AP LANG/COMP

Understanding Rhetoric - Glossary

Analysis

a close examination of the parts of a text with the goal of interpreting it as a whole.

Argument

the primary purpose of a text, or the main claim it makes.

Assertion

a debatable claim.

Audience

the intended or accidental recipients of a communication.

Cause and Effect

tracing the reasons that led to an outcome, or anticipating the likely result of an event or a circumstance.

Citation

the way the original source of a quotation, summary, or paraphrase is documented.

Comparison and Contrast

noting similarities and differences between two texts.

Composition

creating a text in one or more media.

Conclusion

the end of a text that ties together its argument.

Context

the situation in which a text is created, including its creator, audience, purpose, medium, and genre, as well as other factors.

Credibility

the characteristic that makes a text believable.

Critical lens

a perspective or theoretical approach that provides context for analysis.

Critical Reading

an analytical approach to a text.

Discourse

written or spoken communication, often characterized by its use in particular communities.

Ethos

the credibility or authority that a speaker or writer brings to a subject.

Evidence

the information used to support an argument.

Explication

revealing or uncovering ideas that are not directly stated in a text.

Genre

a conventional format for presenting information and ideas.

Implicit Messages

ideas that are present in a text, but are not directly stated.

Integration

weaving materials from others’ work into one’s own text and adding commentary that explains the materials purpose and importance.

Interpretation

using context and critical analysis to explain the meaning of a text.

Invention

any technique for exploring new thoughts and ideas during the writing process. (ie., brainstorming and freewriting).

Kairos

awarness of the appropriate timing, occasion,or opportunity for a given rhetorical act.

Logos

appeals to reason and logic in a text.

Medium

material that records, displays, stores, or spreads information (media).

Paraphrase

a detailed explanation of the contents of a source that rephrases the language of the original source.

Pathos

appeals to emotion in a text

Peer Revision

the process of seeking feedback on a text from a classmate, colleague, or friend. (peer review).

Plagarism

presenting the work of another as ones’ own, whether accidentally or deliberately.

Primary Source

a work that presents a firsthand account of an event or time.

Purpose

the aim of a communication.

Quotation

direct repetition of material from a source.