Newsletter and Grammar Coach

At the beginning of most business, government or academic reports of more than a dozen or so pages you can expect to find introductory content of some kind — either an executive summary, a synopsis, an abstract or perhaps a précis. Although all of them are preludes, those terms and their functions are not synonymous. If you have been asked to write a report and you’re expected to include an introduction that synthesizes major points, what should it be called and what should it contain? Read on and we’ll help you find out how to decide.

The type and purpose of a report determine which type of condensation would be most appropriate as introductory content. Let’s start with the broadest type first, followed by more specialized types of abridgment.

Summary

A summary is often labeled an “executive summary” because its purpose is to enable readers — notably busy executives — to quickly assimilate the salient points of a report. Commonly used with business and government reports, executive summaries are brief versions of the entire report. An executive summary should include a description of the problem discussed, explain the research that was conducted about it, describe the study methods, and — most importantly — succinctly present the key findings, conclusions and recommendations. The summary should be only 5% to 10% of the length of the full report. Illustrations should be used sparingly, if at all, in an executive summary. An executive summary should be able to stand on its own to the extent that a decision maker can derive all the information that’s necessary to make a sound funding or policy decision without reading the full detailed report.

Abstract

Scholarly writing typically incorporates an abstract rather than a summary. An abstract does not summarize a full report, but instead describes the contents of the complete document to help people determine if they would find the full article worthwhile. Abstracts may be classified in either of two types: descriptive or informative. A descriptive abstract presents the purpose and scope of the study in general terms, but excludes the findings of the report; such abstracts are appropriate for proposals or progress reports. An informative abstract identifies not only the purpose but also the key research findings and conclusions of a study. Abstracts should be succinct, composed in a single paragraph consisting of no more than 250 words, according to the widely used Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). Abstracts written in compliance with Chicago Manual of Style guidelines can be up to 500 words long. They should consist entirely of narrative text, with no tables, lists or illustrations.

Précis

A précis (pronounced pray-SEE) is another condensed form used in academic writing, but it differs from an abstract in two ways. An abstract may include passages from the full document; in contrast, a précis typically contains paraphrasing rather than verbatim statements from the full report. Unlike an abstract, which focuses on research, a précis explains the purpose of the full text by discussing key ideas and arguments. The précis should model the overall tone and sequence of idea presentation of the full report. The APA Publication Manual describes a précis as a concise summary of essential points, statements or facts from an original work. It notes that “the précis structure includes a brief thesis and sections that mirror the sections of the original work, such as Method, Results and Discussion.” A précis may be even more succinct than an abstract, or perhaps as long as a quarter the length of the full report, as the APA Publication Manual indicates.

Synopsis

The term “synopsis” denotes a different type of summary, typically of a plot line of a novel, theatrical play or motion picture. A synopsis does not have the length restrictions of an abstract, précis or synopsis, and consequently can be more expressive in writing style. Book publishers typically require prospective authors to submit a synopsis — a detailed description of the structure, purpose, goals, key points and unique aspects of the manuscript being proposed for publication.

These various forms of condensation do have one aspect in common. Each should be written only after the full report is completed. That about sums it up.

Two years after publishing the first edition of his book Sum and Substance theorizing about the place of humanity in the universe, author William L. Martin has written and published an updated edition subtitled You, Your Universe and your World. Martin felt compelled to update the book, as he explained in the preface, to help readers “take this journey to a richer comprehension of your life and its meaning, the evolution of our universe as understood by science, and the path of civilizations from the first humans to modern times.”

Reminding readers that they are the product of 4 billion years of evolution of life on Earth, he observed, “I have written this in my ninth decade, and it represents my understanding of life gained backward.” He added, “My hope is to add something to your life as you see it through your own eyes, understanding backward, but living forward.”

With undergraduate and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), William Martin had a varied career with a broad range of responsibilities. He worked as a designer of computer and military command and control systems in the defense industry, administered a major commercial air traffic control program, gave senior-level briefings at the Pentagon and NATO headquarters, taught at MIT and USC, and was vice president of engineering for a Northern California test equipment firm.

Following his retirement, William immersed himself in philosophical thought and began composing his observations about human existence, drawing upon his broadly encompassing perspective. Sum and Substance — Comprehending You, Your Universe and Your World leads readers on a personal journey to a richer comprehension of their own lives within the context of civilization, from the first humans to modern times, and theorizes about our relationship to the universe. The book is not only permeated with wisdom but also laced with humor.

"A million years ago, your ancestors would still be recognizable hominids, but you could not have children together. You would no longer be the same species," he wrote. "Everything alive on Earth shares the common bond of DNA as the fundamental means of reproduction and continuity. Not only do you share over 99 percent of your DNA with a chimpanzee, you share 50 percent with a potato."

Numerous reviewers have showered praise on Sum and Substance — You, Your Universe and Your World. One described it as “an easy read for all humans to truly understand our uniqueness within space and time.” Another reviewer wrote, “The book is full of information and insights that are sure to help people grow their understanding of their reality and the world they live in.” One reader declared it simply “a masterpiece.”

The intention of Sum and Substance — You, Your Universe and Your World is not to tell you what to think, but rather to give you a foundation for comprehending everything you experience. By exploring how others have defined the meaning of their lives, it lays out the means for you to determine how to define your own unique purpose.

If you have been writing a book and you’re ready to publish it, as William was, EditPros’ BookPrep service can help you achieve your goal. As part of the BookPrep package, EditPros professionally designed and formatted the cover and interior pages of Sum and Substance — You, Your Universe and Your World, and prepared the contents for print publication. We also reformatted it for its e-book edition. William preferred to grant exclusivity to Amazon for both editions.

This is the 60th book that BookPrep has produced for authors during the past eight years. With BookPrep, authors retain all rights to their books, and collect 100% of sales royalties.

We invite you to LEARN MORE about the EditPros BookPrep service.

Derrick A. wrote:

“The news these days has lots of reports about ‘deep fakes.’ I know that term refers to falsified photos or deliberately deceptive videos, but I don’t understand the ‘deep’ part of ‘deep fake.’ It seems like something is either fake or it isn’t. What is ‘deep’ about a deep fake?”

The grammar coach replies:

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