The Rhetorical Precis

Purpose  The purpose of the precis is to give as much information as possible in four sentences. The precis answers the basic who, what, where, when, how, why, and to whom about the rhetorical situation of the discourse.

#1  Name of the author  A rhetorically accurate verb (such as “assert”, “argue”, “suggest”, “imply”, “claim”)  A clause containing a major assertion of the work

#1 Example  In his essay, “A Victim”, child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim observes that refusal to act in accordance with the stereotype of the victim held by the persecutor may obtain relief for the victim.

#2  An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the thesis, usually in chronological order. (Rhetorical devices)

#2 Example  He illustrates by using his own experience as a prisoner in a German concentration camp during WW2 to show that when he refused to play the victim, persecution ceased, and he actually earned the respect of his persecutor.

#3  A statement of the author’s apparent purpose, followed by an “in order to” phrase.

#3 Example  Bettelheim’s purpose is to reveal an important truth about human behavior that can be applied to other areas of role-playing not just victims and persecutors, and that stereotyping is always incorrect.

#4  A description of the intended audience and/or the relationship that the author establishes with the audience

#4 Example  He writes with a calm detachment to an educated audience who may be tempted to stereotype the behavior of those who are different from themselves.