Nonfiction Introduction

What is nonfiction? Nonfiction is any writing that is REAL or based on REAL LIFE EVENTS

What types of writing are considered nonfiction? Autobiographies (written by the person that it is about) Biographies (written by someone other than the individual that the book is about) News articles Web articles Journal Entries Web Pages

Elements of Nonfiction You will be tested on your ability to read a piece of non- fiction and analyze: The author’s purpose The author’s perspective Bias Rhetoric and literary devices Audience Credibility Structure Understand the use of visuals in non-fiction. For example, a graph, chart, or picture.

Author’s Purpose What the writer hopes to achieve by crafting a particular work Look at the choices the writer makes. Every choice – from the subject and the tone to the particular words and other important details – is a clue that can reveal the purpose. Another clue is your reaction to what you read.

Author’s Purpose – To inform or explain Examples: encyclopedia or magazine articles, documents, instruction manuals, warranties, Web sites Clues in the writing: –Facts and statistics –Steps in a process –Diagrams or illustrated explanations

Author’s Purpose – To Persuade Examples: Editorials, TV ads, political speeches Clues in the writing: –A statement of opinion –Supporting evidence –Appeals: to logic, to ethics, or to emotions –A Call to action

Author’s Purpose – To Entertain Examples: humorous essays and articles, literary nonfiction, in addition to short stories, novels, plays Clues in the writing: –Suspenseful or exciting situations –Humorous or fascinating details –Intriguing characters –Plot structure

Author’s Purpose – To Express thoughts or feelings Examples: personal essays, blogs, journals, poems Clues in the writing: –Thoughtful descriptions –Insightful observations –The writer’s personal feelings

Audience the people or persons that the writer wants to read their work. For instance, an article about how cell phones are beneficial will more than likely be targeted at teens.

Author’s Perspective The lens through which a writer looks at a topic. This lens is colored by the writer’s experiences, values, and feelings. –Tone - Look at word choice to determine the author’s attitude toward the subject –Watch for a shift in tone The stylistic means by which an author conveys his/her her attitude

Rhetoric the art of rhetoric is the art of persuasion with words, whether written or spoken –Appeals to logic, ethics, and/or emotions –Look for rhetorical questions, repetition, allusions, irony, hyperboles, understatements, sarcasm, antithesis, euphemisms

Imagery Look for literary techniques used by the author that enhances or has an effect on meaning

Bias is an inclination to present or hold a partial perspective at the expense of (possibly equally valid) alternatives. Anything biased generally is one-sided, and therefore lacks a neutral point of view.

Credibility The believability of a source or message. Ways to build credibility include stating qualifications for expertise, citing relevant authorities, allusions, providing facts and statistics, etc

Organizational Structure Patterns in presenting information: cause/effect, chronological, compare/contrast, pros/cons, classification order of importance, spatial order Look for subtopics or subheadings, words in different fonts, captions, illustrations, graphics, etc.

Types of Nonfiction we may cover Expository- articles or essay that explain a concept or issue. Persuasive- articles or essays that try to get the reader to think a certain way. Procedural- articles, essays, or manuals that explain a step by step process of how to do something. Literary Nonfiction- articles or essays that interweave facts with personal experience, examples, and descriptive language.