Writing a Précis
Definition - A précis (pray-SEE) is a concise summary, in your own words, of a written work.
Use of the précis – One of the best ways to study any work is to write a précis of it, for the process forces you to study each of its parts.
Object of the précis –The object of writing a précis is not to retell all of a story’s details but only enough to give the highlights, so that any reader will know the main sections of the work.
Guidelines for precise writing –
1. Only essential details belong in a précis. For example, in “Everyday Use.” The author describes the narrator as a large woman who has lived a very hard life. We learn that she can kill animals for food and survival. She is fully capable of taking care of herself and her family. Including all these details would needlessly lengthen a précis of the story. Instead, it is sufficient to say no more than “Mrs. Johnson is a strong woman” because this fact is the most essential.
2. All details in a précis should be both correct and accurate. Avoid misstatement or a false impression. For instance, in “The Necklace,” it would be inaccurate to say that Mathilde works for ten years to repay a loan because that implies that she works outside the home. It would be accurate to say that she fires her servant and undertakes the housework herself.
3. A précis should be written in your own words, not those of the work you are abridging. The best way to ensure that you do this is to read the work, take note of the major actions and situations, and then put the work out of reach as you write. This way you can avoid the temptation to “borrow” words. However, if some of the author’s words make their way into your précis, then you must use quotation marks to set them off. Too many quoted words indicate that the précis is not your own.
4. A précis should stick to the facts and not include judgments or interpretations unless those judgments are made by the author. It would be accurate to say that Mathilde in “The Necklace” dreams of a richer life. It would be inaccurate to say that she is selfish. The only way you could say that she is selfish is if the author did so within the story.
5. A precise should not include a string of short choppy sentences. Instead blend ideas together in smooth, graceful sentences. For instance, avoid “Dee comes in a car. She is dressed flamboyantly. She is with a strange man.” Instead, write, “When Dee comes, she is flamboyantly dressed and gets out of the car with a strange, short, bearded man.”
6. Keep the same order of events. Or instance, in “the Necklace” the surprise concerning the necklace is kept until the end. You need to do this as well when you write your précis. However, you need to include some details that might be withheld in the story until later, such as names and places. In “The Necklace,” the author does not mention the protagonist’s name for several paragraphs. In the précis, you would want to mention her name right away.
7. Use one paragraph for each major division of the work. Devote a separate paragraph to each scene, action, or section or the story.