ENG2D Non-Fiction Terms

thesis The MAIN ARGUMENT of the text (essay, editorial, speech etc.); Sometimes the thesis is clearly stated by the author (explicit); other times it is more implicit (YOU have to figure it out!).

tone The attitude of the author towards the subject and/or audience; supported by diction An impoverished but hard-working young lad pulls himself out of the slums when he applies himself to his education, and he becomes a wealthy, contented middle-class citizen who leaves his past behind him, never looking back at that awful human cesspool from which he rose. A dirty street-rat skulks his way out of the slums by abandoning his family and going off to college, and he greedily hoards his money in a gated community and ignores the suffering of his former "equals," whom he leaves behind in his selfish desire to get ahead.

diction The choice of words used; helps create the TONE.

Denotation & CONNOTATION Denotation – The dictionary definition of a word. Connotation – The additional feelings and/or ideas that are generally attached to the word.

Appeals to logic The arguments need to make sense; “You should believe me because I can prove my argument with carefully reasoned arguments supported by facts.”

Appeals to credibility How the author/speaker gets the reader/audience to trust him/her; “You should believe me because of who I am. You know you can trust me.” Examples: references to authority, confidence, etc.

Appeals to emotion How the author/speaker evokes emotion; “You should believe me because of the way I make you feel.”

Methods of development Used THROUGHOUT the essay to help develop the argument; The way an author ORGANIZES his/her information and DEVELOPS his/her arguments. Examples: references to authority, comparisons and contrasts, examples and explanations, etc.

Purpose, topic, audience Audience – The person or group to whom an author directs his/her piece of writing (or movie, etc.); this is not usually directly stated. Purpose – Why did the author write the piece of writing? Examples: To entertain you? To teach you about something? To inform you about something? To encourage you to take some sort of action? (etc.) Topic – What an essay, speech (etc.) is about; a single word from which a thesis statement can be developed.