Nonfiction Terms

attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

special patterns of words and ideas that create emphasis and stir emotion, especially in speeches or other oral presentations

written or spoken language that is not poetry or drama

organizational pattern in which details are arranged in the order they occur

proof only implied by what is stated in the text

expressing or dealing with facts without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations (unbiased)

story of a person's life written by another person

a short nonfiction work about a particular subject

a piece of writing in which the author writes his or her own memories; does NOT have to be rooted in facts or research

based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions

the support a writer or speaker uses to prove his or her claim to be valid or convincing

proof clearly stated in the text; denotative

an organizational plan that presents the reason something happens and the result of it happening

the dictionary definition of a word

the speed at which things happen, change or develop in a text

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

the set of ideas (or emotions) associated with a word in addition to its explicit meaning

organizing using numbers or logical transitions to tell about one idea which led to or is followed by the next and so on

the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch

a person's life story written by that person

an organizational structure that presents a negative situation and offers an option to solve it

an organizational structure that gives an account of similarities and differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout

the goal the writer or speaker wants to achieve

a subjective statement made by the writer or speaker that must be supported with details, facts, or other rhetorical devices