Précis Definition and Examples

A prà ©cis is a  brief summary of a book, article, speech, or other text. The basic characteristics of an effective prà ©cis are conciseness, clarity, completeness, unity, and coherence. According to  Barun K. Mitra, PhD, in Effective Technical Communication: A Guide for Scientists and Engineers, The most important task is to ensure that the original sequence of events and the flow of ideas remain unchanged. Pronunciation: PRAY-see Also known as: abstract, summary, executive summary, synopsis Plural: prà ©cis Alternate spelling: precis Etymology: From the Old French, condensed Examples and Observations I would say that the ability to write a prà ©cis is the central language skill. For a start, it is a craft essential in all professions and businesses; indeed, anyone whose work includes dealing with documents at some time (and that accounts for most people) will need prà ©cis skills as a matter of course... Such vocational considerations, though important, are not in my view the most telling, however. The fundamental value of prà ©cis is that it tests and exercises every aspect of linguistic competence,  says Richard Palmer in Write in Style: A Guide to Good English.[O]rganization of ideas, logical sequencing of points, clear and meaningful expression, [and the] use of language suitable to the situation are essential for writing prà ©cis effectively. The writer of prà ©cis must be able to identify the essential ideas in a given passage and separate them from nonessential ideas. But at the same time a prà ©cis is not a [type of] creative writing, inasmuch as it is merely a co ndensed restatement of the original writers ideas, points, etc., says Aruna Koneru in Professional Communication. Sample Prà ©cis Original passage from Aristotles Rhetoric (199 words):It is evident that those in the prime of life will be between the young and the old in character, subtracting the excess of either, and neither exceedingly conï ¬ dent (rashness is such) nor too fearful but having the right amount of both, neither trusting nor distrusting everybody but rather making realistic judgments and not directing their lives only to what is ï ¬ ne or what is advantageous but to both and neither to frugality nor to extravagance but to what is ï ¬ tting. Similarly in regard to impulse and desire. And they combine prudence with courage and courage with prudence, while among the young and the old these things are separated; for the young are brave and lack self-restraint, the older prudent and cowardly. To speak in general terms, whatever advantages youth and old age have separately, [those in their prime] combine, and whatever the former have to excess or in deï ¬ ciency, the latter have in due measure and in a ï ¬ tting way. The body is in its prime from the age of thirty to thirty-ï ¬ ve, the mind about age forty-nine. Let this much be said about the kinds of character of youth and old age and the prime of life.Prà ©cis from A Synoptic History of Classical Rhetoric (68 words):The character of those in the prime of life lies midway between that of youth and of age. Neither rash nor timid, neither skeptical nor overtrusting, they usually make choices on a true basis. They are not given to excess in desire, nor to lack of feeling or parsimony. They live respecting both honor and expediency. In short, the most useful traits of youth and age are theirs. Methods and Purpose A prà ©cis is not an outline, but a summary or digest. It is useful as an exercise in grasping the essential ideas of an already completed composition and in stating these ideas in concentrated form. The prà ©cis shears away all elaborations of the thought and gives only what is left, in such a way as to make the summary a complete composition. It does not, therefore, skeletonize the original composition so much as it reduces its scale. Many of the articles in The Readers Digest are only prà ©cis, so skillfully done that the average reader does not know that he is reading a summary. Since the prà ©cis says a great deal within a brief space, it is of great service in taking notes on library assignments and general reading, says Donald Davidson in American Composition and Rhetoric. Sources Aristotle. Rhetoric, book 2, chapter 14. Aristotle, On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civic Discourse. Translated by George A. Kennedy, Oxford University Press, 1991. Davidson, Donald. American Composition and Rhetoric. Scribners, 1968. Koneru, Aruna. Professional Communication. Tata McGraw-Hill, 2008. Mitra, Barun K., PhD. Effective Technical Communication: A Guide for Scientists and Engineers. Oxford Publishing, 2006. Murphy, James J. and Richard A. Katula. A Synoptic History of Classical Rhetoric. 3rd ed, Hermagoras Press, 2003. Palmer, Richard. Write in Style: A Guide to Good English. 2nd ed, Routledge, 2002.

The Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman - 885 Words

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, protagonist of the â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and the author of the short story herself, details her experiences while locked away on bed rest by order of her doctor husband. Through these experiences, Gilman displays the struggles women face while seeking independence. While this short story has many psychological aspects, it also displays several feminist perspectives that speak for the female gender throughout the late 1800’s, as well as difficulties with a society ran by primarily males. This idea is evident through Gilman’s husband, John, the writings of Jane, the unnamed narrator, and the environment Gilman herself was placed within. Through these components, isolation of women and the power given off by the male gender is reflected. Gilman’s husband, John is a great example of a controlling spouse and male. John held full control over Gilman’s life, completed all decisions, and treated her with such inferiority. He never takes her ideas serious and sees them as laughable moments: â€Å"John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage† (Gilman 226). This not only displays John’s inferiority but as well as what is expected from society at this time. Gilman see’s this small action of her husband laughing at her a norm, rather than John holding power over her. Once, Jane, the unnamed narrator, who is a stranger to herself, takes full control of her thoughts, she quickly reverses John’s character. Instead of seeing John as a resilient,Show MoreRelatedThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman885 Words   |  4 Pagesbeen a stigma around mental illness and feminism. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the 1900’s. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† has many hidden truths within the story. The story was an embellished version her own struggle with what was most likely post-partum depression. As the story progresses, one can see that she is not receiving proper treatment for her depression and thus it is getting worse. Gilman uses the wallpaper and what she sees in it to symbolize her desire to escapeRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman846 Words   |  4 PagesHumans are flawed individuals. Although flaws can be bad, people learn and grow from the mistakes made. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, gives one a true look at using flaws to help one grow. Gilman gives her reader’s a glimpse into what her life would have consisted of for a period of time in her life. Women were of little importance other than to clean the house and to reproduce. This story intertwines the reality of what the lives of woman who were considered toRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1362 Words   |  6 Pagesas freaks. In the short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, both of the se elements are present. Gilman did a wonderful job portraying how women are not taken seriously and how lightly mental illnesses are taken. Gilman had, too, had firsthand experience with the physician in the story. Charlotte Perkins Gilman s believes that there really was no difference in means of way of thinking between men or women is strongly. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a short story about a woman whoRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1547 Words   |  7 PagesCharlotte Perkins Gilman s career as a leading feminists and social activist translated into her writing as did her personal life. Gilman s treatment for her severe depression and feelings of confinement in her marriage were paralleled by the narrator in her shorty story, The Yellow Wallpaper. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. Her parents, Mary Fitch Perkins and Fredrick Beecher Perkins, divorced in 1869. Her dad, a distinguished librarian and magazine editorRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman2032 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a poem about women facing unequal marriages, and women not being able to express themselves the way they want too. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in 1860, and died in 1935. This poem was written in 1892. When writing this poem, women really had no rights, they were like men’s property. So writing â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† during this time era, was quite shocking and altered society at the time. (Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Feminization ofRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman904 Words   |  4 Pagescom/us/definiton/americaneglish/rest-cure?q=rest+cure). Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper as a reflection of series of events that happened in her own life. Women who fought the urge to be the typical stereotype were seen as having mental instabilities and were considered disobedient. The societal need for women to conform to the standards in the 1800s were very high. They were to cook, clean and teach their daughters how to take care of the men. Gilman grew up without her father and she vowedRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman999 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a story of a woman s psychological breakdown, which is shown through an imaginative conversation with the wallpaper. The relationship between the female narrator and the wallpaper reveals the inner condition of the narrator and also symbolically shows how women are oppressed in society. The story, read through a feminist lens, reflects a woman s struggle against the patriarchal power structure. In the â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses the wallpaperRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman Essay1208 Words   |  5 Pagesthat wallpaper as I did?† the woman behind the pattern was an image of herself. She has been the one â€Å"stooping and creeping.† The Yellow Wallpaper was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In the story, three characters are introduced, Jane (the narrator), John, and Jennie. The Yellow Wallpaper is an ironic story that takes us inside the mind and emotions of a woma n suffering a slow mental breakdown. The narrator begins to think that another woman is creeping around the room behind the wallpaper, attemptingRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman846 Words   |  4 PagesThe dignified journey of the admirable story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† created by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s, gave the thought whether or not the outcome was influenced by female oppression and feminism. Female oppression and feminist encouraged a series of women to have the freedom to oppose for their equal rights. Signified events in the story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† resulted of inequality justice for women. Charlotte Perkins Gilman gave the reader different literary analysis to join the unjustifiableRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1704 Words   |  7 PagesEscaping The Yellow Wallpaper Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) whom is most acclaimed for her short story The Yellow Wallpaper (1891) was a women’s author that was relatively revolutionary. Gilman makes an appalling picture of captivity and confinement in the short story, outlining a semi-personal photo of a young lady experiencing the rest cure treatment by her spouse, whom in addition to being her husband was also her therapist. Gilman misused the rest cure in The Yellow Wallpaper to alarm other

Presidential Outline of Andrew Jackson free essay sample

President Van Buren didn’t receive much education as a child. His parents were Dutch and spoke fluent Dutch. His father, Abraham, owned a tavern. In the tavern, Van Buren spent much of his childhood observing, studying, and listening to the political arguments there, giving him some experience. His formal education ended at the age of 14. B. At the stunning age of 13, President Jackson entered the army in the American Revolution. This ended his childhood and unfortunately wiped out his whole family. He became very skilled as a solder in the Revolution. After he was done serving in the military, he also became a U. S. congressman, U. S. state senator, and he was also the U. S. governor with Florida. After he retired from being president, he became a farmer. IV. Opponents in Election C. 1828 1. Democrat – Andrew Jackson 2. National Republican – John Quincy Adams * This presidential election gave voters two more divisions of political parties to choose from. The Maysville Road Bill was brought into consideration which stated that the federal government should purchase stock in areas like Maysville, Washington, Paris, Lexington, Ohio, etc. Congress passed this bill, but it was further vetoed by President Jackson. H. Worcester v. Georgia (1832) – This was a case under the Supreme Court in which they vacated the conviction of Samuel Worcester and also held a Georgia statute that prohibited non Native Americans to from being present on Indiana lands. John Marshall was chief justice at the time. This case was famous because of the results of the friendship between the US and Native Americans afterwards. I. South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification (1832) – As United States started to become more and more industrialized, they soon passed a highly protective tariff that infuriated the Southern States, South Carolina in particular. They felt that it benefitted the North and destroyed the South. This tariff benefitted American producers of cloth. It also shrunk demand for southern cotton, making the southerners upset as well. J. Veto of Bill to recharter the Second Bank of U. S. 1832) – In July of 1832, President Jackson vetoed a major bill that would have renewed the corporate charter of the Second Bank of the United States. This was one of the most definitive acts in his presidency. The Second Bank of the U. S. was created as a result from the War of 1812, yet it has been very controversial ever since it was made. K. Compromise Tariff (1833) – This tariff was proposed by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun as a resolution to the SC Nullification crisis. This act stated that important taxes would be gradually cut over the next decade until the levels of the 1816 tariff reached 20%. These reductions only lasted a small two months. L. Force Act (1833) – This act came about because of South Carolina’s Ordinance of Nullification in1832. This act also empowered President Andrew Jackson to use military forces such as the army and navy, if it was necessary, to enforce acts on Congress. Even though it did that, it mainly enforced tariff measures that South Carolina has objected in the Ordinance of Nullification. M. Beginning of the Second Seminole War (1835) – This war was also called the Florida war. This conflict began in 1835 and lasted until 1842 between various groups of Native Americans in Florida cause a series of conflicts. They called them Seminoles, hence the name of the war itself. It was the most expensive war fought by the United States at that time. N. Beginning of Texas War for independence (1836) – This was a military conflict between the government of Mexico and Texas. This conflict resulted in an establishment of a Texas Republic after the final battle of this war/revolution. Texas was originally a part of Mexico and wanted to break away, so they had to fight for the separation just like the U. S. did with Britain. O. Battle of the Alamo (1836) – This was the first major battle of the Texas independence war. The Mexican’s leader was General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana, who was a former president in Mexico. The Americans and Mexicans fought and eventually the Mexicans won the battle easily. P. Specie Circular (1836) – This was an executive order from President Jackson stating and requiring that payment for the purchase of public lands will be made exclusively in gold or silver. This eventually led to the Panic of 1837 due to the large influx of paper money, etc. Q. Battle of Sam Jacinto (1836) – This battle was the birthplace of Texas liberty. American general, Sam Houston, took his pioneers and attacked at Santa Ana and his Mexican troops once again. The battle lasted only twenty minutes. It was short, yet memorable. The Texans majorly defeated the Mexicans in this battle, with only 9 Texans dying total. R. Arkansas enters the Union (1836) – Arkansas entered the Union as a slave state in June of 1836. It was the twenty-fifth state to enter the Union. The purpose of this state being added was to equal the balance of power between free states and slaves state. S. Michigan enters the Union (1836) – On the same day as Arkansas, Michigan entered the Union as well. Unlike Arkansas, Michigan entered the Union as a free state instead of a salve state. Michigan was the twenty-sixth state. T. Charles River Bridge v. Warren River Bridge (1837) VII. Major Social Movements or Events U. Webster-Haynes Debate (1830) – This was a famous debate in the United States between the Senator Daniel Webster and the Senator Robert Y. Haynes. The general topic of their powerful debate was the topic of protectionist tariffs. Webster’s second attack directed to Haynes was the most powerful, and was even paraphrased by future president Lincoln in his Gettysburg address. V. Nat Turner Rebellion (1831) – This was a major slave rebellion that took place in Southern Virginia. The rebellion was led by Nat Turner, and he led many rebel slaves who murdered over 50 white men. The rebellion only lasted a few days, but it had a huge impact on future decisions and beliefs about slavery. W. Black Hawk war (1831) – This was a brief conflict in 1831 between the United States and the Native Americans. This war got its name from the Native American leader, Black Hawk. It began when certain groups of Native Americans crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois. X. First issue of the Liberator published (1831) The Liberator was an abolitionist newspaper that was made by William Lloyd Garrison in 1831. He published the Liberator weekly. He set a national tone by these papers, and continued writing them for about 35 years after he published the first issue. Y. Samuel Francis Smith writes â€Å"America† (1832) Samuel Francis Smith was most famous for writing and composing a popular patriot song, â€Å"My Country Tis of Thee†. At the time he called his song â€Å"America†. He was given much praise for it back then, and still does today. Z. Jackson’s Proclamation in response to S. C. (1832) – In December, President Jackson issued this proclamation. In his proclamation, he stated that the states are forbidden form nullifying federal laws. He also addressed throughout the entire speech that he believed in the federal government and that it was the supreme power in the US rather than state powers. [. New York Herald begins publication (1835) – The New York Herald was a huge distribution newspaper with its headquarters in New York City. The first issue of this collection of paper was made by James Gordon Bennett, Sr. in May. These papers lasted until 1945. VIII. Major Technological Events \. Cyrus McCormick invents the reaper (1834) – McCormick introduced this new invention to his workers that worked hard, gruesome, hours. The reaper was a horse drawn farm tool to cut down small crops. It also replaced the manual cutting of the crops with sickles, knives, etc. It was a useful invention to many laborers. ]. Samuel Colt patents the revolver (1835) – Samuel Colt was an American inventor and an industrialist. He was the founder of a business called Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company. In that business he made mass productions of the revolver. The revolver was a certain type of gun used for wars, hunting, etc. ^. John Deere invents the steel tipped slow (1837) – John Deere was an Illinois blacksmith and manufacturer. In 1837 he designed the first steel tipped plow. It was used to assist the Great Plain farmers. It was made for cutting through tough prairie grounds. IX. Major Conflict _. Texas war for independence – Texas was owned by many different people. It was owned by the French and also owned by Spanish at one point. At this point in time, though, it was owned by Mexico. Texas wanted to fully be a part of America. There was history being made and a lot of expansion and different states that keep adding to the Union. Other factors came into play, but things really set them off. Just like we had to fight the British for independence, they had to fight Mexico. There were a series of battles in this war for independence, and eventually Texas officially became part of the Union. X. Presidential Evaluation `. What were the goals and objectives of the President when he came to office? How successful was he in accomplishing these goals? President Andrew Jackson and his administration had several goals. One of them was to continue expanding the western expansion in the United States. He also wanted to take the government out of the banking business, support family farmers and other people in the lower class, and also to keep the federal government from being too active. He was quite successful in most of these goals. Jackson had many goals and these were just the major goal and objectives he had for his country. . Who influenced the President in decision-making? Why were these people influential? How did they contribute to the decisions he made? President Jackson had a few people help him throughout the way. He first trusted and used his administration and cabinet for back-up and more help. Both of his parents died at a young age, along with all of his brothers as well, so they gave him a sense of moral support with all of his tough decisions as President in spirit. Also his two vice presidents were big influences of Andrew Jackson. b. Describe the President’s leadership style Andrew Jackson was a tremendous general in creating American control in the south/southeast. Jackson also helped capture Florida from Spain, and other things when his career revolved around the military. He definitely showed leadership in the military area, and had a lot of knowledge about the military while he was President. As president he paid off the national debt, conducted an effective foreign policy, expanded the powers of the presidency, and fought the most powerful and corrupt financial interest of his day c. What would you include as to this President’s successes in office? President Andrew Jackson was very successful during his presidency in the amount of things that were accomplished and what goals and objectives he actually did accomplish as well. When Jackson was president, he added new states to the Union, he paid off a lot of the national debt in the U. S. , expanded presidential powers and duties, and he also managed to discard the tensions in South Carolina with their Ordinance of Nullification. He was one of the first President’s that was active in the frontier of the United States. d. What would you list as failures for this President’s administration? It’s said that President Andrew Jackson had many successes inside and outside of office, but he was not perfect. He had flaws. First of all, he paid off most of the national debt, but he shut down the Second Bank. That caused a small depression in the economy and it later caused the Panic of 1837 after Jackson left office, causing many people grief. Many people also gave him a really hard time since he had some of the blame. He also made some bad choices when he chose his cabinet in his first term. e. In what areas did this President either continue or break with policies introduced by previous Presidents? Andrew Jackson kept quite a few of the policies created and enforced by presidents before Jackson. He mostly kept all of the policies except for one. He did not agree with a ridiculously strong federal government unlike many and also strongly disagreed with the Second Bank of the Unites States. He disliked it so much that he got rid of it. Basically Jackson stayed pretty faithful with the path left behind him, but had several different opinions and different choices. f. In what ways did this President influence decisions made by future Presidents? Jackson was not the biggest role model by future presidents. He had many events in his presidency, but not many people remember him for what he did to our country. He definitely set an example for us to follow, but many may not know what he did or if he was a good president or not. g. Without looking at lists created by historians, how would you rate this President on a scale from 1 to 10? (With ten being the highest. ) Briefly explain why you chose this rating. In my opinion, I would rate President Andrew Jackson as 6 out of 10. He did many admirable things for the American people that benefitted them. He completely wiped out the national debt, expanded the union, etc. Andrew Jackson was the first president elected by a majority of the popular vote. He did manage to avoid the simmering of possible secession with a strong central government. Despite these good things that have happened to him, he had weaknesses, and the weaknesses were pretty big. By killing the Second Bank of the United States, he brought the Panic of 1837 along with him. Also, no president wants a war in their term, and he did. He actually had quite a few. He definitely had more successes than failures in quantity so 6 out of 10 seem like an ideal score for Mr. Jackson.