Nonfiction Analysis Flashcards

Grade 8 · English · Flashcards

Essential terms and concepts for reading and analyzing nonfiction texts.

Flashcards

Nonfiction: Writing based on real events, people, and ideas. Types include essays, biographies, memoirs, news articles, and speeches.
Central idea: The most important point an author makes in a nonfiction text; everything else in the piece supports this idea.
Author's purpose: Why the author wrote the text: to inform (present facts), to persuade (change minds or actions), or to entertain.
Bias: A slant in writing that favors one perspective; biased authors select only evidence supporting their view and ignore counterarguments.
Inference: A conclusion a reader reaches using evidence from the text and background knowledge, not stated outright by the author.
Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject, reflected in word choice. Can be formal, informal, critical, enthusiastic, neutral, etc.
Text structure: cause/effect: Organizes information by explaining why events happen (cause) and what results (effect). Signal words: because, therefore, as a result.
Text structure: compare/contrast: Shows similarities and differences between two or more subjects. Signal words: similarly, however, in contrast, on the other hand.
Text structure: problem/solution: Presents a problem and proposes one or more solutions. Common in persuasive and informational texts.
Text structure: chronological: Presents information in time order from earliest to most recent. Signal words: first, then, next, finally, in [year].
Evidence: Information that supports a claim: statistics, expert opinions, examples, anecdotes, or research findings.
Credibility: The trustworthiness and reliability of a source or author; evaluated by checking credentials, publication, and potential bias.
Objective vs. subjective: Objective writing presents facts without personal opinion; subjective writing reflects personal feelings or judgments.

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