Write the first sentence. Provide the name of the author, the genre of the work and the title. Supply a rhetorically accurate verb, such as "assert," "argue," "deny," "refute," or explain the word "that" and the thesis of the work in question. For example, an ideal first sentence in a rhetorical précis reads Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novella, "The Little Prince" (1943), asserts that "what is essential is invisible" and that adult human beings, who have an innate capability to love and be loved --- to "tame" and "be tamed" --- but squander this opportunity by focusing on the visible and, thus, inessential world.
Craft the second sentence as precisely as the first. Provide an explanation of how the author supports or argues his thesis. Make the explanation brief --- concentrate on the rhetorical method --- the clear and effective way the author communicated his thesis --- to support his idea. The beginning of the second sentence, in "The Little Prince" example, may begin with: "Saint-Exupéry supports his claim by pointing out the ways that humans busy themselves with "matters of consequence," while ignoring the extraordinary matters surrounding them at every second, from snake to stars to a single flower." Describe how you reacted to the work, what you learned from it and provide your personal reactions to the author's method and style of communication.
State the purpose of the author's work. Use the phrase "in order to" or "his purpose is to ...." as the first part of the sentence. Explain to readers why the author wrote the piece, to answer the "so what" question of why you feel, or many people agree, the work is important. In "The Little Prince" example, a brief third sentence may state: "In order to communicate that the imagination is a powerful resource which gives us the ability to see and feel the invisible, Saint-Exupéry shares examples of how the inside is often more important than the outside, as shown in the elephant in the boa constrictor example, the little prince's relationship with his flower, and the secret presence of the well in the desert."
Share with readers the author's intended audience. Clarify how the author speaks directly to that audience. You may use the transition phrases "given," "in order to," or "according to" as a beginning of the sentence. For "The Little Prince" rhetorical précis, you may write: "Given the metaphysical and philosophical tone of the book, mixed with the humorous and simple narrative of the novella, "The Little Prince" is a book intended on one level for children and, on another level, for adults, who, due to life experience, can glean meaningful analogies and lessons from the work."
Use the précis as an introduction to a research study. Employ a reaction précis, if desired, beneath the rhetorical précis. In the reaction précis, state how you reacted to the work, what you learned from it and give your personal reactions to the author's method and style of communication.