English 9 Academic Language Handbook for Non-fiction Unit
Please take notes on the following slides. After we are done, please turn to page 631 in your textbook and add the words to your list.
anything that is written to inform, describe, persuade, or explain (i.e. newspaper article, magazine article, speech, pamphlet, etc.)
to break the subject down into parts and explain the various parts
To restate all of the author’s ideas in your own words
a series of statements in a text designed to convince the reader of something
the writer’s most important point, opinion, or message
The idea or opinion that an author tries to prove or defend in an argument
who the author is writing to (i.e., teenagers, parents, community, etc.) An author will write differently based on his or her audience.
The point of view from which the author sees the issue based on the relationship the author has with the issue
the reason the author wrote the literary work An author’s purpose is to inform, persuade, or entertain.
reliable and trustworthy based on the type of source, the actual source, and/or the author’s knowledge about the subject
a paraphrase or direct quotation that supports the author’s claim or main idea
anything is a direct quotation once you extract it from a text (i.e. article, novel, play) and put quotation marks around the first word and the last word followed by a parenthetical citation (author’s last name and number of the page)
text with one author (author’s last name and number of the page used) “It was probably inevitable that one day people would start suing McDonald’s for making them fat” (Brownlee 1). The period is after the last parentheses.
to examine something
briefly restate only the author’s main idea and the important supporting details
to foretell something based on observation, experience, or logic
to read between the lines and make an educated guess
the particular way in which an author uses language created mainly through diction (word choice), figurative language, and syntax (sentence structure)
word choice or vocabulary used in a text
the dictionary or literal meaning of a word The words cheap, inexpensive, and reasonable literally mean “not costly”.
a word with a strong, emotional connotation or association
emotions or associations about a word The words cheap, inexpensive, and reasonable all mean “not costly”. However, “cheap” has negative connotations whereas inexpensive and reasonable do not.
appeals to the reader’s emotions by using stories, anecdotes, or direct quotations
appeals to the reader’s common sense and logic by using facts, statistics, and researched information to support a claim/main idea
establishes credibility and trustworthiness based on the author’s knowledge and experience (i.e. perspective)
an argument that addresses the opposing side
When the writer/speaker calls upon the reader/audience to act or do something regarding the subject/issue ◦ Ex: write a letter, participate in a boycott, start a protest, vote, donate money, etc.