PRECIS WRITING
1. Definition
2. Essential of good precis
3. Use of precis writing
4. How to write a good precis
5. Do’s and Don’ts of precis writing
6. Precis writing Example
1. Definition
It is a short summary of the essential ideas of a longer composition the basic thought of a passage is reproduced in miniature, retaining the mood and tone of the original. It must possess clear a emphatic diction and effective sentence construction its unity and coherence should be emphasized true smooth on unobtrusive transitions.
Precis denotes a brief concept and clear well connected abstract summary or gist of a given passage as per the Oxford dictionary it means a concise or abridged statement of a summary. To make precis of a given passage we should extract its main points and then express them clearly in as few words as possible precis is a summary for condensed composition of bare facts process writing is also used in scientific reports and researches to give the highlights of its content
2. Essentials of a good precis
Completeness
Compactness or well connected
Brevity
3. Use of Precis writing :
Precis writing it is also seen in in movies describe main events of the film.
Precis writing can be used to describe a chapter so the student understand easily precis writing is also used in many companies for job description
How to write a good precis ?
(a) The main and the most important point it is to to read the passage multiple Times.
(b) divide the text into smaller parts and highlight the main details.
(c) Keeping a precis short.
(d) writing a precis requires you to carefully understand the points that will provide important highlights of the content it requires skills & lot if brainstorming.
(e) Use Indirect speech.
(f) No Views & opinions only conclusion
(g) Decide title of the passage.
(h) Read your pieces multiple Times and check grammatical mistakes.
(i) Use Own language.
Do’s and Don’ts of precis writing:
(a) Start your precis by stating the main idea of the passage.
(b) Do not use the word ‘in this article’ use the style ‘Jacob argues that the most significant contribution of the Iraqies was.’
(c) When writing about history you the past tense
(d) Do not use abbreviations or contractions
(e) Avoid words like big, good, bad, little, very, and a lot also so do not use the phrase throughout history this is cliche.
(f) Title of texts should be put in italics or underlined
Examples of precis writing with solution
Example1
How many apparent defeats enthusiasm has transformed into victories? It is one of the most vital elements in all successes but in the sphere of religious activity its value cannot be overestimated nevertheless it must be admitted that enthusiasm is not something that can always be had merely for the asking in the first place, to be effective, enthusiasm must be genuine. Simulated and enthusiasm is a weak, vapid thing that soon dies. People do not become enthusiastic s merely by wanting to be.
It is not something that can be thrust upon others at will. Nothing could be more ridiculous than for someone to rise before a large gathering and say. I move them all and they became enthusiastic! ” Enthusiasm is not necessarily a noise or shouting or even feverish activity these may be and sometimes are, manifestations of its presence but not necessarily so. often indeed such symptoms are merely spurious imitations and as far from the genuine articles as the counterfeit money from the real money.
All genuine, lasting enthusiasm must be built upon knowledge. This is the true fountain from which it bubbles up and nothing will take its place people cannot be lastingly enthusiastic about that of which they know nothing.
Learn to make precis through the following example:
The power of Enthusiasm
Main points of the passage are to be noted down:
1. Enthusiasm has a transformed to many appearing defeats into victories.
2. It is the most vital element in all successes but enthusiasm cannot be had for the asking.
3. Genuine enthusiasm is effective simulated and to see as is a dull and temporary thing and close as we cannot be forced upon others.
4. Genuine enthusiasm can be built upon knowledge alone one cannot be enthusiastic about a thing for long unless one has complete knowledge of it.
Use above points to write a good precis leaving aside an important and superfluous items :
Precis : The power of Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm is one of the most important elements to achieve success and has turned many short tumbling into victories but in order to be effective and lasting it must be genuine simulated enthusiasm dies soon.
We should distinguish real from false enthusiasm which consists in noise shouting or feverish activity. Genuine enthusiasm can be built upon knowledge alone to be lastingly enthusiastic about a thing the people should have complete knowledge of it.
Example 2
Also our age far sir passage all previous ages in knowledge yet there has been no correlative increases in wisdom. The agreement between the two ceases as soon as we attempted to define ‘wisdom’
And consider means of promoting it I want to ask first what wisdom is and then what can be done to teach it
There are I think several factors that contribute to wisdom of these I should put first a sense of proportion the capacity to take a count of all the important factors in a problem and attached to each its due weight this has become more difficult than it used to be owning to the extent and complexity of the specialized knowledge required of various kinds of techniques.
Suppose, for example that you are engaged in research in scientific medicine the work is difficult and is likely to observe the whole of your intellectual energy you have no time to consider the effect which your discoveries or inventions may have outside the field of medicine. You succeed latest as modern medicine has succeeded enormously lowering the infant death-rate, not only in Europe and America but also in Asia and Africa. This has the entirely on intended result of making the food supply inadequate and lowering the standard of life in the most populous parts of the world.
To take and even more spectacular example which is in everybody is mind at the present time.
You study the composition of the atom from a disinterested desire for knowledge and incidentally place in the hands of powerful lunatics the means of destroying the human race. In such was the pursuit of knowledge may become harmful unless it is combined with wisdom and wisdom in the sense of comprehensive vision is not necessarily present in specialist in the pursuit of knowledge
Comprehensiveness alone however is not enough to constitutes wisdom there must be also a certain awareness of the ends of human life this may be illustrated by the study of history many and meant historical have done more harm than good because they viewed facts through the destroying medium of their own passions Hazel had a philosophy of history which did not suffer from and lack of comprehensiveness since it started from the earliest time and continued into an indefinite future but the chief lessons of history which he saw to inculcate was that form the AD400 down to his own time Germany had been the most important nation and the standard bearer of progress in the world.
Perhaps one should stretch the comprehensiveness that constitutes wisdom to include not on the intellect to but also feeling it is by no means uncommon to find man whose knowledge is wide but whose feelings are narrow such men lack what I’m calling wisdom.
Precis : knowledge vs Wisdom
Our age is far ahead of previous ages in the matter of knowledge, but no so in case of wisdom. Wisdom means a sense of proportion it further means to analyze a problem in the light of all the related factors. Comprehensiveness itself does not mean the wisdom. Technical knowledge about medicines and atomic energy does not bother about the far reaching consequences of its use. So there should be e wisdom to control and guide the use of knowledge. Besides comprehensiveness, wisdom includes the the awareness about the ends of a life. The study of history well through light on this point some historical disordered the facts of history because of their personal passion and interest in differently pursuing for acquiring the knowledge may dissolved in its misuse, if used by a man having no wisdom. A man with wide knowledge but no feelings is a man without wisdom.