Vocabulary |
Definition |
annotated bibliography |
a research tool that organizes citations with a brief paragraph for each source examined. |
believer |
a posture from which read; reader makes efforts to appreciate, understand, and agree with the text they encounter. |
block quote |
a direct quote of more than four lines which is reformatted according to stylistic guidelines. |
bootstrapping |
the process of finding new sources using hyperlinked subject tags in the search results of a database. |
citation mining |
the process of using a text's citations, bibliography, or notes to track down other similar or related sources. |
claim of evaluation |
an arguement determining relative value (i.e., better, best, worse, worst). Requires informed judgment based on evidence and a consistent metric. |
claim of phenomenon |
an argument exploring a measurable but arguable happening. Typically more straightforward than other claims, but should still be arguable and worth discussion. |
claim of policy |
an argument that proposes a plan of action to address an issue. Articulates a stance that requires action, often informed by understanding of both phenomenon and evaluation. Often uses the word "should." See call-to-action. |
CRAAP Test |
a technique for evaluating the credibility and use-value of a source; researcher considers the Currancy, Relevance, Accuracy, Authority, and Purpose of the source to determine if it is trustworthy and useful. |
credibility |
the degree to which a text- it's content, its author, and/or its publisher- is trustworthy and accurate. |
direct quote |
the verbatim use of another author's words. Can be used as evidence to support your claim, or as language to analyze/ close-read to demonstrate an interpretation or insight. |
doubter |
a posture from which to read; reader makes efforts to challenge, critique, or undermine the text they encounter. |
evidence |
a part or combination of parts that lends support or proof to an arguable topic, idea, or interpretation. |
the naysayer's voice |
a voice that disagrees with the writer or speaker included within the text itself. Can be literal or imaginary. Helps author respond to criticism, transition between ideas, and manage argumentation. |
paraphrase |
author reiterates a main idea, argument, or detail of a text in their own words without drastically altering the length of the passage(s) they paraphrase. Contrast with summary. |
primacy effect |
a psychological effect experience by most audiences: the opening statements of a text are more memorable than much of the content because they leave a 'first impression' in the audience's memory. Contrast with recency effect. |
recency effect |
a psychological effect experienced by most audiences: the concluding statements of a text are more memorable than much of the content because they ar more recent in the audience's memory. Contrast with primacy effect. |
signpost |
a phrase or sentence that directs your reader. It can help you make connections, guide your reader's interpretation, ease transitions, and re-orient you to your thesis. Also known as a "signal phrase." |
summary |
a rhetorical mode in which an author reiterates the main ideas, arguments, and details of a text in their own words, condensing a longer text into a smaller version. Contrast with paraphrase. |
thesis (statement) |
a 1-3 sentence outlining the main insight(s), argument(s), or concern(s) of an essay; not necessary in every rhetorical situation; typically found at the beginning of an essay, though sometimes embedded later in the paper. Also referred to as a "So what?" statement. |
use-value |
the degree to which a text is usable for your specific project. A source is not inherently good or bad, but rather useful or not useful. Use-value is influenced by many factors, including credibility. See credibility and CRAAP Test. |