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This glossary contains definitions for words used throughout the website.  If you have a suggestion of a word that should be included here, please e-mail me at tim@mr-anderson.com.




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allegory

:
A metaphorical narrative in prose or verse in which fictional figures and actions usually represent truths or generalizations about human existence.

alphabetic principle

:
The assumption underlying alphabetic writing systems that each speech sound or phoneme of a language has its own distinctive graphic representation.

ambiguities

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Statements or arguments used in a work that may have more than one meaning or interpretation.

analogy

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A method of explaining something unfamiliar by using a comparison of similar, more familiar things; a form of reasoning in which one thing is inferred to be similar to another thing in a certain respect, on the basis of the known similarity between the things in other respects (e.g., part to whole, synonym and antonym, degree or cause and effect).

anecdote

:
A brief narrative of an interesting, unusual or biographical event often used to illustrate a point.

appeal to authority

:
To call upon an individual or other source as an expert to give credence to an argument made by an author of a work.

appeal to emotion

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When a speaker or writer builds an argument using expressive language or other devices instead of presenting evidence; a fallacy in arguments

appeal to reason

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To call upon a reader's ability to think in a rational way in order to cause a change in his or her thoughts.

assonance

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The close repetition of middle vowel sounds (e.g., stony and holy).

bait and switch

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A tactic in which a customer is attracted by the advertisement of a low-priced item but is then encouraged to buy a higher-priced one.

bandwagon

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A fallacy in which one is attracted to a popular party, faction or cause that attracts growing support; following the crowd rather than using evidence to justify a conclusion.

bias

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An inclination of temperament or outlook; a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.

blend

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To combine the sounds represented by two or more letters to pronounce a word such as /gr/ in grow; to combine two or more words

brainstorming

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A prewriting technique in which students, either alone or in groups, jot down all words or phrases that come to mind on a topic to expand the range of available ideas, to solve a problem or to clarify a concept.

characterization

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The method an author uses to create the appearance and personality of imaginary characters in a piece of fiction; often developed by describing a character's physical appearance, by revealing a character's nature through the character's speech, thoughts, feelings or actions, by using the speech, thoughts, feelings or actions of other characters and by using direct comments from the narrator.

chronological

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An organizational structure of text in which events are placed in the order they occur in time.

coherence

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The quality of a piece of writing in which the ideas are clearly arranged so a reader can follow the progression from one idea to the next.

comparison and contrast

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An organizational structure of text in which a description of similarities and differences among two or more things occurs.

compound word

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A combination of two or more words that function as a single unit of meaning (e.g., bookkeeper or downtrodden).

comprehension

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The process in which a reader constructs meaning through interaction with text; accurately understanding what is written or said.

concrete image

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When a speaker or writer uses words that induce audiences to call up "pictures" in their minds by appealing to their senses of taste, smell, hearing, touch and sight.

connotation

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The attitudes and feelings associated with a word as opposed to a word's literal meaning.

consonance

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The repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after differing vowel sounds (e.g., stoke/luck).

construct

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The process of understanding what is read through the interaction meaning with text.

consumer documents

:
Nonfiction works such as warranties, product information and instructional materials designed to help one with daily tasks.

conventions

:
The accepted rules of written and spoken language.

counter-argument

:
A point or statement in opposition to the argument being made in a written document or speech.

credibility

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The quality or state of offering reasonable grounds for being believed.

cutaway

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A drawing or model of something with part of its outside removed to give a view of the inside.

declarative sentence

:
A sentence that makes a statement.

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