Exercise No:- 7

To study about Writing Skill and Precis

WRITING SKILL
Writing skills are an important part of communication. Good writing skills allow you to
communicate your message with clarity and ease.
Good writing skills can be developed with practice. The first thing that you need to do is to learn
the grammar rules. Although, you can speak without learning much grammar, you will not be able
to write correct sentences if your knowledge of grammar is poor. So, keep writing your writing
skills improve with practice.
How to improve English Writing Skills
English writing becomes a necessity for any student, scholar, business person who wishes to
advance his career. A few tips are presented below which will help improve English writing skills.
1. Write in English every day:
Most great writers agree that there are two main ways to become a better writer: write a lot, and
read a lot. Write one or two paragraphs (at least 200 words) every day.
Example: You could start writing a diary that happens to you every day.
2. Ask someone to check your writing (Editing)
Improve your writing by editing. The person or editor will find out the following
(i) Spelling mistakes.
(ii) Grammatical errors (tense, voice, punctuation)
(iii) Unnecessary words (e.g. that, the etc.)
(iv) Long sentences that can be split up or shortened.
(v) Confusing or vague points etc.
3. Rewriting:
A big part of editing and improving your writing work is rewriting. It will help you to rectify
grammatical mistakes and use of appropriate words and sentences.
4. Improve your vocabulary
An excellent way to improve your vocabulary is to read books, newspapers or magazines as much
as possible. When you learn a new word, try learn all the forms of that word and the prepositions
that are usually used with it.
5. Write about different topics
If you write about the same thing every day then you might use the same words and phrases over
and over again. So write about different topics as this will help to widen your vocabulary.
6. Write to your friends
You can write to your friends who speak English. There are many ways to do this - using social
media (Facebook, Twitter etc.), sending e-mail, writing text message, chatting on Skype, etc. You
request them to correct your English
7. Write a blog
Writing a blog is a great way to practice writing in English. Upload one blog article a week and
start writing
 PRECIS
The word 'Precis' is derived from the Latin word, (French word) 'Precisus' which means to cut short. A
précis is the shortened form of a passage.

DEFINITION
According to Collins English dictionary, a précis is a short written or spoken account of something, which
gives the important points but not the details.
A précis is a brief summary of a book, article, speech or other text.
Characteristics or qualities of a good précis
A good précis must have the following qualities:
1. Clarity: The idea should be clear and easily understandable by the reader.
2. Correctness: Facts and figures of the text must be accurately presented.
3. Objectivity: While making a précis, the writer should not add his personal opinion and ideas.
4. Coherence: Coherence means the logical and clear interconnection of ideas in the written piece of work
(i.e. precis).
5. Completeness: The writer must include all the important ides or facts in a precis.
6. Conciseness: The writer should write only the essential ideas or fact and avoid unnecessary details.
Conciseness can be achieved by
(i) omitting unnecessary details
(ii) Including relevant material and
(iii) Avoiding repetition.
7. Size: The length of the précis should be the one-third of the original passage or text.
Importance of Precis or Precis Writing
1. It is useful in grasping the ideas of a passage, extract, chapter or book.
2. It helps to increase the concentration level of the students when reading a passage that has to be
summarized.
3. It improves the writing skills of the students. It teaches how to express thought clearly. Concisely. It
teaches them to write in brevity following a logical order.
4. It helps the professionals and businessmen, top executives to get the complete message in brief instead of
reading the full passage or text; thus saves their valuable time.
Guidelines for Writing a Précis
1. First of all, read the text or passage a number of times so that the writer can understand the meaning of
the passage.
2. Note down the essential points of the text so that irrelevant points such as examples, illustrations, or
comments mentioned in the text or passage may be omitted.
3. If the original passage is separated into paragraphs, the précis must present them as a connected whole.
4. Make a rough draft of précis using the essential points outlined.
5. Arrange the essential points in a logical sequence.
6. Avoid using the words and sentences from the original passage unless absolutely necessary (i.e.
terminology used in the text may be used).
7. Exclude all illustrations, quotations, repetitions used in the passage.
8. Write in simple sentences and unambiguous language.
9. Use past tense and indirect speech while writing a précis. It is written in third person.
10. Do not include the opinion of the writer.
11. Compare the draft to the original passage and check that all essential points have been covered.
12. Prepare the final draft and ensure that the length of the précis is one third of the original passage. Check
spelling mistakes, grammars and errors in punctuation.
13. Write a title or heading of the précis. The title should not be in exclamatory or interrogative sentence. It
should be brief, crisp, meaningful and attractive. An appropriate proverb may also serve the purpose of the
title

Exercise No:- 5
To study about summarizing and abstract

SUMMARIZING
Definition and Concept
Summarizing is defined as taking a lot of information and creating a condensed version that covers the
main points.
A summary is the entire report of any text, passage, article or dissertation, book chapter etc. presented in a
nutshell. It presents a large chunks of information in short and cohesive (logical and consistent) sentences.
Guide lines for writing a Summary
Summarizing is a skill and requires proper guidance, constant practice and proper training. In business
organization or research institutions a summary is required at various stages. The Board of Directors, Chief
executive, Chairman, and experts in the field of education and research may not have sufficient time to read
complete report or proposal. They prefer a perfect summary.
The general guidelines or essential steps of summarizing are presented below.
1. Use perfect reading skill for summarizing the original text
Reading is a skill. It also plays vital role in developing summarization skill. Careful reading helps to
segregate the following aspects of any text (project report, dissertations, chapters etc.)
(a) Facts and opinion
(b) Examples, figures, tables etc.
(c) Main idea and supporting ideas
(d) Most important and less important points
2. Underline or note down major ideas
An important steps of summarizing is to note down or underline major ideas, key words, special terms,
phrases used in the text. This will help to
(a) Discard unimportant ideas
(b) Exclude map, charts, figures etc used in the text.
In writing summary of a Thesis or dissertation which contain several chapters viz. Introduction, review,
research methodology, results, discussion etc, note down important main points, special terms used in the
thesis from each chapter.
3. Check for appropriation
After noting down or collecting major points, it is essential to further check the noted points from the text
for appropriateness. This helps to include any important points missed or overlooked by the summary
writer.
4. Prepare a first draft
Next step of summary writing is the preparation of first draft. The following points should be kept in mind.
(i) Write in your own language to convey the idea.
(ii) Avoid technical language (except for project and Thesis) Write in simple and understandable english.
(iii.) The summary must be objective and written in the third person.
(iv) Illustrations, examples, quotations etc, are to be omitted
(v) Replace long phrases with single word
(vi) The draft must be complete and include maximum points
(vii) Enough care is required to avoid needless repetition
(viii) Develop a structured paragraph during this stage
(ix) Compare the summary to the original passage for accuracy.
(x) Check the draft for spelling mistakes, punctuation, grammatical errors.
Since the project work or Thesis/dissertations are divided into a number of chapters, it is better to write
summary draft in few paragraphs containing the summary of each chapter of the Thesis. A continuous write
up of more than one page is monotonous for the reader.
5. Prepare the final draft
The first draft of the summary always requires proper brush up and improvement. For writing final draft
arrange all the paragraphs logically. It is also essential to write objectively and insert link between each
idea with the help of words, such as, therefore, because, as, however. It is also essential to adjust the length
of a summary. Summaries can not include his own opinion or comments in the summary (except in
Dissertation/Thesis where both text and summary are written by the same person).

ABSTRACT
Concept
An abstract is a brief summary of a research paper, article, thesis, review, conference proceeding or any in-
depth analysis of a particular subject.
An abstract is written in a limited number of words and is often found at the beginning of a research paper
or article. It is essential that an abstract includes few key words of the research.
Characteristics of an Abstract
1. The abstract should not exceed 250 words for full length research paper and 100 words for notes.
2. A good abstract should accurately include information of the original document.
3. It should be clear, concise and free from jargon, so that it could be easily understood by the readers.
4. It should refrain from adding any information not included in the original paper.
5. The references, tables, illustrations, equation, formula, should not be given in abstract
6. It should include few key words which help the readers to identify main points of the paper.
7. It is generally written in past tense and passive voice.
8. The abstract is generally written after the research paper is completed.
9. It should not be divided into paragraphs.
10. The scientific names of plants, insects, full chemical names must be written in the abstract when the
common names are first mentioned.
11. Above all, a good abstract should briefly state -
(a) Topic or research (reasons for doing research, or background).
(b) The main objectives of research study
(c) Brief description of the methods used
(d) The main findings, and
(e) Conclusion.
Importance of Abstract
1. It provides the readers with the necessary information to understand the crux (the most important point)
of the research.
2. Abstracts help the readers or other research scholar to decide whether the research paper is relevant to
their purposes and whether they should invest time in reading the whole article.
3. A well-written abstract help publish a research paper.
4. A well-written abstract is recognized by the organizer of a Seminar or Conference and they also invite
the researcher to present the paper in the seminar.
5. The important 'key words' written at the end of abstract helps others in their own research for
information.
6. Abstracting and indexing are aimed at compiling a body of literature for that particular subject.

MICRO PRESENTATION
A micro presentation is a brief, focused presentation that typically lasts for 4 minutes. It covers a specific
topic concisely, emphasizing key points without going into extensive detail. The goal is to communicate
essential information effectively and engage the audience quickly.
Key characteristics of a micro presentation
Brevity: Only includes the most crucial points, avoiding unnecessary details.
Clear structure: Organized with a clear introduction, main points, and conclusion.
Visual aids: May incorporate simple graphics or bullet points for easier comprehension.
Focused message: Tailored to a specific topic and audience.
How to use micro presentation
Prepare beforehand: Write down your key points and supporting information in the PDF document.
Practice with the notes: Rehearse your presentation using the PDF as a guide to ensure you cover all
essential elements.
Deliver the presentation: Refer to the PDF during your presentation to stay on track and avoid rambling.
Common situations where micro presentations are used:
Job interviews: Giving a quick elevator pitch about your skills and experience.
Business meetings: Providing concise updates on projects or initiatives.
Academic presentations: Briefly summarizing research findings or key concepts.
Networking events: Quickly introducing yourself and your work to potential collaborators.

IMPROMPTU PRESENTATION

Impromptu: Definition

The definition of impromptu is something done without advance thought or without a plan. Impromptu
itself means "doing something without preparation".
An impromptu speech is given with little or no preparation, yet almost always with some advance
knowledge on the topic.
Example: If a student is called on in the class to give a short impromptu speech about a topic that was in
the assigned readings.
The interviews of politicians, the US Presidential debate or even the panel discussions of TV channels are
examples of impromptu speaking.
Impromptu speaking has become a norm in today’s world and is used in many instances; for selection into
B-schools and for job placement. It has become highly important for people to master impromptu speaking
to climb the rungs of the corporate ladder.
Advantages of Impromptu Presentation
1. Impromptu speaking is an excellent means of developing real world public speaking and analytical
skills.
2. It is useful for students interested in careers in law, and politics.
3. Good impromptu speakers are able to capitalize the opportunities that demand quick wit (imagination),
eloquence and poise (balance).

Tips for the Speaker (Impromptu Preparation)

1. Make sure to plan an introduction and a conclusion. If possible, take a few moments to think about what
you want to say to introduce the topic.
2. Make a few notes for yourself on a card, phone, or iPad.
3. Consider the simple three part outline of an introduction, body and conclusion and fit your ideas into that
pattern.
4. Remember the order of important points.
5. be sure to stop when you have made your points.
6. If you do not know what to say next, you can summarize what you have just said, and then will probably
be ready to move on to the next topic.
7. Non-verbal components should effectively be demonstrated.
8. Talk like you mean it. In other words, speak with conviction, you are explaining your ideas or
knowledge and you are an authority.
9. Relax.