1. PLEASE COPY THE DEFINITIONS OF EACH OF THE TERMS ON YOUR GUIDED NOTE SHEET. YOU WILL HAVE A QUIZ ON THIS INFORMATION. THINK OF SOME EXAMPLES AS YOU ARE WRITING. Nonfiction Terms

2. anecdote a brief account of an interesting or amusing incident, often used as evidence to support or explain an idea, or it may be used to entertain readers or reveal the personality of the author or of another person

3. argument nonfiction writing in which reason is used to influence people’s ideas or actions

4. article prose writing about real people/events

5. autobiography story of a person’s life written by that person from the first person point of view; typically focuses on the most significant events that happened.

6. biography account of a person’s life written by someone other than the subject; can be short or book-length or span several volumes. May reflect the attitude the author has toward his/her subject.

7. diary personal account of one’s daily life with entries separated by date and/or time

8. essay short nonfiction work about a particular subject

9. expository essay gives information, discusses ideas, explains a process

10. history true facts, events, people, stories in a time before the present

11. journal a record of experiences, ideas or reflections, generally kept for personal use

12. letter a direct, personal or business written or printed message addressed to a person or organization

13. memoir type of narrative nonfiction that presents the story of a period in a person’s life and is usually written from the first person point of view. Often emphasizes a person’s thoughts and feelings, the person’s relationships with other people, or the impact of significant historical events in the person’s life

14. narrative essay writer informs reader or entertains reader by focusing on a subject of interest

15. nonfiction writing that tells a true story

16. persuasive essay tries to convince reader to do something or accepts writer’s point of view

17. prose ordinary form of written language

18. speech oral presentation of an idea, concept, position; can entertain, inform, persuade the intended audience