Structured Practice

Precis practice: Public data and privacy

Precis

Precis 20 marks 35 minutes 120 words

Read the following original passage and write a précis of approximately one-third of its length. Supply a suitable title.

Public data can improve planning, reveal inequality, and enable citizens to evaluate government performance. At the same time, the collection of detailed personal information can expose individuals to surveillance, discrimination, and identity theft. The choice is not between complete secrecy and unrestricted openness. Sound governance distinguishes personal data from aggregated public information, limits collection to a defined purpose, secures databases, records access, and provides remedies for misuse. Trust grows when citizens know what is collected, why it is needed, how long it will be retained, and who can be held responsible.

Practice workspace

Write notes or your response

35:00

Suggested approach

Identify the central claim, remove examples and repetition, preserve logical relationships, write in your own words, and add a concise title.

Self-assessment rubric

Accuracy 40%; compression 20%; coherence 20%; language 15%; title 5%.