Rhetorical Precis Example & Formatting: Fill in the Blank Templates

The 4-Sentence Rhetorical Precis Format

The rhetorical precis follows Margaret K. Woodworth's exact formula. Each sentence has required elements in a specific order.

1. Overview of Required Sentences

Sentence 1: Author information + Main argument
Sentence 2: How the author develops the argument
Sentence 3: Author's purpose
Sentence 4: Intended audience and/or tone

Let's break down what each sentence must include.

2. Sentence 1: Author + Work + Main Argument

What this sentence does: Introduces the author, identifies the work, and states the thesis or main argument.

Required Elements (in order):

1. Author's full name
2. Optional: Brief phrase describing author's credentials
3. Type of text (article, essay, speech, book chapter)
4. Title of work
5. Publication date in parentheses
6. Rhetorically accurate verb
7. THAT clause containing the main argument
   
   

Formula:

Sentence 2: How the Author Develops the Argument

What this sentence does: Explains the methods, evidence, and rhetorical strategies the author uses to support their argument.

Required Elements:

• Author's last name as subject
• Development verb (develops, supports, illustrates, establishes)
• Three methods/strategies (presented in chronological order as they appear in text)

Formula:

Sentence 3: Author's Purpose

What this sentence does: States WHY the author wrote this piece and what effect they want to achieve.

Required Elements:

• Author's last name + possessive
• "purpose is to" (standard phrasing)
• Infinitive verb describing the goal
• "in order to" phrase explaining desired outcome

Formula:

Sentence 4: Intended Audience and/or Tone

What this sentence does: Identifies WHO the author is writing for and/or characterizes the author's TONE.

Three Acceptable Formulas:

Rhetorical Precis Example 1

1. Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (1963): A response to white clergymen who criticized King's nonviolent protests as "unwise and untimely."

In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (1963), Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and civil rights leader, asserts that nonviolent direct action is necessary to combat racial injustice when legal channels and negotiations have failed. King supports this claim by explaining the four steps of nonviolent campaigns, by responding systematically to critics' concerns about timing and methods, and by citing moral and legal precedents for civil disobedience including examples from Socrates, early Christians, and American patriots. His purpose is to justify nonviolent resistance in order to convince moderate white clergymen that immediate action against injustice is morally necessary rather than destructive. King adopts an earnest yet authoritative tone for his dual audience of white religious moderates who prefer gradual change and the broader community of civil rights supporters seeking validation for direct action.

2.  Sentence by Sentence Analysis

Rhetorical Precis Example 2

1. The Ugly Truth About Beauty

Dave Barry's "The Ugly Truth About Beauty" (1998): Humorous essay about gender differences in self perception.

In "The Ugly Truth About Beauty" (1998), Dave Barry, a humor columnist, argues that women generally do not think of their looks in the same way that men do, with men viewing themselves as average looking regardless of reality while women compare themselves to impossible standards. Barry illuminates this discrepancy by juxtaposing men's perceptions of their looks ("average looking") with women's ("not good enough"), by contrasting female role models (Barbie, Cindy Crawford) with male role models (He Man, Buzz Off), and by comparing men's interests (the Super Bowl, lawn care) with women's (manicures, weight loss). His purpose is to exaggerate and stereotype these differences in order to prevent women from so eagerly accepting society's expectations of physical perfection and to critique men who perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards. Barry ostensibly addresses men in this essay because he opens and closes by directly addressing men ("If you're a man...") and offers advice in a mockingly conspiratorial fashion; however, by using humor to poke fun at both genders' perceptions, he makes the essay palatable to women as well, hoping to convince them to stop obsessively comparing themselves to Barbie.

2. Sentence by Sentence Analysis

Rhetorical Precis Example 3

1. Henrietta's Dance

Rebecca Skloot, in her article "Henrietta's Dance" (2000), argues that Henrietta Lacks and her family have been continuously mistreated by doctors and researchers and deserve compensation for their contribution to medicine and the medical community's violation of the family's ethical rights. Skloot supports her argument by providing detailed descriptions of Henrietta Lacks and her family, by documenting how doctors took Henrietta's cells without consent and profited from them while the family remained poor and uninformed, and by revealing the ongoing exploitation through interviews with family members who learned about HeLa cells decades after Henrietta's death. Her purpose is to humanize Henrietta Lacks beyond her cellular contribution in order to persuade readers that bioethical standards must protect both patients and their families from exploitation. Skloot adopts a compassionate yet investigative tone for her audience of general readers interested in medical ethics and science history, using personal narrative to make complex bioethical issues accessible and emotionally resonant.

2. Why This Works

Rhetorical Precis Example 4

1. Contemporary Climate Article

In "The Climate Crisis We Can't Ignore" (2024), Dr. Sarah Chen, an environmental scientist, argues that immediate global policy intervention is essential to prevent irreversible environmental damage within the next decade. Chen supports this claim by analyzing three decades of temperature data showing accelerating warming trends, by examining the failure of international climate agreements to produce meaningful emissions reductions, and by projecting the catastrophic consequences of continued inaction through climate modeling. Her purpose is to galvanize policymakers into immediate action in order to prevent crossing critical climate tipping points that would make recovery impossible. Chen adopts an urgent yet scientifically rigorous tone for her dual audience of legislators with decision making power and scientifically literate citizens who can pressure their representatives.

2. Why This Works

Rhetorical Precis Example 5

1. Academic Literary Analysis

In "Fitzgerald's Critique of the American Dream" (2023), Professor James Morrison, a scholar of American literature, demonstrates that F. Scott Fitzgerald uses The Great Gatsby to expose the corruption and emptiness at the heart of 1920s American materialism. Morrison supports this argument by analyzing Gatsby's tragic pursuit of wealth as a means to win Daisy, by examining Fitzgerald's symbolic use of the green light and the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleberg, and by contextualizing the novel within the economic excess and moral bankruptcy of the Jazz Age. His purpose is to reveal the novel's enduring relevance in order to help contemporary readers understand how Fitzgerald's critique of wealth obsessed culture applies to modern American society. Morrison adopts a scholarly yet accessible tone for his audience of college students and literary enthusiasts, using close textual analysis alongside historical context to make classic literature feel immediately relevant.

Why This Works

Rhetorical Precis Example 6

1. Newspaper Op Ed

In her op ed "Why We Must Reform College Admissions" (2025), Dr. Angela Rodriguez, a university dean, contends that the current college admissions system perpetuates socioeconomic inequality and must be restructured to provide genuine equal opportunity. Rodriguez supports this claim by presenting statistical evidence of the correlation between family income and college acceptance rates, by exposing how legacy admissions and standardized testing favor wealthy applicants, and by proposing specific reforms including income based admissions adjustments and holistic review processes. Her purpose is to persuade university administrators and policymakers to implement systemic changes in order to make higher education accessible to talented students regardless of economic background. Rodriguez adopts a measured yet passionate tone for her audience of educational stakeholders, parents, and concerned citizens, balancing empirical data with moral urgency to make the case for immediate reform.

2. Why This Works

Filled Example of Rhetorical Precis

SENTENCE 1 INFORMATION:

• Author's full name: Dr. Maria Thompson
• Author's credentials (if relevant): Professor of Environmental Science at Stanford University
• Type of text (article/essay/speech/etc): Article
• Title: The Urgent Need for Renewable Energy
• Publication date: March 15, 2022
• Main argument (what is the author claiming?): Governments and corporations must invest heavily in renewable energy to prevent catastrophic climate change.
• Best rhetorical verb (argues/claims/suggests/etc): argues

SENTENCE 2 INFORMATION:

How does the author develop the argument? List 3 methods in order:

• By presenting recent scientific data on rising global temperatures and carbon emissions
• By comparing countries that have successfully implemented renewable energy policies to those that have not
• And by addressing common counterarguments about the cost and feasibility of renewable energy
  

SENTENCE 3 INFORMATION:

• Author's purpose (what do they want to accomplish?): To persuade policymakers and the public of the urgency of transitioning to renewable energy
• Desired outcome (what should change?): Increased funding and support for renewable energy initiatives worldwide

SENTENCE 4 INFORMATION:

• Author's tone (adjective): urgent
• Intended audience (who is this for?): Policymakers, environmental advocates, and the general public interested in climate change
• Evidence of audience (how do you know?): The article includes policy recommendations and explains complex scientific concepts in accessible language

Free Downloadable Templates

Bottom Line

The difference between a weak rhetorical precis and a strong one comes down to specificity. Generic phrases like "uses examples" don't prove you read the text. Specific details, precise verbs, and clear analysis do.

Use these examples as models. Study what makes them work. Consult our rhetorical precis guide. Then apply the templates to your own texts.

Good luck with your rhetorical precis!