Argumentative Research Paper Vocabulary
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
persuade or convince (v.)
answer
to change someone's opinion through reasoning and evidence
question
claim
answer
an opinion stated as fact: Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all times.
question
counterclaim
answer
an opinion stated as fact which is opposite of the claim: Michael Jordan is not the best basketball player of all times.
question
opinion
answer
a believe or judgement
question
bias/author's bias
answer
the attitude someone - the author - has toward a topic
question
slant/author's slant
answer
a specific viewpoint, bias, or opinion
question
TS = topic sentence
answer
a sentence that states the main though t of a paragraph
question
SD = supporting detail
answer
information used to prove a point (fact, statistic, testimonial, direct quote from expert, anecdote)
question
fact
answer
a form of information that is true and accurate
question
statistic
answer
factual information in number form (50%, 7 of 10, a fourth of all . . . etc.
question
testimonial
answer
a true, personal experience that proves or disproves a point
question
direct quote from expert/expert quote
answer
a word-for-word comment from a person who is truly knowledgeable about the topic (Example: Direct quote from Yadier Molina about catching.)
question
anecdote
answer
a true, short, interesting story about a person's life and/or experiences
question
CM = comment
answer
a written or spoken expression of opinion or attitude
question
elaborate
answer
to give more information about a topic; to expand or explain the topic more
question
transition
answer
wording that moves the reader from one point to another - Transitions can be words or phrases. (Example: To begin with, next, however, on the other hand, finally, etc.)
question
CS = closing sentence (in stand-alone paragraph)
answer
the last sentence of a paragraph; it ties back into the wording of the topic sentence and finishes the thought of the paragraph.
question
CS = closing sentence (in paragraph within essay)
answer
the last sentence of a paragraph that moves the reader into the next paragraph; it acts as a transition sentence into the next topic/next paragraph of the essay.
question
essay
answer
writing that includes an introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph (multi-paragraph writing) - The standard essay is five-paragraphs long (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion).
question
thesis statement
answer
the sentence at the end of the introduction paragraph; it states the main point(s) of the essay
question
reasoning
answer
logical wording used to change someone's mind
question
common knowledge
answer
indisputable information that everyone knows: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Fish swim in water.
question
primary source
answer
a first-hand document or item; the original (diaries, journals, piece of clothing, original painting, lab results, actual survey responses, poem, song, film, etc.)
question
secondary source
answer
any interpretation, analysis, summary of an original work - Secondary sources can contain direct quotes, pictures, graphics from the primary source. (example secondary sources: (paper or online) textbooks, magazine articles, commentaries, interview of the son of the queen about the queen, etc.)
question
document (n.)
answer
a written or printed page or collection of pages
question
document (v.)
answer
to give reference information about the source of a piece of evidence (title, author, date, etc.)
question
documentation (n.)
answer
the written location and information of evidence used in a research paper
question
citation (n.)
answer
the credit given to a quotation or information used in a research paper
question
internal citation
answer
citing information inside the paragraphs of a research paper
question
cite (v.)
answer
to state the source of information; to refer to the source by author's name, title, and/or page number
question
site (n.)
answer
location - like a website
question
parenthetical documentation
answer
the author's last name and /or page number written inside parentheses at the end of a sentence to show the previous information is from that specific source.
question
MLA
answer
Modern Language Association (A group that determines rules for writing research papers.) MLA is usually used for the liberal arts - English, art, theater, philosophy, etc. Other such groups exist for science - APA, Chicago - are two examples.
question
credible source
answer
responsible, honest, truthful origin of information - Credible websites typically have domain names that end in: .edu, .org, .net, .gov. Read at the bottom of the website to determine who created and runs the website. Notice when a website was created and when it was last updated.
question
credibility
answer
the quality or characteristic of being honest and truthful
question
periodical
answer
anything published at regular intervals - newspaper (daily, weekly), magazine (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly)
question
plagiarism
answer
the act of copying someone else's work and claiming it as your own - a form of cheating - Plagiarism can occur when the copying is word-for-word or if all or only portions of your work is undeniably similar to the original author's work
question
verbatim
answer
word-for-word (Example sentence: Copy down the notes verbatim from the board.)
question
argumentative writing
answer
nonfiction writing that mainly uses facts, logic, and reasoning to convince a reader (written in 3rd person POV for formal writing)
question
informative/expository writing
answer
nonfiction writing that provides unbiased information to the reader (usually written in 3rd person POV)
question
narrative writing
answer
nonfiction or fiction writing that tells a story - writing that tells a story (written in any POV) - memoirs, diaries, journals, short stories, novels, etc.
