How to give a perfect title to a precis or summary? How to write a precis

 

What is a Precis?

A shortening of a text, in one's own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French word précis meaning ‘precise’. Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text.

 

Difference between Précis and Summary

 

Usually the word 'summary' is used loosely to refer to 'précis’. However, there are subtle differences between them.

The first and the most important difference is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a report, article or a chapter from a book; whereas a summary is a short account of longer pieces of work such as a thesis or a novel.

Secondly, the précis follows the order and proportion of the material in the original, whereas the writer of the summary is free to change the order and proportion if he wishes to do so.

Another important different between the two is that the précis states only the thought of the original text: whereas, the writer of the summary is free to interpret the material and to comment on it.

What are the Qualities of a good Précis?

Since a good précis displays the writer's writing skills, it must possess the following qualities:

1.Clarity
It is essential that the ideas presented in the précis should be clear and comprehensible. By using simple language and structures, the writer can ensure that there is no ambiguity.

2. Objectivity
The writer must have an objective approach. He should be able to write a précis that is unbiased and purely a summary of the original text.

 

3. Correctness

The writer must ensure that not just the facts, but also the grammar and sentences are without flaws. Such errors can obscure the meaning of the message.

 

4. Coherence
A good précis should be coherent i.e, the ideas must be presented in a way that shows the connections clearly

 

5. Completeness

The writer should include all the important facts from the text in the précis. No important fact can be omitted to make the summary short.

 

6. Conciseness
Conciseness is a desirable quality of a good précis. A piece of writing is considered concise If it conveys the message in the fewest possible words. But the writer should not omit essential facts to achieve conciseness.

 

PRÉCIS WRITING PROCEDURE

Step 1

Read the passage carefully- more than once if so required. The first requirement of the writer is to understand the text well enough to extract its central / main idea.

Step 2
Decide what facts or ideas in the text are essential and what are of secondary or of no importance. It is a good Idea to underline the important terms and ideas.

 

Step 3
Select a suitable title for the proposed précis.

Step 4
Collect all the key points and prepare a first draft of the précis, keeping in mind the need to reduce the original text to one-third its length. The main thoughts expressed in the passage, the ideas it contains, the opinions presented and the conclusion arrived at should be a part of the rough draft.

Step 5
Read the draft. It may so happen that it is too long. Shorten it further, if necessary, by omitting anything which is not necessary to the central idea or by remodeling the sentences. (Normally, you should succeed in producing a god précis by the second draft.)

Step 6
When you have made your second (or final) draft, carefully revise your précis to ensure that you have the bare minimum of words necessary to express the idea of the passage. Check to make sure that the précis has been written in words that are your own and not those of the author.

Points to Remember

·        A précis must not exceed one-third of the length of the original passage.

·       Identify the central idea and omit unnecessary details.

·       Eliminate wordy expressions from the précis.

·       Avoid unnecessary repetition.

·       Every précis should have a short and appropriate title.

·       It should be written in the words of the précis-writer.

·       The main ideas of the original text should be presented in the same order in the précis.

·       Do not introduce ideas of your own in the précis.

·       Do not criticize or change the author's ideas.

·       Always use the third person, reported speech and past tense while writing a précis. Only universal truths should be written in the present tense.

 

SOLVED EXAMPLE

 

Q.1 Write a précis of the passage given below.
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us fortitude to bear pain, but also teaches us at every step the precarious tenure on which we hold our present being. Sedentary and studious men are the most apprehensive on this score. Dr. Johnson was an instance in point. A few years seemed to him soon over, compared with those sweeping contemplations on time and infinity with which he had been used to pose himself. In the still life of a man of letters there was no obvious reason for a change. He might sit in an armchair and pour out cups of tea to all eternity would it had been possible for him to do so. The most rational cure after all for the Inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life, If we mere wish to continue on the scene to indulge our head-strong humour and tormenting passions, we had better be gone at once; and If we only cherish a fondness for existence according to the good we desire from it, the pang we feel at parting which it will not be very server.

SOLUTION

Step 1:
Identify the main Idea: The text discusses people's fear of death. It detalls why some people fear death and how this fear can be overcome.

Step 2:
Identify the main points/facts:
a) We do not fear death if we live an active life.
b) Those people who fear death the most are the ones who spend much time sitting and studying.
c) This happens because they lead an inactive and peaceful life and do not want any change.
d) The most sensible way of ridding oneself of the fear of death is by valuing life.
e) We should be comfortable with the knowledge that life is unpredictable and that our hold upon life is Very uncertain.

Step 3:
Provide a suitable title: The Fear of Death.

Step 4:
Write the first draft:
If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People who spend a lot of their time lazing around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of death. This is because they do not want any change. The most sensible way of getting rid of the fear of death is to value life properly. If we do not give unnecessary importance to our life, we will not feel the pang of death.

Step 5:
Edit your work:
Remember that the précis cannot be more than a third of the length of the original text. Since the given passage is approximately 200 words, the précis cannot exceed 65 words. However the first draft consists of 80 words. Therefore It needs to be edited.
Example:
People who spend a lot of their time lazing around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of death, This is because they do not want any change: can be rewritten more succinctly in the following manner: People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, are the most afraid of death:

Step 6:
Write the final draft.
The Fear of Death

If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, fear change and are most afraid of death. The most sensible way of getting rid of the fear of death is to value life properly. If we do not give unnecessary importance to our life, we will not feel the pang of death.