the ability to read text at an appropriate rate, and with accuracy, expression, and appropriate phrasing; not hurried reading

a logical guess made by connecting bits of information

visualizing physical details from a text such as actions, characters, scenes, events, and setting

a form of inference in which the reader gathers and analyzes details in order to anticipate and foresee forthcoming events and information

the character who opposes the protagonist or the goals of the protagonist

the method in which an author constructs a character by explicitly stating aspects of his/her personality and appearance (direct characterization) or by revealing aspects of a character through their actions, thoughts, speech, other characters, etc. (indirect characterization)

the highest point in the plot where the problem/conflict reaches its peak

in literature, the opposition of persons or forces that brings about dramatic action central to the plot of a story. Conflict may be internal, as a psychological conflict within a character, or external (e.g., man versus man, man versus nature, or man versus society).

the element of plot structure that takes place after the climax and begins to resolve the conflict(s) of the story before the resolution

language not intended to be taken literally but layered with meaning through the use of imagery, metaphors, and other literary devices

a brief interruption in the plot that describes an earlier event or time in order to provide clarity, background, and context about an event currently taking place in the narrative

the main character in a narrative who is at the center of the story

the conclusion or final outcome of a story that in some capacity resolves all problems and conflicts; however, not all stories have clear resolutions

a stage in the writing process when a text is examined holistically and changes are made to improve the focus, content, organization, sentence structure, and word choice in order to clarify the intended message, create flow, and more successfully engage the audience

the element of plot structure that develops the conflict through a series of events to build interest and/or suspense and leads up to the climax

a specific subject, idea, or issue that is the focus of a discussion, essay, article, or other work

the method in which an author constructs a character by explicitly stating aspects of his/her personality and appearance (direct characterization) or by revealing aspects of a character through their actions, thoughts, speech, other characters, etc. (indirect characterization)

the lines spoken between characters in fiction or a play; dialogue in a play is the main way in which plot, character, and other elements are established

language not intended to be taken literally but layered with meaning through the use of imagery, metaphors, and other literary devices

a subtle comparison in which the author describes a person or thing using words that are not meant to be taken literally (e.g., time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations). An extended metaphor is a metaphor in which the comparison is carried through several lines or even the entire literary work.

the basic rhythmic structure in verse, composed of stressed and unstressed syllables

the atmosphere or feeling created by the writer in a literary work or passage; mood can be expressed through imagery, word choice, setting, voice, and theme. For example, the mood evoked in Edgar Allan Poe's work is gloomy and dark.

figurative language in which non-human things or abstractions are represented as having human qualities (e.g., necessity is the mother of invention)

the basic sequence of events in a story that includes the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution

a distinctive poetic structure with distinguishable characteristics based on meter, lines, stanzas, and rhyme schemes such as a sonnet, blank verse, ballad, haiku, epic, lyric, etc.

the time and place in which a narrative occurs. Elements of setting may include the physical, psychological, cultural, or historical background against which the story takes place.

descriptions or instructions in a play that provide information about characters, dialogue, setting, and actions

the basic form of a poem, including its visual presentation (e.g., line, stanza, or verse)

the central or universal idea of a literary work that often relates to morals and/or values and speaks to the human experience/ condition

an author's unique articulation or expression of language created by stylistic elements such as syntax, diction, and figurative language

the main point or underlying direction of a piece of writing; a controlling idea makes the reader ask a question that will be answered by reading more or helps the reader understand the author's purpose for writing the paragraph or essay

picture or other image within a text

a text that presents information in order to explain, clarify, and/or educate

a source from the time in which an event being studied occurred and created by someone who was present at the event

a timeline created around the research process that identifies the initial steps needed to find accurate, significant, and relevant sources to support the topic of inquiry or working thesis, intermediary steps of reevaluating the research question and revising the thesis based on source analysis, and the final steps of drafting (or equivalent preparation), revision, editing, and presenting results in an appropriate mode of delivery (written, oral, or multimodal)

a source that is a step removed from the original accounts of an event or experience

any characteristic of the text outside the main body of the text that helps convey meaning

a text in which the writer develops and defends a position or debates a topic using logic and persuasion

a particular inclination, feeling, or opinion about a subject that is often preconceived or unreasoned

an assertion, position, or arguable thesis about a topic or issue

an adverb that introduces or connects independent clauses and that shows cause and effect, comparison, contrast, or some other relationship between clauses

a logically incorrect argument, or fallacy, that contains a conclusion that is not supported by data, has limited information, and/or includes personal opinion or bias

picture or other image within a text

an intentional and extreme exaggeration for emphasis or effect (e.g., this book weighs a ton)

an incorrect or problematic argument that is not based on sound reasoning

a word that relates its object to another word in the sentence

a technique that an author or speaker uses to influence or persuade an audience

a rhetorical fallacy in which one classifies a person or group according to a common aspect that is oversimplified, rigidly applied, and often uncomplimentary

a conjunction that introduces a dependent clause and connects it to an independent clause; the subordinating conjunction shows the relationship between two ideas in a sentence to indicate time, place, or cause/effect

to combine elements and parts to form a coherent whole

the words, sentences, or passages that precede or follow a specific word, sentence, or passage

an electronic text read on a computer screen or other electronic device that may include images, sound, video, and other multimodal interactive and embedded elements

a stage in the writing process when a written text is prepared for an audience by attending to and correcting mechanics, grammar, and spelling

paraphrased or directly quoted detail(s) from a text that supports a reader's claim, thought, inference, or analysis about the text

the type or class of a work, usually categorized by form, technique, or content

important ideas throughout a work that support the central message, theme, tone, etc.

the strategic integration of two or more modes of communication to create meaning, including written and spoken texts, images, gestures, music, digital texts and media, and live performances

the pattern an author constructs as he organizes his or her ideas and provides supporting details

the unique characteristics that describe a writer's use of language; diction, syntax, sentence fluency, figurative language, and voice all contribute to a writer's style

to reduce large sections of text to their essential points and main idea. Note: It is still important to attribute summarized ideas to the original source

to combine elements and parts to form a coherent whole

the way or pattern in which an author organizes ideas within a text

the author's particular attitude, either stated or implied in writing

the intended target group for a message, regardless of the medium

intentional and deliberate use of organizational patterns, text and graphic features, syntax, devices, and diction to create an effective written work; author's craft may vary by genre

the reason an author writes about a particular topic (e.g., to persuade, to entertain, to inform, to explain to analyze, etc.); the reason an author includes particular details, features, or devices in a work

a reference to the author's name, title of work, date published, publisher, and/or page numbers of quoted or paraphrased text in a shortened in-text notation or in a longer bibliographic entry

the quality of having reliable and trustworthy characteristics which may be influenced by an author having expertise on a topic, using unbiased and accurate reasoning, evidence, and sources to support ideas, and providing current and up-to-date information

an act of searching for information or knowledge about a particular subject or topic

the strategic integration of two or more modes of communication to create meaning, including written and spoken texts, images, gestures, music, digital texts and media, and live performances

restate the meaning of something in different words. Paraphrasing alters the exact wording of the source and transmits its ideas or information without evaluation or interpretation.

to present the ideas or word of another as one's own without crediting the source

a source from the time in which an event being studied occurred and created by someone who was present at the event

a credible or believable source. Some questions to evaluate credibility might be: Is the author a respected authority on the subject? Does the author support opinions with strong argumentation and reasoning? How current is the information?

the process of objectively investigating and collecting information regarding a particular subject in order to discover facts, theories, perspectives, etc.

a source that is a step removed from the original accounts of an event or experience