Writing a Rhetorical Precis

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Today you will write a rhetorical precis in your writer's notebook about the article you have been reading about stereotypes. 

The rhetorical precis is an AP strategy for briefly and concisely analyzing the content, purpose, and persuasive strategies of an expository text. A rhetorical precis is one paragraph, and follows the pattern below:

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Sentence 1: Note the name of the author, the genre and title of the work,and the publication date in parentheses; a rhetorically accurate verb; and a "that clause" containing the major assertion or thesis statement in the work.

Sentence 2: An explanation of how the author develops and supports the thesis, usually in chronological order.

Sentence 3: A statement of the author’s apparent purpose, followed by an “in order to” phrase.

Sentence 4: A description of the intended audience, the relationship the author establishes with the audience, or both.

Here is a frame of what each sentence should look like. Click on either image to see it larger. 

Here is an example of a precis from a previous reading: 

   Writer and musician, James McBride, in his article, “Hip-Hop Planet,” argues that though hip-hop is not his favorite genre of music it is one that demands to be heard. He supports his claim by first explaining that he avoided hip-hop throughout his life as it was first introduced to society and then made its way to becoming one of the most popular music genres of all time. He then explains how he eventually came to understand hip-hop for its message, and finally warns parents that it is here to stay and that ignoring it would be ignoring the voice of a generation. McBride’s purpose is to persuade people to keep an open mind about both hip-hop and other new experiences that may seem foreign to them at first but in fact are worth exploring. He adopts a serious and urgent tone for the parents he addresses and warns them not to shut out the music of their children’s generation.

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