difference between thesis and summary

Introduction

Goals and Goal Setting

Goals Common to All RST Writers

Other Goals to Consider

Defining My Own Goals

Advice about Assignments

Getting Started: Listing Topics to Write about in the Tutorial

Narrative One: Personal Piece on a Significant Experience

Narrative Two: Academic Piece on a Significant Experience

Summary/Response One

Summary/Response Two

Tutorial Evaluation Postscript

On Using the Resources for Writers

Generating and Developing Ideas

Finding/Expressing Main Ideas

Showing v. Telling Sentences

Focusing Topic Sentences

Thesis Statements

Reading Strategies

Assessing Your Reading Strategies

Summarizing

Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays

Discourse Analysis Worksheet

Trade Magazines

Selecting Readings

A summary is a concise paraphrase of all the main ideas in an essay. It cites the author and the title (usually in the first sentence); it contains the essay's thesis and supporting ideas; it may use direct quotation of forceful or concise statements of the author's ideas; it will NOT usually cite the author's examples or supporting details unless they are central to the main idea. Most summaries present the major points in the order that the author made them and continually refer back to the article being summarized (i.e. "Damon argues that ..." or "Goodman also points out that ... "). The summary should take up no more than one-third the length of the work being summarized.

The Response:

A response is a critique or evaluation of the author's essay. Unlike the summary, it is composed of YOUR opinions in relation to the article being summarized. It examines ideas that you agree or disagree with and identifies the essay's strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and logic, in quality of supporting examples, and in organization and style. A good response is persuasive; therefore, it should cite facts, examples, and personal experience that either refutes or supports the article you're responding to, depending on your stance.

Two Typical Organizational Formats for Summary/Response Essays:

1. Present the summary in a block of paragraphs, followed by the response in a block:

Intro/thesis Summary (two to three paragraphs) Agreement (or disagreement) Disagreement (or agreement) Conclusion

Note: Some essays will incorporate both agreement and disagreement in a response, but this is not mandatory.

2. Introduce the essay with a short paragraph that includes your thesis. Then, each body paragraph summarizes one point and responds to it, and a conclusion wraps the essay up.

Intro/thesis Summary point one; agree/disagree Summary point two; agree/disagree Summary point three; agree/disagree Conclusion

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Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence

Thesis statements, claims, and evidence, introduction.

The three important parts of an argumentative essay are:

• A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with.  Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct.
• Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement,  are not facts.  Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence.
• Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true.  Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas.  The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports.

Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence.

Paragraphs 1-7

Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement:  “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”  It is a thesis statement for three reasons:

• It is the article’s main argument.
• It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education.
• It requires evidence to show that it is true.

Finding Claims.  A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement.  Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence.

You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”

Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree.  For this reason, a claim needs support.

• Question 1.  Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence.

Finding Evidence. 

Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question.  Reread paragraphs 5-7.

• Question 2.  Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 8-10

Finding Claims

Paragraph 8 makes two claims:

• “The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.”
• “The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.”

Finding Evidence

Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence:

• “The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.”
• “Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.”

Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)?

Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence:  A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 11-13

Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that:

• “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement)
• “More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim)

Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story.

Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one?

Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)?

Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence?  Does it persuade you to agree with him?

Paragraphs 14-16

Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14.  Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16.  If you can’t find any evidence,  write “none.”

Claim:  The more education a person has, the higher their income.

Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.

Paragraphs 17-19

Evaluating Evidence

In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs.

Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far?   Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer.

Paragraphs 20-23

Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.”

To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist.  One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people.

What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants?

Paragraphs  24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms)

In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions.  To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application.

What statistic does he include?

In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid.

What do you think about this assumption?   Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions?

Supporting English Language Learners in First-Year College Composition Copyright © by Breana Bayraktar is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Graduate Writing Center

Executive summaries and abstracts - graduate writing center.

• Citations / Avoiding Plagiarism
• Critical Thinking
• Discipline-Specific Resources
• Generative AI
• iThenticate FAQ
• Types of Papers
• Standard Paper Structure
• Introductions, Thesis Statements, and Roadmaps
• Body Paragraphs and Topic Sentences
• Literature Reviews
• Conclusions

Executive Summaries and Abstracts

• Punctuation
• Style: Clarity and Concision
• Writing Process
• Writing a Thesis
• Quick Clips & Tips
• Presentations and Graphics

Executive summaries and abstracts both capture the essence of a project in a shorter form, but with differing levels of detail: an abstract is a highly condensed overview of the document, while an executive summary is a standalone version of the thesis in miniature.

See our handout on " What Goes in a Thesis Abstract? An Executive Summary? " for an overview of standard content and length—then, for more information and examples, read on!

For a more detailed explanation of abstracts, check out our infographics, tailored to your discipline:

• Defense management
• Social sciences

An abstract is a brief encapsulation of a document. Abstracts are quite limited in length (often about 200 words) and thus must be very concise, clear statements that convey a few key ideas:

• The topic and significance of the research
• The research question driving the inquiry
• The methods used to answer the question
• The findings and implications of the research

Understanding how an abstract is structured can also help you as a researcher. When conducting research , get in the habit of reading abstracts carefully to determine which documents closely fit your research needs.

Not all documents require an abstract, and most of your class papers won't. However, all NPS theses must have an abstract, and abstracts are often required for conference papers and articles submitted for publication .

Executive Summaries

Executive summaries are longer than abstracts, often running 2–5 pages. They summarize a larger document's purpose, methods, results, conclusions, and recommendations such that someone who reads  only the summary can glean a solid understanding of the research as a whole. Unlike abstracts, executive summaries can include citations and references .

Not all theses require an executive summary, so check with your advisor or department for guidance. The links below contain further information on the differences between abstracts and executive summaries.

In order to make your research easier to find by other researchers, it is a good idea to think about what searchable keywords are associated with your project. Make sure to include them in your abstract and executive summary!

Executive Summaries and Abstracts Links

• " What Goes in a Thesis Abstract? An Executive Summary? , " GWC and TPO
• " Abstracts ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• " How to Write an Abstract ," Phil Koopman, Carnegie Mellon University
• " Executive Summaries ," Colorado State University
• Layering Reports: The Executive Summary 1 " (6:35), Zachery Koppleman, Purdue OWL
• Layering Reports: The Executive Summary A Closer Look Part 1 " (5:53), Zachery Koppleman, Purdue OWL
• Chapter from a book: " Technical Reports, Executive Summaries, and Abstracts , " Robert Shenk, The Naval Institute Guide to Naval Writing

Writing Topics A–Z

This index makes findings topics easy and links to the most relevant page for each item. Please email us at [email protected] if we're missing something!

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J   K   L    M    N    O    P    Q   R    S    T    U    V    W   X  Y   Z

The Difference between an Essay and a Summary

If you sat down to write your essay and realized that what you've been assigned to write is a summary, you may be asking yourself what the difference is. Don't worry, there are just a few things you need to know.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a short, informative piece of writing that requires an introduction with a thesis statement that explains the writer's point in writing the essay. The introduction is followed by a body of at least three paragraphs with topic sentences that relate back to the thesis statement and expand on it. Finally, an essay should end with a conclusion that sums up the points and explains why those points led the writer to the conclusions they made on the topic.

Traditionally, an essay comes in four basic types: expository, descriptive, narrative, and persuasive. While essays are short in length, they should fully lay out the writer's thoughts in a concise way.

What is A Summary?

While an essay includes a summary at the end, the definitions of an essay and a summary are quite different. A summary is usually a very short piece of writing that is concise yet thorough. When all the main points in a piece of writing are explained in a much shorter way, a summary is complete.

What Should You Include in Each?

For most essays, you should include relevant information from outside sources and a bibliography or works cited page that gives proper credit to the writers of those sources. A clear thesis statement is key, as every essay should have a point that's easy to understand to anyone reading your essay. You should also include a summary of all your main points.

A summary should include only a quick recap of what's written in your essay or any other piece of writing you're summarizing. Give only the main points and a brief description of why they're important without expanding on them or adding additional commentary not found in the writing itself. A summary is never the place to introduce new information.

If you've been assigned a summary to write, your teacher or professor just wants to know that you understood the writing and were able to clearly identify the most relevant points. For an essay, you're being asked to offer new thoughts or information in a way that is solely yours.

• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Summary and Conclusion

In the absence of conclusion, the research paper might seem incomplete. It is often contrasted with a summary, but there are subtle differences between the two. A summary is nothing but a short and clear account of the text, covering the main points, facts or elements only.

Content: Summary Vs Conclusion

Comparison chart, definition of summary.

A summary is the compact account of the main text, i.e. an article, essay, drama, or some other form of literature. It gives an overview of the key points of the piece of writing. Moreover, one can also summarize anything which he/she has seen and heard, like speech, movie or lecture, etc.

It is typically about 5% to 15% of the original work, i.e. it may extend up to one to three paragraphs, which is around 100 to 300 words. It simply depends on the length of the text which is summarized. Its aim is to describe a piece of writing while including considerably less content than its original.

Ideal Summary

• An ideal summary is one that objectively highlights the entire form of literature.
• It should cover the focal point of every paragraph and the evidence supporting it.
• It should exclude all the irrelevant examples, details and information.
• It can make use of the keywords used in the original work, but should not use the same sentences and phrases, except if quotation marks are used.
• It must express the sense of the original work while using your own words and sentences.

Definition of Conclsuion

Conclusion refers to the epilogue which is given at the end of something, to deduce the findings. It forms part of the thought process, which combines all the points discussed, so as to reach a comprehensive idea or statement.

It is the final step in the process of reasoning, in which judgement, decision or opinion is formed after complete investigation and consideration. To conclude something, different types of perspectives are considered. It is only 10% of the research paper, which has two segments – summary and final thought .

Ideal Conclusion

• The conclusion is said to be ideal when it gives an interesting insight and should end on a positive note.
• Highlights the main argument presented in the piece of writing.
• Sums up the answer to the question, often stated in the introduction.
• Refer back the questions, states the key points and findings, and wind up the discussion with the final observation.
• Reinforces the primary theme of the study.
• Makes a strong and long-lasting impression on the reader.
• It should never introduce new points.

Key Differences Between Summary and Conclusion

The points stated below discuss the differences between summary and conclusion:

• A summary is an abridgement of the work of literature, which covers the key points succinctly. On the contrary, conclusion refers to the final part of the discourse which sums up the argument and gives a statement of opinion or judgement.
• A summary is written to provide the reader with a precise and objective narrative of the central ideas and aspects of the original text. Conversely, conclusion paragraph wraps up the text and presents the reader that you have accomplished, what you have set forth in the beginning.
• While a summary restates the facts and elements, which are discussed in the original text, conclusion tends to synthesize all the points and wrap up the discussion. It helps the reader understand the importance of the research.
• Ideally, the length of the summary is 5% to 15%, whereas the conclusion constitutes only 10% of the original work.
• A summary often demonstrates the central ideas of the text clearly and concisely. In contrast, the conclusion introduces a new outlook, proposes a course of actions, provides a solution to the problem, makes suggestions for further study, and makes deductions on the basis of the argument.
• A summary only includes the ideas of the original text. One should not insert their opinion, criticism, comments or interpretations. As against, the conclusion can include the researcher’s or writer’s views, ideas and criticisms at the end.

In a nutshell, a summary condenses the material as well as it informs the reader about the vital points. Contrastingly, a conclusion gives the reader the sense of completeness of the argument or topic, with a reason or final thought. It focuses on the final outcome of the argumentation or research.

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MultiDisciplinary

Anterior cruciate ligaments , by alexis jenkins.

Alexis Jenkins definitely is very active from the start. Sports have always been her passion; growing up, you could always catch her outside at the softball field playing with her high school, tournament team, or family. This all was until she had an almost career-ending injury occur not just once but twice. Luckily, she could continue to play two years of college softball, but she always wondered why tearing your ACL, also known as your Anterior Cruciate Ligament, was such a big deal. Now years later, she is a Senior here at Millersville studying Sports Journalism. After graduation, she plans to work her way into the ESPN world to eventually become an ESPN Broadcast Journalist.

• MiM Journal
• Mar 16, 2021

Main Differences Between a Summary and an Abstract

Writing for an abstract may have similar steps to writing for a summary, but they have different objectives and requirements. While an abstract is a short, descriptive paragraph overviewing your entire paper from introduction to the findings or future studies, a summary includes your entire paper and its visuals, just in a shorter length and more concise than it’s original document. This article will discuss the key parts to include in an abstract and a summary.

The abstract should summarize the main points of your paper without specific detail. So it should communicate, if relevant: main question of your paper, methods, major results or findings, the importance of results or findings, and how they shape a theory or answer your question.

-Start with the main point: The beginning statement should describe the main point you are trying to communicate to the reader. Sometimes, this may be the thesis, or it may be the research topic, all depending on what kind of paper you are writing.

-Keep it concise: This is meant to briefly discuss your article, and only talk about the main points between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

-Remember the length: This abstract is meant to be a paragraph; therefore, each piece of information given in the summary should be short, key parts of the article.

-Follow the same order: Make sure your abstract follows the same order that your paper is written in.

-Keep it to the facts: Keep in mind to only use factual statements or observations and avoid using opinions, repetition, and any ‘fluff’ content.

-Create an effective ending: The last sentence should be able to effectively wrap up the findings of the article.

On the other hand, the summary is a much longer version of the abstract, containing more details, visuals, and opinions.

-Follow the same order: Again, this should follow the same order as your paper.

-Keep in mind the length: Remember the length that the publication is asking your article to be at. With publishing for MiMJ , we are asking for a 2-3 page, 1000 word limit. With this, try to be concise and only have information that is key to conveying your message in your paper.

-Facts and opinions allowed: Unlike writing for an abstract, you are not limited to what kind of information you will be giving; you can include any fact, opinion, or finding, as long as it is a key piece of information that still allows your paper to be concise.

-You can use visuals: The use of visuals is welcomed while writing your summary. However, make sure they are necessary to convey your message to the reader due to the fact that summaries need to be concise (do you think I mentioned that your summary needs to be concise enough?). Secondly, make sure each visual that is used is explained well, as summaries are for a general audience.

-Remember the format: You still have to organize your paper in the format that is required by the publication you wish to publish your article with. With publishing with MiMJ , we require your paper to be written in 7th edition APA format.

-Remember your citations: As any paper would include, citations are an important way to credit the sources you used to create your wonderful paper. In addition, make sure your citations abide by the format you are using. This also ties in having a literature cited page as well.

In conclusion, your summary should be a shorter, more concise version of your original paper that still includes all important information and effectively translates the message from your paper. Whereas the abstract should be a short paragraph that presents all key facts and information. In the future, try to refer to this post as a mental checklist after writing any abstract or summary, or even while you are writing!

Furthermore, have you previously used any of these ideas while writing your summary? Are there any other tips that have helped you while writing a summary?

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This is a great explanation of Abstract and Summary.

This is very helpful information!

I think this is a very interesting paper discussing the differences between the two formats! Does anyone know if certain publications will prefer one type over another (ex: an abstract over a summary)? Or is it considered industry standard to include both?

Thesis vs. Synopsis — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Thesis and Synopsis

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, compare with definitions, common curiosities, what is the main difference between a thesis and a synopsis, can a synopsis be used for works other than a thesis, is a synopsis part of a thesis, what information is included in a synopsis, can a synopsis be published, how does a synopsis help readers or reviewers, who is the intended audience for a thesis, how long is a typical thesis compared to a synopsis, why is a thesis important in academia, what makes a good thesis, how detailed should a synopsis be, can a synopsis change after the thesis is completed, is it necessary to write a synopsis for every thesis, how is a thesis evaluated, do all academic disciplines require a thesis for graduation, share your discovery.

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Summary and Synthesis – What is the difference?

The terms of summary and synthesis are felt in common language as synonyms.

Actually, there are important differences between a summary and a synthesis.

The differences are:

• the number of texts (sources) taken into consideration.
• the way these texts (sources) are then interpreted.

A summary is an objective, short written presentation in your own words of ideas, facts, events, in a SINGLE PIECE OF TEXT .

A synthesis is a “combination” of SEVERAL TEXTS into a single one , which aims to create an understanding or original perspective of the information in those texts.

Be aware that there are many types of synthesis, shown in examples below.

Review Synthesis = a presentation of ideas in texts treating the same subjects.

Example : An essay about African Big Cats

Explanatory Synthesis = a particular theme in several texts in the same area.

Argument ative Synthesis = a selection of ideas in several texts, with aim to argument a certain point of view or your own point of view.

Illustration synthesis = ideas supporting your point of view, from several texts.

Example : Personalities pledging for Big Cats’ preservation in Africa

Concession synthesis = differing views that make stronger your point of view

Example : Big Cats hunting – a solution for species preservation?

Comparison synthesis = different views on a subject, presented with aim to highlight the most important aspects related to that subject.

Example : Big cats preservation – Mistakes and accomplishments

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Precis vs. Summary

What's the difference.

Precis and summary are both concise forms of written communication that aim to condense and capture the main ideas of a longer text. However, there are some key differences between the two. A precis is a highly structured and formal piece of writing that provides a detailed summary of a text, often including specific examples and supporting evidence. It focuses on preserving the original author's tone and style while condensing the content. On the other hand, a summary is a more general overview of a text, highlighting the main points and omitting specific details. It aims to provide a brief and objective account of the original text, without the need to maintain the author's voice. Overall, while both precis and summary serve the purpose of condensing information, precis is more detailed and formal, while summary is more concise and general.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When it comes to condensing information, two commonly used techniques are precis and summary. Both serve the purpose of providing a concise version of a longer text, but they differ in their approach and application. In this article, we will explore the attributes of precis and summary, highlighting their similarities and differences, and discussing their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Precis, derived from the French word "précis" meaning precise or condensed, is a concise summary of a text that retains the essential ideas and main points. It aims to capture the author's central argument or thesis, while omitting any unnecessary details or supporting evidence. A precis is typically written in the same order as the original text and maintains the original tone and style.

One of the key attributes of a precis is its brevity. It condenses a lengthy piece of writing into a shorter version, often reducing the word count by more than half. This makes it an ideal tool for quickly grasping the main ideas of a text without investing significant time in reading the entire document. Additionally, precis helps in improving reading comprehension by forcing the writer to carefully analyze and understand the original text before attempting to summarize it.

Another important aspect of a precis is its objectivity. It aims to present the author's ideas without any personal bias or interpretation. By focusing on the main points and omitting subjective elements, a precis provides a clear and concise overview of the original text, making it useful for academic purposes, such as research papers or literature reviews.

However, one limitation of precis is that it may not capture the nuances and subtleties of the original text. By condensing the information, some of the supporting evidence or examples may be omitted, potentially leading to a loss of context or depth. Additionally, the brevity of a precis may result in a lack of clarity or precision, as certain details may be sacrificed in favor of conciseness.

A summary, on the other hand, is a broader overview of a text that provides a condensed version of the main ideas, arguments, and supporting details. Unlike a precis, a summary does not necessarily follow the same order as the original text and may rearrange the information to enhance clarity or coherence. It aims to capture the essence of the text while providing a comprehensive overview.

One of the key attributes of a summary is its comprehensiveness. It includes the main ideas, arguments, and supporting details, allowing the reader to gain a thorough understanding of the original text without having to read it in its entirety. A summary can be particularly useful when dealing with complex or lengthy texts, as it provides a concise yet comprehensive overview.

Another important aspect of a summary is its flexibility. Unlike a precis, which aims to maintain the original tone and style, a summary allows the writer to use their own words and interpretation. This can be beneficial when the original text is difficult to understand or poorly written, as the writer can rephrase the information in a more accessible manner.

However, one limitation of a summary is that it may introduce subjective elements or bias. Since the writer has the freedom to interpret and rephrase the information, their own perspective may influence the summary. This can be problematic in academic or research settings where objectivity is crucial. Additionally, the comprehensive nature of a summary may make it more time-consuming to create compared to a precis.

While both precis and summary serve the purpose of condensing information, they differ in their approach and application. A precis focuses on capturing the main ideas and central argument of a text while maintaining objectivity and the original tone. It is brief, concise, and ideal for quickly grasping the main points of a text. On the other hand, a summary provides a comprehensive overview of the main ideas, arguments, and supporting details. It allows for flexibility in interpretation and rephrasing, making it useful for complex or poorly written texts.

When it comes to brevity, precis excels by significantly reducing the word count and providing a concise version of the original text. This makes it a valuable tool for time-constrained situations or when a quick understanding of the main ideas is required. Conversely, a summary offers a more comprehensive overview, including supporting details, which can be beneficial when a deeper understanding of the text is desired.

In terms of objectivity, precis maintains the original tone and style of the text, presenting the author's ideas without personal bias. This makes it suitable for academic purposes, where an objective overview is essential. On the other hand, a summary allows for the writer's interpretation and rephrasing, potentially introducing subjective elements or bias. While this flexibility can be advantageous in certain contexts, it may not be suitable for academic or research settings.

Both precis and summary have their limitations. Precis may sacrifice context, depth, or clarity due to its brevity, potentially leading to a loss of nuance. On the other hand, a summary may introduce subjective elements or bias, and its comprehensive nature may require more time and effort to create compared to a precis.

In conclusion, precis and summary are two distinct techniques for condensing information. While precis focuses on brevity, objectivity, and capturing the main ideas, a summary provides a comprehensive overview, allowing for flexibility in interpretation. Both techniques have their strengths and weaknesses, and their suitability depends on the specific context and purpose. Whether one chooses to use a precis or a summary, it is important to consider the desired level of detail, objectivity, and the time available for creating the condensed version. Ultimately, both techniques serve the purpose of providing a concise version of a longer text, enabling readers to quickly grasp the main ideas and arguments.

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