Non-fiction terms

position (or view point)

the central idea the author supports in their argument.

opposing viewpoint

a position that is the opposite of another position

claim

a statement that supports a position.

Evidence

facts, statistics and examples that show why a claim should be believed; evidence supports and “holds up” the claim. Ex: a study by the sleep institute found that 47 percent of kids aren’t getting enough sleep

counterclaim

an acknowledgment of a concern or disagreement from those with opposing viewpoints. Ex: some may argue that starting school later won’t help kids get more sleep, that they’ll just go to bed later.

rebuttal

an author’s direct response to an opposing viewpoint or claim. ( the come back to a counterclaim

Trace

outline, list in steps, or follow the patch.

Support

back it up or prove it with details

analyze

break it into parts, tell about the parts

explain

teach me or show me, tell me the steps

Infer

read between the lines, what is the hidden meaning

summarize

tell the main idea, tell the beginning, middle, and end

evaluate

judge it, tell the good and the bad

compare

tell all the ways they are the same

formulate

create, put together

contrast

tell all the ways they are different

describe

tell about, paint a picture with words

predict

what will happen next

argument

a position or viewpoint along with the claims and evidence used to support that position