writing

1. Republicof the P
WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
Integrated Laboratory High School
Junior High School Department
Normal Rd, Baliwasan, Zamboanga City
Week 6 Module
For EAPP
(September 19-23, 2022)
S.Y. 2022-2023
FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
NOT FOR SALE
Prepared by:
ROSELLER G. IBANEZ, LPT
Instructor I
FRANKLIN JOSE A. BUTIAL
Pre-Service Teacher
WMSU – ILS JHS Department

2. From the previous lessons, you have learned the common approaches used in writing a critique paper,
understand the structure format of a reaction paper, and how to effectively write a reaction or a response paper by
applying the principles of reviews and critiques. You have also learned the different guidelines in writing a reaction paper,
review, or critique that will aid in the development of your analytical and critical thinking skills as you learn more about
scholarly writing.
The focus of this lesson is on writing a precis of texts in various disciplines. Precis writing entails analyzing a
document to see how much information can be extracted, then conveying this information to a reader in minimum words.
It summarizes a passage in a concise, straightforward, and logical manner.
Lesson 6
Objectives:
a. define what is a précis;
b. explain the importance of précis or an abstract in academic writing;
c. familiarize the characteristics of a good précis; and
d. write a précis for a given passage
Try This!
Take the time to properly read the passage and understand the message. Then, answer the following
questions below.
1. What is the gist of the passage?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Myth of Freedom by Yuval Noah Harari, The Guardian, September 14, 2018)
Liberalism is founded on the belief in human liberty. Unlike rats and monkeys, human beings are
supposed to have “free will”. This is what makes human choices the ultimate moral and political
authority in the world.
If you happened to be amid the riots in Washington on the day after Martin Luther King was
assassinated, in Paris in May 1968, or at the Democratic party’s convention in Chicago in August
1968, you might well have thought that the end was near. While Washington, Paris, and Chicago
were descending into chaos, the Soviet system seemed destined to endure forever. Yet 20 years later
it was the Soviet system that collapsed. The clashes of the 1960s strengthened liberal democracy,
while the stifling climate in the Soviet bloc presaged its demise.
Evirtualguru.com

3. 2. What is/are the main point/s of the passage?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the message that the passage is trying to convey?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Consider the example below:
Possible Title: The fear of death
The main idea: The fear of death. The passage clearly states the reasons why people fear death and provided information
on how to overcome it.
The supporting points/facts:
 If we have an active life, we do not have reason to fear death.
 Most of the people who fear death are those who spend their time sitting with books in their hands.
 Inactive people tend to fear death because they are unhappy.
 When one values his or her life, there is no reason to be afraid when death knocks at our doorsteps.
 Life is uncertain, death is not.
Read and Ponder
WHAT IS A PRÉCIS?
 Précis is a French word derived from the Latin word “Praecissus”, past participle of “Praecidere”, which
means “to be brief”. In the English language, it is called “Précis” (as pronounced as ‘prei-see’).
PRÉCIS-WRITING
Précis writing restates the core idea of the passage intelligently and concisely where the gist or the main substance of the
article or speech is clearly, briefly, and logically written. It tests the reader’s intelligence, reading, and writing skills.
 It is the exploration of the most concise, and, at the same time, the most exact terms.
 It is an exercise of concentration, comprehension, analyzation, and condensation.
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us the 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 have 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 merely wish to
continue on the scene to indulge our head-strong humor 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.
Articlesfactory.com

4.  It should give all the pertinent information so that the reader will be able to understand the ideas expressed in
the original material.
 It should express only the ‘main theme’ or the ‘gist’ as briefly as possible with unity, coherence, clarity, and
smoothness. Hence, it is the exact reproduction of the main thought, organization, and tone of the original
piece.
 It is written in the writer’s own words (indirect speech).
 It is not merely summarizing because it must be done in consideration of the language, structure, order, and
proportion of the original piece.
 It must always be condensed from the original (one-third of the length of the passage). For instance, the précis
shouldn't be longer than 100 words if the original piece is 300 words. However, the length will be determined
by its purpose and by the nature of the original work.
Try this!
Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions below.
1. Identify the main idea of the given passage.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify the supporting details or facts.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Provide a suitable title based on the given passage.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discipline is of the utmost importance in student life. If the young students do not obey their superiors and
go without discipline, they will deprive do much of the training they should have at this period and in
future they will never be able to extract obedience from other sin the society. Society will never accept
them as persons fit for commanding and taking up any responsible positions in life. So, it is the bounder.
Duty of all the students to observe discipline in the preparatory stage of their life. A college without
discipline can never impart suitable education to students. The rule of discipline in the playground and the
battlefield as well plays a very important role. A team without discipline may not fare well in spite of good
players for want of mutual understanding and cooperation. In any army everyone from the rank of the
general down to the ranks of an ordinary soldier must observe discipline. In case a soldier does not obey his
immediate superior the army becomes a rabble quite unfit for the achievement of the common ends of war.
At first sight it may appear to us that discipline takes away individual liberty. But on analysis it is found
that it does not do so, for liberty is not license. We find disciplined liberty at the root of all kinds of human
happiness.

5. IMPORTANCE OF PRÉCIS OR ABSTRACT WRITING
The skill of objectively writing the main substance of a lengthy passage is a crucial task because it involves various skills
such as the ability to comprehend the material, the critical analysis of the text, and the knowledge of grammar. It is a skill
of analysis that critically questions the information to be included and excluded.
 It helps students produce good quality writing (e.g., review papers and research articles) as it facilitates students
to summarize reading by noting important points from the text and use them in their writing.
 Confidence in writing is developed due to the involvement of the process in writing. It helps students to
understand the structure of each sentence in a text; produce simple to complex sentences with good grammar and
develop the capacity to distinguish between essential information to non-essential ones.
 Lawyers, journalists, secretaries, and students need to apply the art of précis writing in day-to-day activities.
Lawyers must summarize the lengthy information from the different cases by getting all the main points. In order
to give a detailed account of events, reporters must carefully study and synthesize each piece of information.
Secretaries are also required to prepare summaries of corporate documents and meeting minutes, and students are
required to take notes from various lectures.
 It is considered “the highest value in vocabulary building” as it allows students to indulge in several writing and
reading activities (e.g., sentence construction, thorough analysis of the material, clear and concise expression).
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PRÉCIS OR ABSTRACT
A good précis shows the writing skills of a person. Therefore, it must have the following characteristics:
 Clarity- it is one of the most significant qualities of a good précis because the absence of ambiguity proves
the clearness of the text. The information must be clear so that the readers can easily comprehend it.
 Correctness- this refers to the appropriate usage of language, structure of the sentences, spelling of the
words, and punctuation. In short, a mistake in grammar can ruin the entire message of the passage.
 Objectivity- it is the ability to present facts and not opinions, beliefs, and personal bias. Remember that
précis writing is done objectively and not subjectively.
 Coherence- a good précis is not merely a list of the essential information from the passage, but it is logically
written in an organized approach. There must be a strong logical interconnection of a certain information to
another information.
 Completeness- without the complete information from the original piece, it cannot be called a précis. A good
précis must contain all the necessary information.
 Conciseness- the goal of a précis writing is to summarize the passage or any article in the fewest possible
words while filling in all the important details and omitting the non-essential information. There is no need to
provide any comments, add any additional information that the original piece does not have, and avoid
repetition of words and ideas.
STEPS ON WRITING A GOOD PRÉCIS OR ABSTRACT
1) Read each sentence with careful attention and concentration. Try to understand every word and phrase from the
passage which you are going to summarize. Remember to never skim but try to grasp the writer’s main point and
identify the topic sentence.
2) Read the passage again and make sure, this time, you already know the general thought of the passage. At this
point, you are now to separate information from the most important to the least important. Include all information
that are ‘essential’ and exclude those which are not ‘important’.
3) Express the writer’s main point in each paragraph in your own words (3-4 sentences would be enough).
Remember to avoid expressing your own ideas. Compare the details from the original passage to your constructed
sentences.
4) Examine your précis to make sure that you have successfully included the necessary information. If you need to
read again the selection, re-read. If you find your précis too long from the original piece (or if it reached one-third
of the original material) do revisions until you can produce a good example of a précis or an abstract.

6. Consider this sample below:
Sample draft:
Note: The original piece is consisting of 200 words and remember that the précis cannot be more than a third of the
original text. Therefore,the précis cannot exceed 65 words, but the first draft has 80 words. Hence, revision is needed.
Final Output:
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us the 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 have 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 merely
wish to continue on the scene to indulge our head-strong humor 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.
(197 words)
Articlesfactory.com
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.
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.

7. Activity 1: See ifyou can do this!
Write a précis for each given passage below.
Précis writing:
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Précis writing:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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When we survey our lives and efforts, we soon observe that almost the whole of our actions and desires are bound up with
the existence of other human beings. We notice that whole nature resembles that of the social animals. We eat food that
others have produced, wear clothes that others have made, live in houses that others have built. The greater part of our
knowledge and beliefs has been passed on to us by other people though the medium of a language which others have
created. Without language and mental capacities, we would have been poor indeed comparable to higher animals.
We have, therefore, to admit that we owe our principal knowledge over the least to the fact of living in human society.
The individual if left alone from birth would remain primitive and beast like in his thoughts and feelings to a degree that
we can hardly imagine. The individual is what he is and has the significance that he has, not much in virtue of the
individuality, but rather as a member of a great human community, which directs his material and spiritual existence from
the cradle to grave. (192 words)
Englishwithiftikhar.blogspot.com
Since March 8, 1990, Woman’s Day is being observed by SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation) consisting of seven countries, namely, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
and the Maldives. The day was marked to focus on the problems of girl children in these countries. It is a pity
that girl children especially in underdeveloped countries are victims of extreme negligence and dishonor. The
birth of a girl child is looked upon by the parents as a cause of pity. They are deprived of proper nutrition,
education, economic facilities, and social status or honor.
Superstitions and social and religious prejudices give rise to such distressing conditions. We must root out
these prejudices and ensure a bright future for the girl children by giving them proper education. Moreover,
woman’s rights must be established in social and economic fields
(139 words)
Englishluv.com

8. Let’s Sum it Up!
 In a precis, the entire section is summarized and not paraphrased which merely translates the terms into simpler
words. The three C’s are needed in doing the art of précis: Concentration, Comprehension, and Condensation.
 It is important to carefully comprehend the text before writing a précis because it will be difficult to come up with
a good précis if there is no comprehension. It is also advisable to thoroughly read the material and always take
time to read and re-read. Grasp the main idea and list all the necessary information.
 Indirect speech should be used when writing a precis. To further ensure that the precis has a logical flow and
consistency, each thought must logically follow the previous information. Along with maintaining coherence, the
precis must be factually accurate and free of views or opinions that are not found in the original piece. One should
not amplify the passage with their own thoughts, observations, or details.
 It is one of the most important skills in academic writing, and as students, it is vital to acquire this skill because
this can help students in various reading and writing activities and for professional use in the future.
Activity 2: Reflection
Directions: Answer the following questions below that would reflect your journey from the given activities in this
module.
How did you find writing a précis or an abstract?
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____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The main idea: The fear of death. The passage clearly states the reasons why people fear death
and provided information on how to overcome it.
The main points:
 If we have an active life, we do not have reason to fear death.
 Most of the people who fear death are those who spend their time sitting with books
on their hands.
 Inactive people tend to fear death because they are unhappy.
 When one values his or her life, there is no reason to afraid when death knocks at
our doorsteps.
 Life is uncertain, death is not.
What were the difficulties that you had encountered while writing an abstract or a précis?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The main idea: The fear of death. The passage clearly states the reasons why people fear death
and provided information on how to overcome it.
The main points:
 If we have an active life, we do not have reason to fear death.
 Most of the people who fear death are those who spend their time sitting with books
on their hands.
 Inactive people tend to fear death because they are unhappy.
 When one values his or her life, there is no reason to afraid when death knocks at
our doorsteps.
 Life is uncertain, death is not.
As a student, what benefits have you gained from writing a précis?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
The main idea: The fear of death. The passage clearly states the reasons why people fear death
and provided information on how to overcome it.
The main points:

9. References
ArticlesFactory. (2022,September 16). Retrieved from https://www.articlesfactory.com/
EnglishLuv: English that goesstraight to the heart. (2022,September 16). Retrieved from https://englishluv.com/top-10-
short-paragraphs/
englishwithiftikhar.blogspot. (2022,September 16). Retrieved from http://englishwithiftikhar.blogspot.com/p/blog-
page_26.html?m=1
eVirtualGuru Education for Everyone. (2022,September 16). Retrieved from https://evirtualguru.com/15-exercises-for-
precis-writing-for-class-10-class-12-and-graduation-and-other-classes-solved-precise-1/
Precis. (2022, September 16). Retrieved from https://www.monmouth.edu/resources-for-writers/documents/how-to-write-
a-precis.pdf/
Precis-Writing. (2022,September 16). Retrieved from https://www.coursehero.com/file/74436330/7Precis-Writingpdf/
RUBRIC FOR AN ABSTRACT/PRECIS WRITING. (2022, September 16). Retrieved from https://pdfcoffee.com/rubric-
for-an-abstract-pdf-free.html
30-POINT RUBRIC FOR PRÉCIS WRITING
Content (15) Excellent 5 Good 4 Below Average 3 Ineffective 2-1
Covers all the main points
and facts.
Covers most points and key
facts.
Covers a few of the
main ideas.
May not have
read or
understood the
article
key ideas from the original
text are reworded without
compromising accuracy
and content.
A few of the key ideas from
the original text are reworded
without compromising
accuracy and content.
Most of the ideas are
not reworded.
Failed to
comprehend
the text.
It is free from personal
comments and bias.
There are points from the
writer’s own perspectives.
Most of the ideas
written are personal
opinions.
The entire
selection was
written
subjectively.
It uses appropriate length. The length exceeds one-third
of the original text.
It is too long from the
original material.
The text was
written
without careful
attention.
Organization
(5)
Excellent 5 Good 4 Below Average 3 . Ineffective
2-1
Cohesive devices are
effectively used.
The writer used cohesive
devices in some parts of the
summary.
Cohesive devices are
not properly used.
No logical
pattern was
found
Ideas are correctly placed
which improves the
organization of the paper.
Only some ideas are correctly
placed.
The ideas are not in a
logical pattern.
The ideas are
not properly
organized.
STYLE (5) Excellent 5 Good 4 Below Average 3 . Ineffective
2-1
It uses language
appropriate to the context.
There are parts of the writing
where the language was not
The language used in
the entire summary
It failed to
convey the

10. appropriately used. was inappropriate. message
because of the
language used.
It eliminates wordiness. Some parts are copied from
the original text.
There are repetitions
of the exact words or
terms from the
original material.
the entire
selection was
copied.
GRAMMAR
(5)
Excellent 5 Good 4 Below Average 3 . Ineffective
2-1
Spelling, capitalization,
and punctuation are
correctly used.
There are a few errors in
spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation.
There are various
mistakes in spelling,
capitalization, and
punctuation.
There is no
comprehension
due to
grammar
mistakes.
Word choice is
appropriate, and sentences
are well structured
Some of the words are not
appropriate and the sentences
are not properly structured.
Most of the words are
not appropriately
used and the
sentences are
ineffective.
the entire
words are not
appropriately
used, and the
structure of the
sentences is
incorrect.
Total: /30