences that are not necessary or that are
redundant to help you understand what its crucial
message is.
- Mark key words (articulators) and phrases and jot
down notes on the main idea. Look for signal words
or articulators such as however, therefore, in
conclusion, etc.
- Understand the essential facts or dominating ideas of
the passage
- Note only what the author says; do not add your own
opinions
- As far as possible, use your own words
- A précis is usually reduced to at least one-third of
its original length, with a 10% margin, more or less.
- In précis writing, a word may substitute for a phrase and a
phrase for a clause: there were lorries, cars, buses and
pedestrians on the road: the traffic was dense
- Generally, a précis should be written in reported or
indirect speech. This means a précis will be in third
person (singular / plural), in the past tense (avoid using I,
me, we and us for he/she/they/them).
- A précis’ title must be direct, and is supposed to be a
précis of the précis: a title should enable you to write
at least one or two paragraphs on the initial text. It is
graded over four (4/20)
- Always prepare a rough draft first and count the
words. If you find that it is too long, shorten it by
removing what seems unessential. If it turns out to
be too short, read the original to see what more ideas
can be added to the précis. By all means, the number
of words is graded over one (1/20).
- Examples, illustrations, definitions and comparisons
should be left out of the précis. Figures of speech
should be removed and the ideas expressed in clear,
direct language.
- Do not express your opinion, favorable or
unfavorable, about the original text.
- Be very careful about the language you write.
Grammar and spelling mistakes are penalized as
much in the précis as in other forms of composition.
- See that your précis is a readable piece of English
and that its ideas can be understood even by a person
who has not read the original.
- Your précis should be a connected whole. As such, it
should not be divided into paragraphs, except for
very long texts.
- If the author has written in the first-person pronoun
using "I" and "my", you should write in the third
person pronoun: "he" and "his"; “they” and “their”.
- Think of a suitable title for the précis, which must be
supplied even if it may not have been asked for.
- Always indicate the number of words in your précis
at the end of your précis.
(Reported speech using English for Everyone)
