precis writing class lecture
English (Précis & Composition)
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Class Lecture (29th July 2012)
Précis Writing
Précis writing is a basic and very useful skill. It has been variously referred to as 'abbreviation', 'subtraction', 'abstract', 'summary', and 'condensation'. The French gave it the name ‘précis' — the pruning away of all that is inessential.
"A précis is a brief, original summary of the important ideas given in a long selection. 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, and embellishments) in favor of reproducing the logic, development, organization and emphasis of the original.
Précis writing aims at intelligent reading and clear, accurate writing. It is a skill of both analysis and genesis that critically questions every thought 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. In its exaction it mercilessly reveals an author's wordiness and looseness or thinness of thought and construction. It should strengthen our style, our sense of proportion and emphasis, and our sensitivity to word meanings and an author's viewpoint,
Four main pillars of Précis
1. Simple 2. Concise 3. Clear 4. Complete A Précis must fulfill following requirements
1. All Important/relevant Ideas must included 2. All unimportant/irrelevant ideas must be excluded 3. It must be in the form of continuous narrative
Elements of Good Précis
1. A good Précis should give leading thoughts and general impression of the passage summarized. 2. A good Précis should be continuous and compact piece of prose. 3. A Précis should be clear, concise and complete in sense of original thoughts. 4. The précis should be written from the original author’s point of view, without
1 www.thecsspoint.com www.facebook.com/thecsspointOfficial
Class Lecture (29th July 2012)
Précis Writing
Précis writing is a basic and very useful skill. It has been variously referred to as 'abbreviation', 'subtraction', 'abstract', 'summary', and 'condensation'. The French gave it the name ‘précis' — the pruning away of all that is inessential.
"A précis is a brief, original summary of the important ideas given in a long selection. 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, and embellishments) in favor of reproducing the logic, development, organization and emphasis of the original.
Précis writing aims at intelligent reading and clear, accurate writing. It is a skill of both analysis and genesis that critically questions every thought 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. In its exaction it mercilessly reveals an author's wordiness and looseness or thinness of thought and construction. It should strengthen our style, our sense of proportion and emphasis, and our sensitivity to word meanings and an author's viewpoint,
Four main pillars of Précis
1. Simple 2. Concise 3. Clear 4. Complete A Précis must fulfill following requirements
1. All Important/relevant Ideas must included 2. All unimportant/irrelevant ideas must be excluded 3. It must be in the form of continuous narrative
Elements of Good Précis
1. A good Précis should give leading thoughts and general impression of the passage summarized. 2. A good Précis should be continuous and compact piece of prose. 3. A Précis should be clear, concise and complete in sense of original thoughts. 4. The précis should be written from the original author’s point of view, without