AP Seminar Glossary

A belief regarded as true and often unstated

— Arrangement of claims and evidence that leads to a conclusion

The intent, audience, purpose, bias, situatedness, and/or background (larger environment) of a source or reference

Filter through which an issue or topic is considered or examined

Failure to acknowledge, attribute, and/or cite any ideas or evidence taken from another source

A possible future effect or result

Having to do with numbers, amounts, or quantities

— Information (e.g., data, quotations, excerpts from texts) used as proof to support a claim or thesis

— A type of reasoning that presents cases or evidence that lead to a logical conclusion

— Acknowledgment and acceptance of an opposing or different view

— Important problem for debate or discussion

The extent to which an argument or claim is logical

A means of answering a question or addressing a problem or issue

A commentary about one or more primary sources that provides additional insight, opinions, and/or interpretation about the primary source data, study, or artifacts

Changing vocal characteristics (e.g., pitch, volume, speed) in order to emphasize ideas, convey emotion or opinion, or achieve other specific purposes

The degree to which a source is believable and trustworthy

— A claim or position on an issue or topic put forward and supported by evidence

— Acknowledgment and acceptance of an opposing or different view

— A claim or thesis that conveys a perspective developed through a line of reasoning and supported by evidence

A boundary or point at which an argument or generalization is no longer valid

Something composed (e.g., articles; research studies; foundational, literary, and philosophical texts; speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; artistic works and performances) that conveys a perspective and can be examined

— Evidence or reasoning that is false or in error

A type of reasoning that constructs general propositions that are supported with evidence or cases

Having to do with text, narrative, or descriptions

An original source of information about a topic (e.g., study, artifact, data set, interview, article)

A position or standpoint on a topic or issue

— A point of view conveyed through an argument