A précis (pronounced PRAY-see for singular and PRAY-sees for plural) is a learning tool for reading comprehension. It helps you read with a purpose. Yours should be single-spaced and uploaded to this assignment link. Each should contain the following components:
1. Summary: a third to a half page (single-spaced) that gets at the overall purpose, position, point, or claim of the essay. You have to cut to the chase here and not get bogged down in background, tangents, and examples. Find the writer's main purpose.
2. Keywords: a list of 3-5 major concepts for understanding the point of the essay.
3. The Jam: quote or describe a passage in the essay that really made you think, struck home in a powerful way, resonated with current events, clarified other ideas, or unsettled you in some way. Discuss briefly here but elaborate during discussion in class.