Cotton Mather’s Wonders of an Invisible World Precis

Description

This one-page written summary will provide an overview of your comprehension in Close reading strategies of Mather’s Wonders of an Invisible World in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, craft, and meanings. After reading Mather’s work, write a one-page summary (precis) on your comprehension of what you read and why do you think this style of writing reflects the time in which it was written.

This response paper, should be grammatically and syntactically correct; I expect you to use language precisely, to support your response with specifics from the fiction using cited quotations, to write with style, focus, and, yes, correct spelling. Be sure to specify which selection you are responding to in the title or heading. Format your paper using MLA format.

Your Precis should be typed, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins in 12 pt. font. You must include a header with your name and course number and should include an engaging title.
WHAT IS A PRÉCIS?
A précis is a way of summarizing in which the tone, proportions, and meaning of the original
text are maintained. A précis summarizes a reading that you have completed. The length of a
précis can vary greatly; it can be 100-200 words or approximately one-fifth to one-sixth of the
length of the original reading. Check with your professor for exact length specifications.
TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PRÉCIS
⇒ Be sure to include the thesis or purpose of the reading.
⇒ Include the author, title of the reading and other relevant source information.
⇒ Be as concise as possible, but still include all important points.
⇒ Use your own words, but do not include your opinion.
⇒ Avoid using phrases like “this article states…”; instead cite the author or the authoring organization.
⇒ Do not make an argument in the précis; only restate the author’s argument.
⇒ Revise and edit the précis to make it as clear and accurate as possible.
HOW TO WRITE A PRÉCIS
They are various steps that can be followed in order to write an effective précis. They are as
follows:
⇒ Read the article or book multiple times.
⇒ Take notes on the key points of the reading and underline key sentences.
⇒ Compose an outline of the reading.
⇒ Using the outline and your notes, summarize each paragraph in the reading into one to two
sentences.
⇒ Combine the sentences into a logical format and create your own paragraphs that mirror
the work.
⇒ Review the précis and ensure that it has the same tone, proportions and meaning of the
original text.
Last modified 9/15/11