How to Write a Precis

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

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A précis is a summary of a written work, such as an article, book, or other text. You’ll objectively explain the original text’s main argument, support, and structure, without doing a critical analysis. Although it might seem challenging at first, don't get discouraged! It's simple once you understand the structure. Before you can write your précis, you’ll need to study the text. When writing your précis, use the correct structure and style guidelines.