Function variational principles and coercivity

The function type extension of Ekeland's variational principle [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 47 (1974) 324-353] due to Zhong [Nonlinear Anal. 29 (1997) 1421-1431] is deductible in a simplified manner and in a larger functional context. This is also true for his (normed) coercivity result, based on Palais-Smale techniques.