Precis
Each précis should be 300 words and each précis should respond to all of the week’s readings while engaging with the main ideas, issues, and arguments addressed by the authors and articles. Overall, a précis provides the reader with a synopsis of what each article covers, why it may be worth reading, what it makes you think about, and the specific issues it addresses in itself or in relation to other readings. The best précis will more than summarize the readings, the best
précis will synthesize the ideas of the readings and begin to engage with and apply them. Consider the following guidelines as you write your précis:
Create a snapshot of each article’s content
Be concise and closely follow the author’s thinking
Raise questions about and comment on the key arguments
Engage with the article analytically and presents reasons for your responses
Identify valid contributions or blind spots, assumptions, and gaps
Avoid promotional or merely descriptive language (i.e., it was interesting)
Discuss how you think all of the readings fit together
Share any questions you may have about the article, the argument, or the weekly topic
