Expository analysis vocab

Informative / Explanatory Writing

a writing style which demonstrates comprehension of a topic or process

Example. In a science class, students write about a procedure that they performed and the results that they achieved.

Graphic Organizer

a visual display of the relationships between facts and ideas

Example. Graphic organizers, such as story maps, timelines, venn diagrams and K-W-L charts, help students organize information.

Reliable Source / Credible Source

information presented in a professional way, with a formal tone, includes source documentation, and author and/or publisher information.

Example. a textbook

Main Idea

the central point of the passage

URL Extension

the notation at the end of a web address that categorizes the website type

Example. .edu (extension for websites certified to be managed by an educational institution)

Audience

the intended recipient of a written or verbal communication

Example. When writing lesson plans, your students are your audience. A student writing a research presentation would have both his classmates and the teacher as an audience

Domain Address

the official name of a website

Example.

www.si.edu is the domain address for the Smithsonian Institute

Primary Purpose / Author's Purpose

why the author wrote a text

Example. Charlie wrote an OpEd for the paper to convince people to stop littering.

Informational Text Analysis

Using information from a non-fiction text to analyze for meaning, connections, or purpose.

Persuasive Writing

writing intended to convince its audience to embrace a particular idea or opinion and possibly take action

Thesis Statement

a statement included in the introduction of a paper which makes a specific claim and provides a preview as to what will follow in the paper

Example. A science student writes the following thesis statement in response to the question, “Is global warming a problem?” “Environmentalists agree that global climate change is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.”

Table of Contents

a text feature found on a page before the start of a written work that lists chapter names or section titles along with their corresponding page numbers

Index

a catalogue list at the end of the text containing all of the topics discussed

Peer-Reviewed Journal

a high quality source of information which uses experts to screen each article submitted to the publication

Example. The New England Journal of Medicine