Non Fiction Terminology

Question 1

Argument

Answer 1

a series of statements intended to justify some opinion; any true argument has at minimum
three parts: claim, evidence, and interpretation.

Question 2

Claim

Answer 2

an opinion that can be justified by further evidence and interpretation. The term claim usually
refers to the main idea, the point, or the thesis that you plan to present in an argument

Question 3

Counter argument

Answer 3

an alternative interpretation of evidence that challenges rather than supports your claim.

Question 4

Evidence

Answer 4

A part of the argument that is interpreted in support of the claim. Effective evidence need to be acceptable to the readers without further argument, based on fact, examples, statistics, credible narrative description, or on already-accepted opinions.

Question 5

Justification

Answer 5

defines a claim as being something worth arguing about, that the claim requires some
evidence and interpretation in order to be believed, and the claim is not already accepted by likely
readers.

Question 6

Grounds

Answer 6

The evidence and interpretation combined in support of your claim

Question 7

Warrant

Answer 7

a stated or unstated belief, rule, or principle that underlies an argument. A backing is an even
broader principle that serves as the foundation for a warrant

Question 8

Major Proposition

Answer 8

The main point of an argument, which is supported by the minor propositions.

Question 9

Minor proposition

Answer 9

The reasons you offer in support of the major proposition

Question 10

Fact

Answer 10

A verifiable statement

Question 11

Opinion

Answer 11

a valid opinion is a judgement based on the facts and careful deductive or inductive reasoning.

Question 12

Induction

Answer 12

a process of reasoning by which you develop evidence in order to reach a useful
generalization.

Question 13

Deduction

Answer 13

a process of reasoning that proceeds from the general to the particular.

Question 14

Conclusion

Answer 14

valid conclusion of an argument that derives logically from the major and minor
propositions. The logical conclusion is termed the inference, in which you arrive at a decision by
reasoning from the previous evidence

Question 15

Refutation

Answer 15

the acknowledgement and handling of opposing viewpoints. You must anticipate opposing
viewpoints and counter them effectively in order to convince or persuade readers