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Active Voice: A grammatical construction in which the subject of the sentence
performs the action expressed by the verb. For example, "The cat chased the
mouse."
Analogous Evidence: Evidence that draws parallels between similar situations to
support a claim or argument by demonstrating how they are alike in relevant
aspects.
Anecdotal Evidence: Evidence based on personal stories or isolated incidents,
rather than systematic research or data, often used to illustrate or support a point.
Antecedent: The noun or noun phrase to which a pronoun refers. In the sentence
"Samantha lost her keys. She looked everywhere for them," the antecedent of the
pronoun "her" is "Samantha". The pronoun "She" refers to "Samantha", and "them"
refers to "keys".
Best Practices: Established methods or techniques considered most effective and
efficient for achieving a particular outcome.
Bottom Line: The most important or fundamental point, conclusion, or result of a
discussion or analysis. In business writing this is often placed first in a document!
Call to Action: A statement or request in writing that urges the reader to take a
specific action, such as "Sign up now" or "Donate today."
Chunking: The practice of breaking down information into smaller, manageable
units to improve comprehension and retention.
Codified: Formally written down and established, often referring to rules,
procedures, or standards that are officially documented.
Complex Sentence: A sentence that contains one independent clause and at least
one dependent clause. For example, "Although it was raining, we went for a walk."
Compound Sentence: A sentence that contains two or more independent clauses
joined by a conjunction or punctuation. For example, "I wanted to go for a walk, but it
was raining."
Compound-Complex Sentence: A sentence that contains at least two independent
clauses and one or more dependent clauses. For example, "Although it was raining,
we went for a walk, and we enjoyed it."
Concrete Language: Language that uses specific, tangible details to describe
objects, actions, or events, making the writing clear and vivid.
Connotative Meaning: The emotional or cultural associations connected to a word,
beyond its literal definition. For example, "home" connotes warmth and security.
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Criteria: The standards or principles by which something is judged or evaluated.
Criteria are often used to assess the quality, value, or success of a piece of writing or
any other work.
Deductive Document: A type of writing that begins with a general statement or
premise and then presents specific evidence or examples to support that premise.
Denotative Meaning: The literal, dictionary definition of a word, without any
emotional or cultural associations.
Descriptive Writing: Writing that provides detailed and vivid descriptions to help the
reader visualize and experience the subject.
Diction: The choice and use of words in speech or writing. Diction influences the
tone and style of a piece and can vary based on context, audience, and purpose.
Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of others, often important
in writing to connect with the audience emotionally.
Empirical Evidence: Evidence obtained through observation, experimentation, or
research, rather than through personal anecdotes or opinions.
Ethos: An appeal to credibility and character in writing, aiming to establish the
writer's trustworthiness and authority on a subject.
Expository Writing: Writing intended to explain, describe, or inform the reader
about a specific topic or concept, often used in academic and informational texts.
Figurative Language: Language that uses words or expressions with meanings
different from the literal interpretation, such as metaphors, similes, and
personification.
Heading: A title or label at the top of a section of text that indicates the topic or
purpose of that section.
Idiom: A phrase with a figurative meaning that differs from its literal meaning, such
as "kick the bucket" meaning "to die."
Implicit Meaning: Meaning that is suggested or implied but not directly stated in the
text.
Independent Clause: A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence
because it expresses a complete thought. For example, "She went to the store."
Inductive Reasoning: Reasoning that starts with specific observations or instances
and draws a general conclusion from them.
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Jargon: Specialized or technical language used by a particular profession or group,
which may be difficult for outsiders to understand.
Lexicon: The vocabulary of a language or subject, including the set of words and
phrases used in a particular context.
Logos: An appeal to logic and reason in writing, using evidence and rational
argument to persuade the audience.
Message-Style Heading: A heading that conveys a complete message or idea,
often used to summarize or highlight the main point of a section.
Metaphor: A figure of speech that directly compares two different things by stating
that one is the other, without using "like" or "as." This creates a symbolic meaning.
For example, "Time is a thief."
Metrics: In writing, metrics refer to measurable criteria used to evaluate the
effectiveness or quality of content. This can include readability, engagement, or
adherence to certain stylistic guidelines. In poetry, metrics often refer to the rhythm
and patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Modifier: A word, phrase, or clause that provides additional information about
another element in the sentence, such as adjectives and adverbs.
Narrative: A spoken or written account of connected events; a story that is often
structured with a beginning, middle, and end.
Organizational Pattern: The structure or arrangement of information in a document,
which can include chronological, cause-and-effect, or problem-solution patterns.
Parallelism: The use of similar grammatical structures or patterns in a series of
related words, phrases, or clauses to create rhythm and clarity.
Passive Voice: A grammatical construction in which the subject of the sentence
receives the action expressed by the verb. For example, "The mouse was chased by
the cat."
Pathos: An appeal to emotions in writing, aiming to evoke feelings such as
sympathy, anger, or happiness to persuade the reader.
Pejorative Language: Language that expresses disapproval or negativity, often
used to demean or criticize.
Point of View: The perspective from which a story or argument is presented,
including first-person, second-person, or third-person viewpoints.
Positive Messaging: Framing information in a positive, optimistic way to influence
the reader's perception and response.
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Precedent: An earlier event, action, or decision that is used as an example or guide
for future decisions or arguments.
Prescriptive Language: Language that gives advice or instructions on how to do
something or what should be done.
Qualitative Data: Data that is descriptive and often collected through observation or
interviews, focusing on qualities and characteristics.
Quantitative Data: Data that is numerical and can be measured or counted, often
used for statistical analysis.
Question-Style Heading: A heading that is phrased as a question to engage the
reader and indicate the topic or issue being addressed.
Rhetorical Situation: The context in which writing occurs, including the speaker,
audience, and purpose of the communication.
Schema: A mental framework or structure that helps organize and interpret
information based on prior knowledge and experience.
Semantics: The study of meaning in language, including how words and phrases
are used to convey meaning.
Simile: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like"
or "as" to highlight a similarity between them. For example, "Her smile was like the
sun."
Simple Sentence: A sentence that contains only one independent clause and
expresses a single idea. For example, "She writes every day."
Specific Language: Language that is precise and clear, providing exact details and
avoiding ambiguity.
Statistical Evidence: Data collected through statistical methods that is used to
support or refute a claim or argument.
Subjective: Based on personal feelings, opinions, or perspectives rather than
objective facts or data.
Subordinate Clause: A clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and
depends on an independent clause to provide context. For example, "Because it was
raining."
Syntax: The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in
a language.
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Testimonial Evidence: Evidence based on statements or opinions from witnesses
or experts, often used to support a claim or argument.
Tone: The attitude or feeling conveyed by the writer or speaker through their choice
of words, sentence structure, and style. Tone can range from formal to informal,
serious to humorous, and more.
Topic Sentences: Sentences that express the main idea or point of a paragraph,
usually found at the beginning of the paragraph.
Topic-Style Heading: A heading that indicates the topic of a section, often used to
organize content and guide the reader.
Vague Language: Language that lacks clarity or precision, making it difficult for the
reader to understand the exact meaning.
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