Précis 289- Read the passage again, more slowly, to detect details as they relate to the main
points. - Jot down the main ideas in your own words.
- Reread the original passage, comparing your skeleton outline with the text.
Revise as necessary to maintain accuracy or correct omissions.
STEP 2: Writing—Preparing the Précis
Without referring to the original, write the summary in your own words, following
the skeleton outline developed in Step 1.
Use the following guidelines as you write:
- Organize your précis the same way as the original passage.
- Include only the bare essentials. If the original passage is well organized, you
should be able to select a single main idea from each paragraph. - Be sure, however, to include all the main points from the original passage,
perhaps even using the passage’s key words. The expression key words refers to
terms or expressions unique to the subject. Take pains to avoid plagiarism. [See
plagiarism in the Glossary.]
STEP 3: Revising—Checking the Content
Once you have completed your précis, ask yourself the following questions:
- Have I reduced the content by at least two-thirds?
- In the process of reducing volume, have I presented the main ideas, all the
essentials? - Have I omitted nonessential details and information?
- Does the précis honestly reflect the original passage, or have my own biases
crept in? - Have I avoided plagiarism?
- Have I written simply and clearly, with unadorned vocabulary?
- When the reader finishes the précis, will he or she understand the intent of the
original work?
If you answer “no” to any of the above questions, revise the précis to solve the prob-
lems suggested.
STEP 4: Proofreading—Checking for Accuracy
Once you have completed the revisions, check the final copy for misspellings, punctua-
tion and grammar errors, usage problems, and mechanical inaccuracies. [See Part IV
for rules and examples.]