Assignemnt

WRITE a rhetorical précis--that is, a brief analysis of a text--for two articles: the Nichols article and one other article of your choice. You will write a separate précis for each.

Here is the process for writing a rhetorical précis:

1. Read and annotate the article.

2. Reflect on the author's purpose.

3. Consider the kinds of evidence the author uses (facts, ethos, or examples).

4. Restate the author's conclusion in your own words.

5. Write a one or two sentence summary of each paragraph/section of the article.

6. Reread the article to compare it with your summary notes.

7. Begin writing, using your paraphrase of the conclusion and your one or two sentence summary statements.

8. Review your précis to confirm that you have explained the main point of the article, identified the supporting evidence that the writer uses, and have used the same logical structure as the text.

9. Finally, check for clarity, coherence, and correctness.

10. The rhetorical précis, when complete, should be shorter than the article.

Article: The 12 cognitive biases that prevent you from being rational By George Dvorksy.