Academic
Vocab: Part 1
Claim
• A statement essentially
arguable but used as a
primary point to support
or prove an argument is
called a claim.
• If somebody gives an
argument to support his
position, it is called
making a claim. Different
reasons are usually
presented to prove why a
certain point should be
accepted as logical.
Argument
• A form of writing that presents a particular opinion
or idea and supports it with evidence.
Counter Claim
• a claim made to offset another claim
• A position taken by someone with an opposing
viewpoint.
Refutation
• The reasoning used to disprove an opposing point.
o Note the difference from counterclaim
Concession
• An admission in an argument that the opposing side
has valid points.
Conflict
• A conflict is a literary element that involves a
struggle between two opposing forces usually a
protagonist and an antagonist.
• Internal Conflicts
• External Conflicts
Culture
• The shared set of arts, ideas, skills, customs,
attitudes, and values that characterize a group of
people, are passed on or taught to succeeding
generations.
• Age, music, language, ethnicity, history, art, etc.
Perspective
• A way of looking at the
world or a mental
concept about things
or events.
• Different people or
characters may have a
different perspective of
the world or events.
Tone
• Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a
writer toward a subject or an audience. Tone is
generally conveyed through the choice of words or
the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
• Every written piece comprises a central theme or
subject matter. The manner in which a writer
approaches this theme and subject is the tone. The
tone can be formal, informal, serious, comic,
sarcastic, sad, and cheerful or it may be any other
existing attitudes.
Voice
• The way a writer or speaker uses words and tone to
express ideas as well as his or her personas.
In groups of 3…
• Create a poster to teach your term to the class.
• You must have:
o
o
o
o
Your term in large writing
A definition in your own words
An example of your term
A visual representation of your term
Academic Vocab
Part #2
Allusion
• an expression designed to call something to mind
without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or
passing reference.
Anaphora
• The deliberate
repetition of the first
part of the sentence in
order to achieve an
artistic effect.
Diction
• style of speaking or
writing determined by
the choice of words by
a speaker or a writer.
• Formal or informal
diction can change
the effectiveness of
any piece of writing.
• Word choice
Imagery
• Imagery makes use of
particular words that
create visual
representation of ideas
in our minds.
• Evokes the 5 senses.
Metaphor
• a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is
applied to something to which it is not literally
applicable in order to suggest a resemblance.
• Comparison of 2 unlike things
Simile
• a figure of speech
involving the
comparison of one
thing with another thing
of a different kind, used
to make a description
more emphatic or vivid
• Using like or as.
Synthesis
• Combining a number
of different parts or
ideas to come up with
a new idea or theory.
• An example of
synthesis is when you
read several books and
use all of the
information to come up
with a thesis on the
subject.
Symbol
• The use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by
giving them symbolic meanings that are different
from their literal sense.
• Generally, it is an object representing another to
give it an entirely different meaning that is much
deeper and more significant.
Syntax
• The arrangement of
words and phrases to
create well-formed
sentences in a
language.
Theme
• Main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary
work that may be stated directly or indirectly.