A Glossary of Terms You May Find in Your Assignments
Andrea Worth
The following definitions will help guide you in meeting the expectations set in your assignments. These
are generally accepted definitions, but some professors may have a more specific meaning in mind when
they create their assignments.
Academic vs. Personal Writing: Academic papers are generally outlined, revised, edited, spell checked,
thought-out, and written in complete sentences. They have an introduction with a thesis, well-developed
paragraphs, cited sources, a conclusion, and a relatively formal tone. Napkin poems, notebook journals,
personal explorations, and letters and e-mails to friends are examples of personal writing.
Analysis: Analysis is separating the whole to examine its parts, which results in better comprehension of the
whole. For example, in the analysis of a marketing plan, one must consider the individual merits of each
part of the plan: the situation analysis, target audience, marketing goals, and strategy. Each individual
part adds something distinct to the overall plan.
Annotated Bibliography: An annotated bibliography lists the references consulted during research in alphabetic
order and briefly summarizes the information contained in each reference. Some assignments also
require an evaluation of each source. The annotated bibliography should begin with an introduction that
states the purpose of the research. See also “Clues for College Writers” or the Writing Center handout on
annotated bibliographies.
APA: The natural and social sciences primarily use the APA system of formatting papers and citing sources
developed by the American Psychological Association. Sources are summarized in a “References” page
at the end of the paper. Both the Writing Center and the library have current APA style manuals and
handouts.
Argument/Persuasion: In an argument/persuasion paper, the writer states a position on a controversial topic
and attempts to convince a reader to agree with that position. If your position states that those who talk
on phones while driving should be fined, you are committed to backing that argument with reasons and
evidence. You should also present opposing points of view in order to show why your position is more
reasonable than others’.
Bibliography: A bibliography is a list of the sources used and cited within the body of a paper. Each entry should
be alphabetized by authors' last names, and it should also include the title of the work and other
publication information.
Book Review: When doing a book review, include a summary of the content, the significance and purpose of the
book, the audience for whom the book is intended, and an evaluation of how successfully the book
achieves its purpose. You bring to a book review your own way of seeing the world: your own angle and
attitude.
Case Study: A case study is the analysis of a person, group, or unit, which often includes the causes of their
success or failure in a particular area. For example, a case study in a sociology course may focus on
how a particular family managed to stay together through poverty after a natural disaster. In general,
case studies analyze the particular situation by applying principles, concepts, and theory from the
discipline being studied (i.e. sociology, political science, business management, etc.)
Cause and Effect: The cause is the reason something occurs and the effect is the result. For example, the
cause may have been a natural disaster; the effect of that cause may have been poverty. A cause-effect
explanation is one method for developing essay topics.
Citation: A citation is the way you identify an author you use as a source. Using MLA style, it may look like this:
Russia fought in several wars to achieve its aim, and actually came within ten miles of Istanbul in the
Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 (Goldschmidt 137).
Compare: To compare is to note the similarities of two or more things. For example, there are similarities
between John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush. One similarity is that both their fathers were
presidents.
Concrete Examples: Concrete examples help develop a paragraph by supporting generalizations with specific
illustrations. For example, in a criminal justice paper, you might generalize that a range of scholars
believe the American criminal justice system favors the economically comfortable over the poor. A
concrete example to follow that generalization could be that the Minneapolis Phillips neighborhood, with
its high population density, is easier to patrol than the less densely populated suburbs, meaning that there
are more arrests in Phillips. Further, the poor people of Phillips have a limited ability to pay lawyers to
defend them. Instead, they have to depend on overburdened public defenders.
Contrast: To contrast is to note the differences between two or more things. A difference between John Quincy
Adams and George W. Bush is that the stern Adams considered himself, and was, an intellectual, while
George W. Bush, disarmingly, does not.
Critical Thinking: To think critically is to contemplate, to look beneath the surface, to read between the lines. It
is to not only be aware of something, but to reflect on it, react to it, examine it fully, and interpret it.
Critique: Many assignments call for a critique section to follow the analysis. Critique requires you to contribute
your own voice to the course conversation. Whereas analysis involves interpretation and meaningmaking, critique is evaluation.
Definition: To define is to clarify a term or concept; to make the meaning clear. The entries in this glossary are
examples of definitions.
Description: To describe means to capture the details of what can be seen, heard, felt, touched, smelled, or
tasted. It is to create a picture in the reader’s mind: The room had cherry colored walls and hardwood
floors. Streaming through the open window, the scent of spring and the sound of the returning blue jays
signaled that the semester would soon end.
Division/Classification: Division and classification is a way of developing paragraphs and essays that sorts
information in order to present it in an orderly manner. This method combines like items into a group and
then labels each group. For example, you might divide your neighborhood association into committees to
make clear the association’s various functions: parks, planning, city council, rundown properties, etc. You
might also classify the people in your neighborhood by the types of jobs they do: trades, business
executives, artists, small business owners.
Evaluation: Evaluation is the act of examining and judging something to determine its worth. For example, when
evaluating a journal article that looks at why certain Internet companies succeed, you might ask yourself
how much you can generalize about the cases cited. Was there a large enough sampling? Did the
researcher take all the variables into account?
Exposition: Your exposition section is a summary of key factual points that you select from assigned sources
and/or research.
In-text Citation: In-text citations identify the sources of information within the body of your paper. See the
discussion of APA and MLA citation styles later in this booklet.
Literary Analysis: Literary analysis is separating a text into parts and examining those parts. Literary analysis is
different from a book review because, in addition to summarizing the plot and purpose of a short story, for
example, it examines elements such as theme, structure, style, imagery, symbolism, and characterization.
MLA: The system of formatting papers and citing sources used primarily in the humanities (literature, philosophy,
etc.) is the Modern Language Association style. Sources are both cited in the text and listed in a “Works
Cited” page at the end of the paper. Both the Writing Center and the Library have current MLA style
manuals and handouts.
Narration: A narration tells the story of what is happening, what has happened, or what may happen.
Paraphrase: To paraphrase is to restate an author’s passage in your own words. Be sure to cite the original
author, otherwise you are plagiarizing. One should not skip any of the author’s points or insert personal
interpretation. In contrast to the shorter summary, the paraphrase is about the same length as the
original passage.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using the words and/or ideas of another writer or speaker without giving full credit
through proper in-text citations and a References or Works Cited page. This is a serious academic
offense and can earn you a failing grade. See the Metropolitan State University Catalog and Student
Handbook sections on academic integrity. Both are available on the university’s web site.
Process Analysis: Another method of developing your ideas in academic writing, process analysis is the
sequential explanation of how something is done.
Proposal: A proposal is a document written to persuade an individual or group to adopt a certain plan or course
of action.
Quotation: Quoting is repeating another person’s words. Direct quotes should be put in quotation marks (“Stop!”
he yelled.). Indirect quotes (He yelled for us to stop.) do not require quotation marks, but do require that
the source be identified so that you avoid plagiarism.
Reference Page: Found at the end of an APA style paper, this page lists the sources used and cited within the
paper. The purpose is to provide information on exactly where one received information. Each entry in
the list contains, at a minimum, the name of author and source, the title of publication, and the date and
location of publication.
Response Paper: Papers that summarize a central theme in a lecture or a reading assignment and then give a
personal response to that theme. The second, the response section, should be firmly grounded in the
first section, the summary of the assigned reading.
Summary: A summary extracts and restates the thesis and main points of a text, paper, or article. A summary is
usually much shorter than the original.
Synthesis: A synthesis brings together the meanings that have been interpreted and summarized through
analysis, and then connects it to prior or current knowledge. You will often be asked to synthesize either
material from life experience or readings from both inside and outside your course.
Take-home Exam/Essay: A paper or essay completed at home that tests your ability to use knowledge from
lecture notes and course textbooks. Don’t be fooled. Just because you get to take it home doesn’t mean
it’s going to be easy, and it must be your own work. As with other assignments, you may consult with the
Writing Center tutors and your instructor.
Thesis Statement: The statement, usually but not always in one sentence, that captures the main or controlling
idea of your paper. The thesis consists of two parts: your position on your subject and your reasons, in
brief, for taking that position.
Works Cited: Found at the end of an MLA style paper, this page documents the sources used and cited
throughout the paper. The purpose is to provide information on exactly where one received information
(name of source, title of publication, date and location of publication).