Writing An Argument Summary - Rhetorical Précis

Writing an Argument Summary: Rhetorical Précis
Students must learn how to analyze arguments—whether they are written or

spoken—and accurately describe the rhetorical techniques used in the work. One way
to prepare students for this type of thinking is to engage them in a reading and writing
exercise called a rhetorical précis. There are two purposes for a rhetorical précis: the
first, to practice writing a concise summary of an argument; and the second, to
demonstrate comprehension of the complexities and nuances inherent in sophisticated
discourse. The rhetorical précis includes five parts. The following outlines the
information you should include in each of the five parts.
Part 1: Introduce the writer or speaker, the text, and the central claim.
Part 2: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.
Part 3: State the author’s purpose in writing the text.
Part 4: Describe the intended audience and the author’s relationship to the audience.
Part 5: Explain the significance of the work.
Part 1: Introduce the writer or speaker, the text, and the central claim. Sample
In the essay “The Space-Taker Effect,” Jenny While, a senior at El Cajon Valley High
School, argues that students who are unmotivated and misbehave take away from the
learning environment and cause teachers to slow down and lower expectations.
According to While, these “space-takers take away valuable instructional time,” leaving
little for those who want to learn.
Template:
In the article “On the Horizon: The Legacy of O’Henry”, Steven Marcus,
(type of text) (title of text) (author’s first and last name) a man in 1954, (information
about the author) (verb, e.g., claims, argues, asserts, etc.) that argues (Paraphrase
or quote the central claim and include other essential sub-claims.) that O’Henry is in fact
a hack, and has never received serious literary criticism despite his popularity.
Part 2: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument. When
completing this section of the précis, consider how the author has developed or
supported his or her central claim. What does the writer or speaker do in each
paragraph and in each section? For instance, authors will illustrate an idea, describe an
event, share an anecdote, draw a comparison, or do some other work. The explanation
for this section typically follows the sequence of ideas in the text. Sample
She supports this claim by first describing the types of students who “take up space” in
her school. Then, she makes a connection between her school’s poor performance on
state and local exams and the “space-takers” who have done very little to prepare
themselves for these high-stakes tests. Toward the end of the essay, While challenges
the effectiveness of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and outlines its limitations.
Template:
He develops this claim by first providing examples of O’Henry’s repetition in his writing.
(He/She) (supports/develops) (Explain what the author is
doing: verb.) Then, he carefully analyzes the speech patterns and rhythms.
(Explain what the author does next.) (Use a prepositional phrase like “Toward the end of
the text,” “In the section,” or some other phrase in order to add variety to your writing.)
Towards the end of the text, Marcus depicts how O’Henry’s characters’ boring lives are
reinforced by his lack of education.
Part 3: State the author’s purpose in writing the text. Sample

While’s purpose is to call attention to the flaws in educating all students—especially
those who outwardly reject the opportunity—in order to prompt schools and districts to
formulate practical solutions for lowperforming students while taking care of those who
want to learn.
Template:
Marcus’ purpose is to depict (author’s last name) O’Henry’s writing in a critically
analyzed way in order to divert O’Henry’s audience from supporting his works.
( What does the author want the audience to do or feel as a result of this work?)
Part 4: Describe the intended audience and the author’s relationship to the audience.
Sample
She establishes a formal tone for educators, politicians, and concerned parents who
have children in high school. Although she is writing to an adult audience, her message
extends to her peers—high school students.
Template:
He establishes a critical tone for his audience (He/She) (Describe the tone of the
author.) He means to reach O’Henry’s readers and critically analyze his work. (What is
the relationship between the author and his/her audience?)
Part 5: Explain the significance of this work.
Sample
This work is significant because it challenges those in education to rethink classroom

dynamics. Specifically, she addresses how the various skill levels and attitudes in one
classroom can affect the quality of learning.
Template:
This work is significant because it challenges the writing of O’Henry in all manner of
ways, such as his speech rhythm and repetitions, and provides evidence for his
reasoning by showing how O’Henry was not a fully educated man.
The complete précis

In her essay “Don’t Take Valuable Space in My School,” Jenny While, a senior at
El Cajon Valley High School, argues that students who are unmotivated and misbehave
take away from the learning environment and cause teachers to slow down and lower
expectations. According to While, these “space-takers take away valuable instructional
time,” leaving little for those who want to learn. She supports this claim by first
describing the types of students who “take up space” in her school. Then, she makes a
connection between her school’s poor performance on state and local exams and the
“space-takers” who have done very little to prepare themselves for these high-stakes
tests. Toward the end of the essay, While challenges the effectiveness of No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) and outlines its limitations. While’s purpose is to call attention to the
flaws in educating all students—especially those who outwardly reject the
opportunity—in order to prompt schools and districts to formulate practical solutions for
low-performing students while taking care of those who want to learn. She establishes a
formal tone for educators, politicians, and concerned parents who have children in high
school. Although she is writing to an adult audience, her message extends to her
peers— high school students. This work is significant because it challenges those in
education to rethink classroom dynamics. Specifically, she addresses how the various
skill levels and attitudes in one classroom can affect the quality of learning.
In the article “On the Horizon: The Legacy of O’Henry”, Steven Marcus, a man
in 1954, argues ( that O’Henry is in fact a hack, and has never received serious literary
criticism despite his popularity. He develops this claim by first providing examples of
O’Henry’s repetition in his writing. Then, he carefully analyzes the speech patterns and
rhythms. Towards the end of the text, Marcus depicts how O’Henry’s characters’ boring
lives are reinforced by his lack of education. He establishes a critical tone for his
audience. He means to reach O’Henry’s readers and critically analyze his work. This
work is significant because it challenges the writing of O’Henry in all manner of ways,
such as his speech rhythm and repetitions, and provides evidence for his reasoning by
showing how O’Henry was not a fully educated man.

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Writing an Argument Summary: Rhetorical Précis

Students must learn how to analyze arguments—whether they are written or

Part 3: State the author’s purpose in writing the text. Sample

Part 5: Explain the significance of this work.

This work is significant because it challenges those in education to rethink classroom

The complete précis

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