Textual Analysis/Argumentation Vocab

Question 1

Analysis

Answer 1

Involves breaking down a text or a topic and closely examining the parts and patterns that you notice. You can then use these to gain a more insightful understanding of the text/argument.

Question 2

Annotation

Answer 2

Notes while reading, usually done in the margins. They comprise of phrases that stuck out to you, words you needed to define, ideas and connections you had/made, and things you noticed the writer doing.

Question 3

Anomaly

Answer 3

This is something that doesn’t fit a pattern, that sticks out. These should be given extra attention while reading.

Question 4

Appeals

Answer 4

The methods of persuasion an author uses, split into three categories based on Aristotle’s philosophy: ethos, pathos, and logos.

Question 5

ethos

Answer 5

appeal to ethics, convincing the reader that you have the authority or morals to make your claim correct.

Question 6

pathos

Answer 6

persuasion via appeal to emotion

Question 7

logos

Answer 7

using reason and supporting evidence to back up a claim

Question 8

argument

Answer 8

Making a claim a supporting it with evidence or tactics of persuasion, with the goal of convincing the reader to adopt you opinion.

Question 9

assess

Answer 9

looking at and determining the value, validity, or significance of something, to see if it is important or relevant.

Question 10

Binary Opposition

Answer 10

Opposing concepts, ideas, words, or images with which the text is organized around. The underlying idea is that one side excludes the other side, which creates artificial boundaries for humans to comprehend more complex concepts.

Question 11

Citation

Answer 11

When you identify the author and text where you got specific information from.

Question 12

Define

Answer 12

explaining certain terms so that you and your reader will have the same understandings. You can redefine commonly known words in the definition that best suits you argument.

Question 13

diction/connotations

Answer 13

the word choices of an author/the associated images, feelings, and connections carried by these words

Question 14

Evidence

Answer 14

comprises of qualitative and quantitative evidence and data

Question 15

fallacious reasoning

Answer 15

illogical, faulty connections. This happens when the writer jumps too quickly to conclusions without making a thorough examination.
Ex: scare tactics, slippery slope, bandwagon appeals, hasty generalizations, non sequitor

Question 16

non sequitor

Answer 16

a conclusion or statement that does not fall in line with previously arguments and statements

Question 17

figurative language

Answer 17

imaginative uses of language in making nonliteral comparisons

ex:
1. metaphorical language
2. personification
3. ironic language

Question 18

imagery

Answer 18

descriptive details used to help readers visualize a scene, appealing to the senses.

Question 19

infer inferences

Answer 19

drawing conclusions

Question 20

interpret

Answer 20

explaining and connecting your inferences

Question 21

juxtaposition

Answer 21

when a writer sets opposing ideas, images, or language side by side to accentuate contrast

Question 22

motif

Answer 22

a repeated word/idea/image that unifies a piece of literature

Question 23

outline

Answer 23

organized description of you own ideas or ideas in the text

Question 24

paraphrase

Answer 24

translating phrases into your own words, creating a parallel statement

Question 25

Parallelism

Answer 25

when authors keep phrasing ideas in a similar grammatical pattern, with similar sounding sentences creating rhythm and emphasis

Question 26

patterns or repitition

Answer 26

exact words, idea strands, images, and details that repeat throughout the text.

Question 27

reasoning

Answer 27

the logical relationship among ideas; the way an author makes logical connections between evidence and sub claims and larger claims

Question 28

refining a claim

Answer 28

revising the wording of the original claim to allow for complexities in the argument

Question 29

source

Answer 29

the text and author where a specific piece of evidence came from

Question 30

structure

Answer 30

the organization of an argument

Question 31

summary

Answer 31

reducing larger text into a smaller recounting with only the main points and facts

Question 32

symbolism

Answer 32

an object that is used to represent a larger idea

Question 33

thesis

Answer 33

the author’s main point

Question 34

topic sentence

Answer 34

the sentence that articulates the focus of a particular body paragraph

Question 35

transition

Answer 35

words or phrases that help to link or contrast ideas within a text

Question 36

tone

Answer 36

the attitude of the writer towards his subject as revealed in the diction, described with ajdectives

Question 37

sub claim

Answer 37

smaller points that you need to prove in order to support/develop the larger claim