1. Vocabulary for Nonfiction
Words to Know
Vocabulary for Nonfiction

2. What is Nonfiction?
Nonfiction is writing that primarily deals with real people, events, and places. It has a basis in fact, not fiction.

3. purpose
Nonfiction writing is written with a purpose-the reason why an author writes a piece.
Some reasons author’s write nonfiction are:
To inform
To entertain
To persuade

4. Kinds of nonfiction writing
Nonfiction writing can be:
Expository
Descriptive
Persuasive
Narrative.

5. Expository -exposition
a kind of nonfiction that explains, gives information, defines, or clarifies an idea (i.e., science or history text)

6. Descriptive -description
a kind of writing that is intended to create a mood or emotion, or to recreate a person, place, thing, or event

7. Persuasive -persuasion
a kind of writing that tries to convince the reader to act or think in a certain way

8. Narrative -narration
a kind of writing that tells a story

9. Types of nonfiction Selections
Nonfiction selections can
Essays
be found in many places.
Biographies
Autobiographies
Some examples of nonfiction writing include:
Interviews
Editorials
Newspaper and magazine articles
Feature stories
Encyclopedias
Textbooks

10. Essay
A short piece of nonfiction that examines a single subject- Can be based on research or personal experience
Can be read in one sitting
Written in paragraph form, usually five or more
Purpose- to inform, to persuade, to entertain

11. biography An account of a person's life written by another person
Has a plot
Can be read in one sitting or have
many chapters
Purpose- to inform, to entertain

12. autobiography An account of the writer's own life Has a plot
Can be read in one sitting or have many chapters
Purpose- to inform, to entertain

13. Interview An account recorded in a question/answer format
Recorded word for word
Can be read in one sitting
May be written in bullet format or like a drama
Purpose- to inform, to entertain

14. Newspaper or magazine article
Short
Can be read in one sitting
Focuses on one topic or main idea
May be continued on a different page
Purpose- to inform

15. editorial
A special newspaper or magazine article written by editors of the publication to express their opinion about a certain subject
Purpose- to inform, to persuade

16. Feature story Focuses on one topic or main idea Has a plot
Purpose- to entertain, to inform

17. encyclopedia Information organized by topic
Topics organized alphabetically
The entries are short
Used for research
Purpose- to inform

18. Textbook Information organized by topic Used for reference
Organized chronologically (by time) or by topic
Purpose- to inform

19. excerpt
A small piece of writing taken from a larger piece, longer than what is usually considered a quotation
Used to make a specific point
Purpose-to inform, to persuade, to entertain

20. Strategies for writing nonfiction
Nonfiction writers have to stick to factual information. They usually have to research their information before they begin to write. They have to organize their writing as well.
Nonfiction writers may use dialogue to record actual conversations. They may also use dialect to reflect actual spoken words.
Nonfiction writers also have to avoid using bias and stereotypes in their writing.

21. Nonfiction text structures
Nonfiction text can be organized differently than fiction. Here are some ways it can be organized:
Chronological order
Cause and Effect
Comparison/Contrast
Problem/Solution
Question/Answer
Sequence

22. dialect
A way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region or a particular group of people (You vs. Y'all)
dialect is distinguished by its vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
An accent is only distinguished by changes in pronunciation

23. dialogue Written conversation- may be direct or indirect
Direct dialogue- The characters are speaking to each other. Quotation marks are used.
Example: “You can stay home or go to the park,” Mom said, “while I run some errands for your father.”
Indirect dialogue-the narrator tells readers about a conversation, but the characters are not speaking directly to each other.
Example: During breakfast, their mother told them they could stay home or go to the park while she ran some errands for their father.

24. stereotype
A fixed concept or idea of a person that does not allow for any individuality
Examples:
All teachers are female, wear glasses, and have their gray hair pulled back in a bun
all old people drive slowly and smell funny
Nonfiction writers have to make a conscious effort to avoid stereotypes, and readers of nonfiction should take care to note any

25. bias A personal and often unreasonable judgment or prejudice Examples-
Getting information about the causes of lung cancer from a tobacco company
An insurance company tells you that the repair shop they send you to is the best in town

26. The End