Dr.
Reshma Kaushal
Meaning and Definition of precis
Precis writing is the art of shortening a document to extract the maximum
amount of information, then conveying this information to a reader in the
minimum number of words.
The word ‘precis’ is derived from French and it means ‘precise’ a good précis
is a straight forward condensed statement of the salient features, ideas or
information contained in the original passage and it is written in a clear and
concise way in the writing own words. Precis-writing is an exercise in
compression. It is an exercise in concentration, comprehension and
condensation.
Definition: A précis is a clear, compact logical summary of a passage. It
preserves only the essential or important ideas of the original.
According to oxford dictionary
“It is a short version of a speech or a piece of writing that gives the main
points of ideas.”
According to cambridge dictionary
“Precis is a short form of the text which briefly gives only the important
parts.”
Purpose of Precis writing
The primary object of precis writing is to present facts and information to
spend time reading unnecessary details.
•Precis writing aims at intelligent reading and clear accurate writing
•It is an exercise to grasp the gist of the passage and to read the material
with full
concentration..
•It is a good exercise in writing a composition.
•It teaches us to express our thoughts clearly, concisely and effectively.
•It corrects our common tendency to be vague, disorderly and diffused in
our thinking and written expressions.
• It is an exercise to choose our words carefully and to construct our
sentences with an eye to fullness combined with brevity and to put our
matter in a strictly logical order.
•In other words, it is an ability to grasp quickly and accurately what is
read, or heard and to reproduce it clearly and concisely.
Procedure and guidelines of precise writing
Method of
procedure Reading.
(a) First read the
passage through
carefully, but not
too slowly, to get a
general idea
of its meaning
(b)Usually you are required to supply a title for your precis. Think of some
word, phrase or short sentence that will sum up briefly the main subject of the
passage.
(c)Further reading is now necessary to ensure that you understand the details of
the passage as well as its main surport
(d) decide what parts of the passage are essential and what parts are comparatively
unimportant and so can be omitted without any loss.
(a)Rough Drafts – Your should now be ready to attempt the writing of the
precis; a third of its length, count the number of words in the passage and divide
by three.
(b) Important Points – The following points must be kept in mind:
Problems in writing a precis
Accuracy:. It is important to go through the precise carefully to make sure that
whatever is stated is factually one.
Using Own Words: The second problem is the difficulty using one's own words
in the precis to convey ideas given in the original passage.
Selecting Details: The third problem is deciding on the details lo be included in
the precise, One should try to pick out only those details that are important.
Avoiding Conclusions: Since a precis is a factual summary of a passage, one
should avoid drawing conclusions based on one's own interpretation of the facts.
Avoiding Short Sentences: Although one may concentrate on essentials in the
precis, short and choppy sentences should be avoided.
