Reading and Writing Finals

Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning

Analyzing texts deeply to evaluate arguments and evidence.

Metacognition

Thinking about one's own thinking or reading process.

Assertions

Declarative claims that may be true or false.

Fact (Assertion)

Proven by direct exposure, personal anecdotes, or verifiable evidence.

Opinion (Assertion)

Based on fact but difficult to prove; subjective.

Convention (Assertion)

Traditions or norms socially accepted as standard.

Preference (Assertion)

Personal opinion; entirely subjective.

Formulating Counterclaims

Rebutting a previous claim with a contrasting perspective.

Textual Evidence

Details provided by the author to support a claim.

Pre-Writing

First stage of writing; discovering ideas before drafting.

Thesis Statement

Central idea of an essay; reflects the writer's stance.

Working Thesis Statement

Initial thesis subject to revision.

Outline

Skeletal version of an essay organizing main and supporting ideas.

Reading Outline

Summarizes main ideas of an existing text.

Writing Outline

Plan for an essay not yet written.

Sentence Outline

Uses full sentences to define content.

Scratch Outline

Uses keywords/phrases for flexible drafting.

Brainstorming

Generating many ideas alone or in a group.

Clustering/Mapping

Visualizing ideas by connecting them to a central topic.

Freewriting

Writing continuously to explore ideas without stopping.

Tone

Writer's attitude reflected in the text's point of view and emotions.

Topic

Specific subject or issue the paper discusses.

Purpose (Writing)

Reason for writing (inform, explain, persuade, entertain).

Audience

Readers' background, expectations, and knowledge shaping the text.