You’ll likely need to read the text several times. You might read a novel twice, but you could read a shorter work 3-5 times. Skim over the text before you read it, mentally dividing it into sections. If the text has headings and/or subheadings, use these as a guide. Otherwise, you can divide it by paragraph. If you notice any unfamiliar words, look them up.
If you learn well visually, use different colored highlighters to highlight the thesis, supporting arguments, and important details. Write notes in the margins to explain important arguments in your own words.
In a longer text, you may need to do a close reading to find the thesis. You should consider the author’s arguments and main ideas. Remember, the thesis is the author’s controlling idea. For instance, a novel likely won’t have a clear thesis, but you could identify what the author is trying to prove or show. For examples of how to do this, look at book reviews in literary journals or in major newspapers. Remember not to simply copy the thesis, which is considered plagiarism.
Consider the length and difficulty of the text when dividing your sections. There’s no wrong way to section an article. For example, when writing a précis for a novel, you could summarize each chapter. If it’s a journal article that’s already divided into sections, you could summarize these sections. For an essay or article without sections, you could summarize each paragraph. Be sure to only include the key point and evidence in your summary. Include enough information in your summaries so that you don’t need to refer to the main text to understand them.
The author likely won’t state their purpose, so you’ll need to determine it yourself. Consider your reaction to the text. For example, did it make you think? Do you feel differently about the subject? This can help you figure out the purpose. If you’re writing a précis about a short story or novel, the author may be entertaining the reader, but they will also have a message behind the story. This message can help you find the purpose. If you’re writing a précis about an article or essay, the purpose may be related to the thesis. What is the writer trying to prove? How does that connect to their purpose? For instance, the author’s purpose might be to change the way you think about recycling paper. Their thesis could read, “Reusing paper before recycling it is better for the environment because it reduces new purchases of paper, produces less waste, and lowers energy expenditures by recycling programs. " You can also look at a few published reviews of the book, which can give you good contextual information and different perspectives to orient your understanding of the purpose.
An outline lets you see how the argument is assembled. This outline is just for you, so don’t worry if it’s messy.
Remember to use your own words. However, you need to accurately portray the meaning of the original text.
In rare cases, you may need to provide more information about the author, but this is only necessary if that information is necessary to understand the précis. For example, let’s say an astronaut wrote a scholarly article about how being on the space station affected their research. It would be helpful to include that the author had been to space, as it adds to their credibility. Put the date in parentheses after the title. The genre refers to the type of text, such as article, short story, novel, play, etc. Use a rhetorical verb, such as asserts, explains, argues, refutes, proves, or disproves, to introduce the author’s argument. Here’s an example: Luz Ruiz’s article “The Moral Politician” (2018) asserts that policies based on morality can undermine the basis of governance.
Comparing and contrasting of 2 or more things. Providing several small arguments. Offering 1 long chain of argument. Illustrating a point. Creating a narrative. Citing research. Defining and elaborating on the terms of the thesis.
The purpose is the author’s motive, not the thesis. For instance, “Ruiz’s purpose is to present case studies in order to create an awareness in the reader of counterproductive policy making. ”
Since the author won’t directly tell you their intended audience, you’ll need to use cues from the article to determine it. Cues to watch for include the type of language used, the types of references, and the author’s background. You might compare and contrast the article to other similar articles to determine if it’s more formal or informal. For example, academic or professional articles might use a lot of jargon, and they may expect the reader to understand references to other ideas in the field. However, articles written for the casual reader might use down-to-earth language and may thoroughly explain references to other ideas. For instance, “Based on her use of jargon and the nature of the topic, Ruiz primarily writes for an audience who understands policy debate, such as policy students, academics, and politicians. ”
This type of précis is less common than the 4-sentence structure presented above. You should only write a long précis if your instructor asks for it. Always check your assignment details.
Remember, you don’t need to incorporate any outside ideas or conclusions you have made, as a précis is only about the work itself. Keep your conclusion concise.
It’s a good idea to look for typos, grammar errors, or spelling issues now, but you’ll still need to proofread your final draft.
For example, re-read the original text, then re-read your précis. If you can, have someone read both the original text and your précis and tell you what they think.
For example, you might eliminate redundant text or extra words that aren’t necessary. If you make substantial changes, it’s best to compare it to the original text once again.
If you can, ask someone to proofread your work for you, as you might overlook some of your own errors.
Although a précis is always concise, its length can vary depending of the length of the original work and your instructor’s preferred length. [17] X Research source For an article, your précis will likely be 100-200 words long, but a longer work may require a few pages of text. Expect your précis to be about 1/5 to 1/6 the length of the original text. [18] X Research source Read over your assignment sheet carefully.
For instance, you should write “Ruiz proves” not “Ruiz proved. ” Make sure your verbs apply to the author, not the text. For example, “Ruiz argues” not “the article argues. ”
Stay objective throughout the writing process.
It’s okay to quote a special term coined by the author if it’s important to the précis. For example, “freakonomics” is a special term created by economist Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen J. Dubner. It’s not a normal word, so you would put quotes around it when including it in a précis.
