A rhetorical precis is a written summary of another piece of text. Primarily, such academic paper recapitulates the main arguments and ideas in the article under consideration.
The most challenging assignment is determining what to include in a rhetorical precis essay and exclude from it. The key to successful writing is, first of all, a complete understanding of the original text. If the text is not understood, you cannot determine what is principal and what is minor. In this case, the essay risks becoming a random, chaotic removal of some aspects from the original text.
And secondly, for a concise presentation, it is essential to possess the skills to summarize and shorten the text. It might take practice, but if you do a little prep work and write a synopsis, the preparation of this type of academic paper shouldn’t scare you. It would also help to have a look at some rhetorical precis essay templates and samples.
Writing a Rhetorical Precis Essay on An Article Step-by-step
Step 1: Prepare the draft.
Read the original text several times. Take notes. It will help you write your essay outline. Give your notes a focus that will depend on how you decide to organize your paragraphs. A rhetorical precis essay usually has the following structure to enhance the overall communication:
- Introduction, that identifies a source text and explains how the author develops the main argument;
- Body paragraphs that give precise details that support the main arguments;
- Conclusion, where you should restate your thesis statement and summarize the main presented ideas.
Step 2: Using your notes, write the introductory paragraph.
No need to go into details; you need to give enough information so that the readers know what to foresee from the rest of the text. After that, present your thesis statement, showing a piece of the primary evidence in a rhetorical essay.
Step 3: Write the main body paragraphs.
Based on your earlier notes and sketches, write the body describing the article’s most essential elements. It would be best if, when developing body paragraphs, you follow a sandwich rule. Such a method helps to enhance the clarity of the presented concepts. If you are working on a pretty long piece, you can briefly capture every detail.
Step 4: Prepare the conclusion.
In conclusion, it is necessary to review the article’s main ideas and restate your thesis.
Step 5: Write the clean copy.
Read your rhetorical precis essay several times to make sure it looks complete, balanced, and harmonious. If any information seems unclear or excessive, try to rewrite it. Make sure your essay follows an informative and academic format.
Use first-person and second-person language when presenting the main arguments. Focus on the main arguments presented in the work under consideration. A useful rhetorical precis paper should contain informative details about the source text.
Step 6: Check your essay for mistakes.
Never ignore this step. It is a shame to write a superb rhetorical precis essay and let some grammar or spelling mistakes ruin the enjoyment of it.
