Informational Writing: Diction, Style, Transitions, and Structure

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering diction, informational style, transition devices, multimodal elements, sentence structure, and grammatical voice based on lecture notes.

Precise Diction

Word choice that communicates specific meaning; it is preferable only if numerical or specific details are supported by a reliable source.

Vague Diction

Word choice that leaves important details unclear or undefined.

Style

The overall manner in which a writer communicates, including tone, level of formality, sentence choices, and consistency of expression across a text.

Diction

The specific choice of words used in speech or writing.

Transition Devices

Words, phrases, or grammatical constructions that connect ideas and guide readers smoothly from one thought to the next, helping establish coherence.

Addition Transitions

Transition words such as 'furthermore,' 'moreover,' 'in addition,' and 'also' used to introduce supplementary ideas.

Cause and Effect Transitions

Transition words such as 'consequently,' 'as a result,' and 'thus' used to signal an outcome or consequence resulting from a preceding action.

Contrast Transitions

Transition words such as 'however,' 'nevertheless,' 'in contrast,' and 'on the other hand' used to indicate differences or opposition between ideas.

Concession Transitions

Transition words such as 'although,' 'even though,' 'admittedly,' and 'nevertheless' used to acknowledge a point or limitation before advancing an argument.

Clarification Transitions

Transition expressions such as 'in other words,' 'that is,' and 'more specifically' used to restate or explain an idea more clearly.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) used to connect grammatically equivalent words, phrases, or independent clauses.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Conjunctions such as 'because,' 'although,' 'when,' 'while,' 'if,' and 'since' that connect an independent clause to a dependent clause.

Repetition of Key Terms and Reference Words

A transitional strategy that maintains continuity by repeating essential words or using clear demonstrative references (such as 'this finding' or 'the process').

Sentence-Opening Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs placed at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma (e.g., 'However,') to transition between separate sentences.

Organizational Efficiency

How effectively information is arranged and expressed so readers can understand the message, recognize relationships among ideas, and locate important details without unnecessary difficulty.

Viewpoint (Multimodal Element)

A visual element that refers to camera angle or perspective.

Technical Editing

A multimodal technique that refers to how images or clips are arranged in visual presentations.

Animations and Graphics

Visual media elements used to highlight important data.

Appropriateness

A characteristic of informational style where language suitably matches the audience, purpose, and subject.

Clarity

A characteristic of informational style where expressions are straightforward, understandable, and communicate the intended meaning.

Objectivity

A characteristic of informational style where claims are supported by evidence and presented without personal bias.

Conciseness

A characteristic of informational style where unnecessary words and repetitions are eliminated while retaining the essential meaning.

Consistency

A characteristic of informational style where the text maintains a suited level of formality and tone throughout.

Coherence

A linguistic feature where ideas follow a logical progression so readers can understand how one idea relates to another.

Objective Diction

Language that presents verifiable information or observable details without personal judgment.

Subjective Diction

Language that expresses personal judgments, feelings, or opinions.

Wordiness

The use of more words than necessary to communicate an idea.

Redundancy

The repetition of information without adding meaningful content.

Sentence Fragment

An incomplete sentence presented and punctuated as if it were a complete sentence.

Run-on Sentence

A grammatical error in which two or more independent clauses are improperly joined without appropriate conjunctions or punctuation.

Denotation

The literal or dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

The feeling, association, or additional emotional meaning that a word may suggest.

Active Voice

A sentence construction where the subject performs the action, following the structure: Subject + Verb + Object.

Passive Voice

A sentence construction where the subject receives the action, following the structure: Object + Auxiliary verb (form of 'to be') + past participle + by + Subject.