1. Elements of Non-Fiction
By Mr. Cotton

2. NONFICTION
Nonfiction is writing about real people, places, and events.
Mainly written to convey factual information.
Information may be shaped by the author’s own purpose and attitudes.

3. Two Categories of Nonfiction
Informative- factual information to inform
examples: magazines, pamphlets, encyclopedias, textbooks
Literary- actual places and true events

4. Autobiography
A true story about a person’s life told by that person (usually a book)

5. Biography
A true story of a person’s life as told by someone else, a biographer writes it

6. Essay
A short piece of nonfiction writing that deals with one subject

7. Types of Essay
Persuasive
Personal
Narrative
Expository
Descriptive

8. Persuasive Essay
Writer tries to convince a reader to share a belief, agree with an opinion, or to take some action.
1. Facts are selected and arranged in a way to get readers to share a writer’s opinion.
2. Examples: newspaper editorial, political speech

9. Expository Essay
Writer’s primary purpose is to convey or explain information.
1. Facts are used as neutrally as possible
2. Examples: report on a scientific discovery, instructions

10. Personal Essay
Expresses a writer’s thoughts, feelings, or opinions on a subject; usually written in an informal, conversational style.

11. Descriptive Essay
Writer tries to recreate a person, place, or event mostly through language that appeals to the senses.
* Examples: traveler’s journal, autobiographical essay of a hometown

12. Narrative Essay
Writer’s purpose is to relate a series of events, usually in chronological order.
Has the form of a story (often with characters and dialogue)
Examples: historical essay, account of a soccer game

13. Thesis Theme of an essay.
1. In narrative nonfiction (like biographies), theme is a perception about life
2. In no narrative fiction (like essays), theme is the main idea or opinion the writer wants the reader to understand

14. Objective versus Subjective Writing
1. Objective: facts, which can be proved to be true by the senses, the calendar, or the clock
* Examples: the geographic location of a city, the time of day
2. Subjective: details that may be true, but are verifiable only by reference to your own state of mind
a. Examples: feelings about an event, description of a person
b. Word connotation (associations that affect meaning

15. Strategies for Nonfiction Reading
1. Preview
2. Figure out the organization
3. Separate FACT and OPINION
4. Question????
5. Predict
6. Build
7. Evaluate

16. 1. Preview
Skim selection to get an idea of what it’s about by looking at title, pictures diagrams, subtitles, and terms you see in boldface

17. 2. Figure out the Organization
Chronological order or how the work is arranged

18. 3. Separate Fact and Opinion
FACTS- statements that can be proven
OPINION- statements that cannot be proven

19. 4. Question
Why did things happen the way they did? Do you share the writer’s opinion?

20. 5. Predict
What will happen next? What will the author say about an issue?

21. 6. Build
Add new information to what you already know, and see if your ideas or opinions change.

22. 7. Evaluate
Form opinions about people, events, and ideas. Decide whether or not you like the way a piece is written.