Business writing (деловое письмо). Палагина С.С. - 103 стр.

      9 Unit IX Art of Writing Precis and Abstract

      9.1 The abstract is an essence of the paper in miniature. It presents the
purpose of the study, points out major themes, method, results and conclusions.
The abstract helps the reader to decide whether the article is interesting or
relevant enough to warrant the time necessary to read all the details. The
abstract, therefore, must include enough information to fulfill its major
function, but it should be brief and concise
     9.1.1 Rules for Writing an Abstract

    1) Keep the abstract short. A 200-word limit is recommended;
    2) Write it as one paragraph;
    3) Do not use abbreviations;
    4) Do not include citations or references unless they are essential;
    5) Briefly describe the subjects, the structure of the study, the methods,
approaches and procedures;
    6) Summarize the main results, indicating whether they are significant;
    7) Stick mainly to Simple Present tense form;
    8) Do not present detailed discussion or exlanation;
    9) Never write it in the first person (I or we).

      9.2 Precis Writing

       9.2.1 THE PRECIS is a condensation of the original (usually ¼ to 1/3 of
the length), retaining, for the most part, the author’s style, tone, point of view,
and, very frequently, his words. What the student eliminates are the
illustrations, the detailed explanations, and lengthy speculations.
      Important steps for Precis Writing

      1) Read the text; as you read, note topic dealt with in each paragraph, underline
the topic sentence, key words, and important facts as you go along;
      2) Analyse how the facts are connected, how the topic of a paragraph is
connected with that of a preceding paragraph;
      3) Make a list of all the points you are going to mention in your precis. Write
them down using the necessary key terms. These notes must contain all the essential
facts. You must add no information of your own or your personal judgement;
      4) When writing your precis, put aside the original text and work from your
notes, putting information into complete sentences in your own words.

      9.2.2 Precis Writing SYLLABUS

      Step 1
      Reading
     (Objectives: to indentify the topic, to understand the message of the text, to
decide on the targets)
                                                                                   103