What is an "excerpt"?

An "excerpt" refers to a short piece of writing that is taken from a larger work, such as a book, article, or manuscript. This term is commonly used in literary contexts when discussing a selection of text that highlights specific themes, ideas, or examples from the original piece. An excerpt allows readers to engage with or analyze a portion of a work without needing to access the entire text. This can be particularly useful for understanding the main ideas or for presenting a sample of the writing style.

The other choices provided do not align with the definition of "excerpt." A complete book represents the whole work rather than a selection from it. An index of references consists of organized citations or entries, which is unrelated to the concept of excerpts. A product of rigorous research implies a thorough investigation and may refer to a study or report, but does not focus on the idea of a selected portion of a text.