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WHAT IS A RHETORICAL PRCIS?

A rhetorical prcis is a highly structured four-sentence

paragraph that acknowledges the rhetorical situation in which
any discourse occurs. The prcis records the essential
rhetorical elements involved in writing and in reading
discourse: the name of the speaker/writer, the context of the
delivery, the major assertion, the mode of development and/or
support, the stated and/or apparent purpose, and the
relationship established between the speaker/writer and the
audience.

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Woodworth, Margaret K. "The Rhetorical Precis." Rhetoric Review 7.1 (1988): 156-64. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.

HOW WILL I USE A RHETORICAL PRECIS?

You will complete a rhetorical precis structured paragraph for
each of the sources you select as options for the research
paper.
The sources must be scholarly (obtained from a book, article,
preferably from a database, or a credible website). You will
need a total of five sources for this assignment.
You will complete the steps explained in the slides that follow for
each of your sources. You will have a four sentence paragraph
for each source. The sentences are very structured and very
specific. Be sure to follow the directions.
The assignment must be typed using MLA format.

SENTENCE 1
The first sentence should include:
the authors name(s)
the title of the work
the date of publication in parentheses
a rhetorically accurate verb (such as asserts, argues, suggests,
implies, claims)
a that-clause containing the major assertion (thesis statement)
of the work
Ex: Robert Marzano in Summarizing to Comprehend (2010) asserts
that teachers will see an increase in student comprehension when
students are well-versed in effective summarizing strategies.

SENTENCE 2
The second sentence should explain :

how the author develops and/or supports the thesis.

should discuss methodologyhow the article works; that is,

how the author accomplishes his/her task.

should also support the strong verb used in SENTENCE 1.

should cite where to locate the specific points addressed.

Ex: Marzano supports this assertion by reviewing five key

strategies that lead to higher levels of comprehension; some of
these strategies include: emphasizing text structure to
differentiate between essential and non-essential information;
learning to decipher expository text structures such as
description, argumentation, definition, and comparison;
recognizing layers within expository text; creating graphic
representations of text structure; and finally, defining essential
vocabulary within the text (83-84).

SENTENCE 3
The third sentence should:

State the authors apparent purpose, followed by

an in order to (to, for) phrase

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Ex: The writer concludes that in order for students to improve
reading comprehension, they must be able to identify developmental
patterns within a text (84).

SENTENCE 4
The fourth sentence should:

Describe the intended audience and/or the relationship the

author establishes with the audience.

Identify the audience and/or the purpose of the essay.

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Ex: The writer establishes a direct tone to convince his audience
of educators that it is vital to use instructional strategies that
highlight multiple text structures in order to increase
comprehension.

GIVE THE MLA CITATION

Head each prcis with the MLA-style citation for the article
or book:

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Marzano, Robert J. "Summarizing To Comprehend."
Educational Leadership 67.6 (2010): 83. Print.

SAMPLE RHETORICAL PRCIS

Marzano, Robert J. "Summarizing To Comprehend." Educational Leadership 67.6 (2010): 83. Print.

Robert Marzano in Summarizing to Comprehend (2010) asserts that teachers will see an increase in

student comprehension when students are well-versed in effective summarizing strategies. Marzano
supports this assertion by reviewing five key strategies that lead to higher levels of comprehension; some of
these strategies include: emphasizing text structure to differentiate between essential and non-essential
information; learning to decipher expository text structures such as description, argumentation, definition,
and comparison; recognizing layers within expository text; creating graphic representations of text structure;
and finally, defining essential vocabulary within the text. The writer concludes that in order for students to
improve reading comprehension, they must be able to identify developmental patterns within a text. The
writer establishes a direct tone to convince his audience of educators that it is vital to use instructional
strategies that highlight multiple text structures in order to increase comprehension.

GRADING
Assessment for Rhetorical Prcis

Possible
Points

Adheres to the form of the rhetorical prcis (MLA citation, formatting and
sentence formulas)

Content thoughtfully and accurately represents the original text; represents a

synthesis of the original ideas (copying and pasting any part of the original text
or abstract will result in an automatic zero).

Sentence structure adheres to standard conventions of grammar, usage and

mechanics.

Total Points:

10

Earned
Points