Glossary

a brief summary of an article, often including the author’s research question, methodologies, and results

of, relating to, or associated with an academy or school especially of higher learning

an “argument” relating to or aimed at a person rather than (directly) addressing the position in dispute; spec. (a) that impugns the character or motives of the proponent of a position rather than addressing the position proposed;  (b) that criticizes a position or argument on the grounds of its (alleged) inconsistency with other things its proponent presupposes or asserts or does

the phase of research where you will consider how writers are connected to each other

of, relating to, or being a mechanism or device in which information is represented by continuously variable physical quantities; not digital : not computerized

an alphabetized list of sources that includes a summary for each text intended for a research project, as well as some assessment of the sources’ relevance to a specific project; the list of sources is usually cited according to a conventional format, such as MLA or APA

the action of making notes while reading, listening, or viewing; the action of adding notes to a works cited or reference page, usually in the form of summary, analysis, and topic connection paragraphs or statements

Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences

the American Psychological Association or the documentation style associated with the American Psychological Association that is commonly used in the social sciences such as psychology, education, and linguistics

the thoughtful development of logically sound, carefully constructed assertions that are formed after the diligent consideration of numerous positions

the action or process of reasoning systematically in support of an idea, action, or theory

the action of arranging or disposing in order; often referred to as the organization state of the writing process, though arrangement takes place across the writing process and can be both an aesthetic and an argumentative consideration

a component of the rhetorical situation; any person or group who is the intended recipient of a message conveyed through text, speech, audio; the person/people the author is trying to influence

of or pertaining to the organ of hearing; received or perceived by the ear

the creator of a text or speech; the person or organization who is communicating in order to try to effect a change in his or her audience

is a pedagogical term for "high-risk" students who are perceived to be unprepared for freshman composition.

Mina Shaughnessy (1977) argues that basic writers produce compositions in which there are a "small numbers of words with large numbers of errors." David Bartholomae (2005) maintains that "the distinguishing mark of the basic writer is that he works outside the conceptual structures that his more literate counterparts work within."

Beneficence asks
whether the research is charitable,
equitable, and fair to
participants by taking
into full account the
possible consequences for the researcher
and the participants.

a tendency, inclination, or leaning towards a particular characteristic, behavior, etc.; that which sways or influences a person in their actions, perceptions, etc.; a controlling or directing influence; tendency to favor or dislike a person or thing, especially as a result of a preconceived opinion; partiality, prejudice

the phase in research where you will trace
intersections between sources

the state at which a writer/author engages in generating ideas, exploring those ideas, and developing what will become the topic, thesis, and, ultimately, essay

Invention - the finding out or selection of topics to be treated, or arguments to be used; often referred to as the brainstorming or prewriting stage of the writing process, though invention takes place across the writing process

Arrangement - the action of arranging or disposing in order; often referred to as the organization state of the writing process, though arrangement takes place across the writing process and can be both an aesthetic and an argumentative consideration

Style - the associated genre conventions with which an author chooses to compose; these conventions include tone, level of formality, choice of register, punctuation, and grammar and syntactical concerns

Memory - The perpetuated knowledge or recollection (of something); that which is remembered of a person, object, or event; (good or bad) posthumous reputation; the capacity for retaining, perpetuating, or reviving the thought of things past; the faculty by which things are remembered considered as residing in the awareness or consciousness of a particular individual or group

Delivery - how the compositions we develop reach the audience; in classical Greco-Roman rhetorical tradition, it was primarily concerned with speakers who in real-time stood before reasonably attentive audiences to speak persuasively about matters of civic concern; in modern tradition it is associated with genre, medium, circulation, and ecologies

a process or record of research in which detailed consideration is given to the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time; a particular instance of something used or analyzed in order to illustrate a thesis or principle

the phase of research where you will consider the broader rhetorical
context in which an article is written

order of events over time

the Greek word for time in the linear sense (which is different from kairos)

dissemination or publication, whether by transmission from one to another, or by distribution or diffusion of separate copies; the extent to which copies of a newspaper, periodical, etc., are distributed, the number of readers which it reaches

the argument that is supported by evidence; another term for the thesis; a statement that declares or supports purpose

is reading to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; often means re-reading a text several times

melding multiple linguistic codes, including multiple registers, dialects, or languages; in the university classroom this often references students including words and phrases from home languages or dialects that might differ from traditional expectations of formal, academic discourse

a working practice whereby individuals work together for a common purpose

a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals

to make by putting together parts or elements: to make up, form, frame, fashion, construct, produce; to make or produce in literary form, to write as author

a work of music, literature, or art

the professional field and academic discipline that revolves around writing, research into writing, and instruction of writing

a metaphor (or figurative comparison) in which one idea (or conceptual domain) is understood in terms of another

a document signed by persons of interest to confirm that they agree with an activity that will happen

form or cause to form into a cluster or group; gather together

an understanding of research that considers the interactions between researchers, research subjects, and their environments

a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within some given qualitative data (i.e. text); quantification and analyzation of the presence, meanings, and relationships of certain words, themes, or concepts in one collection of material

(also known as rhetorical situation) the context or set of circumstances out of which a text arises (author/speaker, audience, purpose, setting, text/speech)

the elements, themes, topics, tropes, characters, situations, and plot lines common in specific genres--types of writing

Creative Commons licenses give everyone from individual creators to large institutions a standardized way to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law.

(related to ethos) the author's or text's state of being reliable and trustworthy

the scholarly conversation to which a research project contributes

the close, careful reading/listening/viewing of a composition that is undertaken in order to understand it fully and assess its merits, while taking into account the composition’s context or rhetorical situation

is an area of study within Writing Studies that views writing as a cultural practice, always embedded within the practices and values of those who compose; draws our attention to the relationships between people, practices, and text, relationships that function like a constellation in its many connections and networks

the state of being relative to current concerns

information considered collectively; evidence used for research

a structured set of data held in computer storage and typically accessed or manipulated by means of specialized software; or an archive of specific information stored by topic

a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal

of, relating to, or provable by deriving conclusions by reasoning ; employing deduction in reasoning

speech or writing that attempts to persuade an audience to take—or not take—some action

how the compositions we develop reach the audience; in classical Greco-Roman rhetorical tradition, it was primarily concerned with speakers who in real-time stood before reasonably attentive audiences to speak persuasively about matters of civic concern; in modern tradition it is associated with genre, medium, circulation, and ecologies

the amount of knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, insight, feeling, etc., present in a person's mind or evident either in some product of the mind, as a learned paper, argument, work of art, etc.

the action of departing from an established course or accepted standard

of, relating to, or utilizing devices constructed or working by the methods or principles of electronics; characterized by electronic and especially computerized technology; composed of data in the form of especially binary digits

is a verb that indicates an official or authoritative instruction

communication of thought in conversation;  a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc.

a research method for studying written or spoken language in relation to its social context; aims to understand how language is used in real life situations; includes investigating purposes and effects of different types of language

prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination; the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances

draws attention to the knowledge we glean from our body – not just the mind; often minimized in Western rhetorical traditions; that in which (a principle, an abstract idea, etc.) is embodied, actualized, or concretely expressed

knowledge or data that is gained by observation or experience

considerations of research design that weigh the potential outcome of the findings alongside the process of ascertaining those findings; ethical research includes (1) Respect for Persons (autonomy), which acknowledges the dignity and freedom of every person; (2) Beneficence, which requires that researchers maximize benefits and minimize harms or risks associated with research; and (3) Justice, which requires the equitable selection and recruitment and fair treatment of research subjects

treatment in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession

refers to the reputation or believability of a speaker/rhetor; ethical appeals tap into the values or ideologies that the audience holds (audience values) or appeals that lean on the reputation or believability of the speaker/author (authorial credibility)

data, or what writers use to support or defend their argument, the validity of which depends on the academic discipline or academic audience

the event or occurrence that prompts rhetorical discourse; the event begins the “cycle” of rhetorical discourse about a particular issue

the use of words in a way that deviates from the conventional order and meaning in order to convey a complicated meaning, colorful writing, clarity, or evocative comparison

(also known as first-year writing, freshman composition, or freshman English) is usually two introductory core curriculum writing courses that are required of students in U.S. colleges and universities; these courses generally focus on improving students' abilities to compose, as well as develop a rhetorical understanding of writing

the shape, size, and general makeup (as of something printed); general plan of organization, arrangement, or choice of material (as for a composition)

often thought of as a type or category of writing, e.g. business memos, organization charts, menus, book reviews; a discursive response to a recurrent, social action; materials that mediate social interaction

an analysis of the conventions and deviations for a specific genre

the norms and expectations (or similarities) of a genre

the differences between particular instances within a genre

of or pertaining to gesture; consisting of gestures

a state of mind that happens "when students understand that their abilities can be developed” (Dweck, 2014).

an indication or outline of policy or conduct

literary learning or scholarship; the branch of learning concerned with human culture; the academic subjects collectively comprising this branch of learning include history, literature, ancient and modern languages, law, philosophy, art, and music

a proposition or principle put forth or stated as a basis for reasoning or argument, or as a premise from which to draw a conclusion; a supposition or educated guess based on available evidence

a reference made within the body of an academic essay that alerts the reader to a source that has informed the writing and ensures that credit is given to original authors or theorists

of, relating to, or employing mathematical or logical induction

Valid informed consent for research must include three major elements: (1) disclosure of information, (2) competency of the patient (or surrogate) to make a decision, and (3) voluntary nature of the decision.

a group that has been formally designated to review and monitor biomedical research involving human subjects. In accordance with FDA regulations, an IRB has the authority to approve, require modifications in (to secure approval), or disapprove research. This group review serves an important role in the protection of the rights and welfare of human research subjects. (Food and Drug Administration)

a determination to act in a certain way; the product of attention directed to an object of knowledge

the relationship between texts, especially literary ones; a concept that describes how
other people’s language is seamlessly embedded in our own

an instrument of inquiry—asking questions for specific information related to the aims of a study (Patton, 2015) as well as an instrument for conversation about a particular topic (i.e., someone's life or certain ideas and experiences)

the finding out or selection of topics to be treated, or arguments to be used; often referred to as the brainstorming or prewriting stage of the writing process, though invention takes place across the writing process

approaches communication as collaborative rather than argumentative or combative; the purpose of invitational rhetoric is understanding rather than persuasion

refers to the timeliness of speech/writing: the opportune or right time for speech/writing; indications of why a text is timely or relevant

Related to or characteristic of kairos; adjective used to describe something that happens at the right or opportune time; often combined with the word moment

a word (usually one of several) chosen to indicate or represent the content of a larger document or record in an index, catalog, or database

of or relating to language; (also) of or relating to linguistics

the scientific study of language and its structure; specialized area of studies include theoretical linguistics, sociolinguistics, synchronous linguistics

the quality, condition, or state of being literate; the ability to read, write, speak; the ability to ‘read’ a specified subject or medium; competence or knowledge in a particular area

a summary and synthesis of other scholars’ work that has previously been published on the topic that a given composition addresses; often found at the beginning of an academic article

the reason or evidence for an argument

flawed, deceptive, or false arguments that can be proven wrong with reasoning

data or evidence for an argument; rhetorical logical appeals rely on reason, rationality, and often quantitative data

also known as thesis; an author’s central claim

a system or channel through which a speaker or writer addresses their audience; an outlet that a sender uses to express meaning to their audience; can include written, verbal or nonverbal elements

the perpetuated knowledge or recollection (of something); that which is remembered of a person, object, or event; (good or bad) posthumous reputation; the capacity for retaining, perpetuating, or reviving the thought of things past; the faculty by which things are remembered considered as residing in the awareness or consciousness of a particular individual or group

awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes

the thinking surrounding a research process and selection of research methods; the answers to such questions as How do you decide what method is appropriate for a particular research project? How do you make data meaningful in a particular context?; a research methodology is the approach to a method, or the understanding and thinking that organizes a particular method

uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer a research question; produces numerical and non-numerical data, which can be collected using a variety of research instruments

the initialism for the Modern Language Association; the documentation style commonly used in English and other humanities courses

a term used to refer to texts that are often seen as examples of good and effective writing

ways of presenting communication

a composition that incorporates more than one mode of expression, such as text, image, audio, gesture, or video

the employment of more than one mode: text, sound, voice, image

new forms of literacy made possible by digital technology developments: instant messaging, blogging, social networking, conducting online searches . . .

any media – from newspaper articles and blogs to music and podcasts – that are delivered digitally

impartial, detached approach

notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant

translations of an author’s or theorist’s original idea into an author’s own words that retain the detail of the original thought but include alternate sentence structure and wording

emotions or feeling; rhetorical pathetic appeals draw on an audience’s emotions to support an argument

research that has been considered and shared by
a community of experts

research that has been considered and approved by a community of experts

narratives or first-person accounts; a small narrative incident meant to illustrate a personal experience related to a larger topic

language or writing that is likely to convince the reader or listener to adopt an idea, attitude, or action

the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline

the material situation in which composition occurs; a rhetorical consideration for communication

a practice developed by Peter Elbow that encourages audience members to suspend potential disbelief or critique of a text; approaching the text with the intent to actually believe whatever the author is suggesting

the assumption that there is one clear answer to a
research question

the first stage of the writing process that include a combination of outlining, diagramming, storyboarding, and clustering; a way to record thoughts about a topic before trying to draft an organized text

is a traditional approach of grammar that tells people how to use the English language, what forms they should utilize, and what functions they should serve

information that has not yet been critiqued, interpreted or analyzed by a second (or third, etc) party; information gathered through first-hand or personal experience or study

texts that arise directly from a particular event or time period; any content that comes out of direct involvement with an event or a research study

is a learning design that entails conditions for learners to persist in generating and exploring representations and solution methods for solving complex, novel problems

nearness in space, time, or relationship

written for a specific public

the author’s motivations for creating the text

methods that collect observable or discursive data, which may include opinions or experiences and which generate non-numerical data

methods that collect and generate numerical or countable data

direct quotes are portions of an existing composition that are taken word for word and placed inside of a different work; these are denoted by the use of quotation marks and an in-text citation

is the principle methods of instruction that teachers use with students when teaching the principles, practices, and profession of teaching reading

move back and forth between various stages of a process, as both those engaging in a research process or a writing process do

the action or process of thinking carefully or deeply about a particular subject, typically involving influence from one's past life and experiences; contemplation, deep or serious thought or consideration; the process or faculty by which the mind observes and examines its own experiences and emotions; intelligent self-awareness, introspection, metacognition

primary - information that has not yet been critiqued, interpreted or analyzed by a second (or third, etc) party; information gathered through first-hand or personal experience or study

secondary - information gathered from another source or that has been interpreted or analyzed by someone else

the overall strategy that chosen for the intergradation of different components of a study in a coherent and logical way

moral principles that guide researchers to conduct and report research without deception or intention to harm the participants of the study or members of the society as a whole, whether knowingly or unknowingly; the evolving conventions, codes of conduct, and standards research communities adopt to protect audiences, authors, and their research contributions; the practice of striving for ethical development and circulation of research

in an academic article, the section that identifies what has not been said or examined by previous scholars; a space out of which a scholar’s own research develops; an area where existing research does not provide enough scholarly information

broadly refers to tools for collecting data; research methods may be qualitative, methods that collect discursive data that cannot be counted; quantitative, methods that collect numeric or countable data; and mixed, methods that draw on both quantitative and qualitative measures

a detailed plan or 'blueprint' for the intended study and approach to design

your plan for research

a question that guides an academic study in such a way that the answer adds new knowledge to a field or discipline

a step-by-step plan of action that gives direction to your thoughts and efforts, enabling you to conduct research systematically and on schedule to produce quality results and detailed reporting

a plan for finding the kinds of evidence and information that will aid in effectively answering a research question

both the study and use of strategic communication, or talk and text in social interaction; the way that rhetors/authors/writers/composers use language in order to communicate with an audience;  the art of using language effectively so as to communicate with, persuade, or influence others

the careful study of a text/speech where the context, audience, and purpose for discourse are considered; the process that helps demonstrate the significance of a text by carefully considering the rhetorical situation in which it develops and the ways that it supports its purpose

an approach that examines texts primarily as acts of communication or as performances rather than as static objects; the study of both production and reception of discourse

(also known as rhetorical situation) the set of circumstances out of which a text arises, which includes attention to author, audience, purpose, setting, text

(a term coined by Aviva Freedman) are studies in which scholars examine genre as typified social action, as ways of acting based in recurrent social situations (the founding idea for which can be found in Carolyn R. Miller's essay "Genre as Social Action")

a particular method of listening developed by rhetoric scholar Krista Ratcliffe in which the listener is not trying to evaluate whether they agree or disagree with the speaker but instead listen to hear and identify with the speaker

(also known as rhetorical context) the context or set of circumstances out of which a text arises (author, audience, purpose, setting, text)

author - the creator of a text or speech; the person or organization who is communicating in order to try to effect a change in his or her audience

audience - any person or group who is the intended recipient of the text and also the person/people the author is trying to influence

purpose - the author’s motivations for creating the text

setting - the particular occasion or event that prompted the text’s creation at the particular time it was created

text - the author’s composition, including the format and medium in which it was composed

thoughts and assertation that have been made about rhetoric in a formal fashion

in rhetoric, stock formulas such as puns, proverbs, cause and effect, and comparison, which rhetors use to produce arguments

the state that happens when rhetoricians strategically theorize and anticipate the third party recomposition of their texts

an orator or author who can be considered a master of rhetorical principles

a form of argumentation named after psychologist Carl Rogers who, in 1951, developed an argumentative structure so that people on different sides of an issue would have the experience of believing counterarguments; like invitational rhetoric, Rogerian Argument is similarly devised to build understanding amongst rhetors, particularly those who believe differently

(also known as academic journal) a periodical that contains articles written by experts in a particular field of study, which are intended to be read by other experts or students of the field and may use more specialized or advanced language than the articles found in general magazines

the particular way you will describe your research to participants

information gathered from another source or that has been interpreted or analyzed by someone else

sources that summarize, interpret, critique, analyze, or offer commentary on primary sources; in a secondary source, an author’s subject is not necessarily something that he/she/they directly experienced

a phase in research where you will be attentive to keywords in the text you’ve selected

invites attention to the information we receive with our five senses (often minimized in Western rhetorical traditions)

the particular occasion or event that prompted the text’s creation at the particular time it was created

(also known as attributive tag) a device used to smoothly integrate quotations and paraphrases into a composition; a basic signal phrase consists of an author’s name and an active verb indicating how the author is presenting the material

primary - texts that arise directly from a particular event or time period; any content that comes out of direct involvement with an event or a research study

secondary - sources that summarize, interpret, critique, analyze, or offer commentary on primary sources; in a secondary source, an author’s subject is not necessarily something that he/she/they directly experienced

the systematic collection and arrangement of numerical facts or data of any kind

the associated genre conventions with which an author chooses to compose; these conventions include tone, level of formality, choice of register, punctuation, and grammar and syntactical concerns

influenced by or based on personal beliefs or feelings, rather than based on facts

existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought

describing general ideas from a source such that the result is a shortened version that communicates the primary claims

the composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole

to put together or combine into a complex whole; to make up by combination of parts or elements

sources that identify and locate primary and secondary sources

refers to any form of communication, primarily written or oral, that forms a coherent unit, often as an object of study; A book can be a text, and a speech can be a text, but television commercials, magazine ads, website, and emails can also be texts.

Aristotle taught that a speaker's ability to persuade an audience is based on how well the speaker appeals to that audience in three different areas: logos, ethos, and pathos.

the author’s central or main claim

is a concept that, once understood, changes the way that a person thinks about a topic

a particular style in discourse or writing, which expresses the person's sentiment or reveals his/her/their character

the act of bringing knowledge or skills from one context to another; the goal of a first-year writing course is to transfer the writing skills developed in the class to other writing situations

powerful links between ideas that aid a reader’s understandings of a text

the ways in which genres are circulated (or not); can be a measure of a genre’s success with an audience

a spoken word, statement, or vocal sound

a learning plan through which what students learn in one lesson, course, or grade level prepares them for the next lesson, course, or grade level

a method of understanding that focuses on visual elements, such as color, line, texture, and scale

the use of images to convey meaning or message in order to argue or persuade

a free, open content online encyclopedia created through the collaborative effort of a community of users; a public site on which anyone registered can create an article for publication and the non-registered can edit articles

at the end of academic articles, a list of all the works that authors considered or cited in designing their article

the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing

"is a body of knowledge consisting of theories of and research on teaching, learning, literacy, writing, and rhetoric, and the related practices that emerge. It is the deliberate integration of theory, research, personal philosophy, and rhetorical praxis into composition instruction at all levels from the daily lesson plan to the writing program and the communities it serves." – A Guide to Composition Pedagogy

an iterative, recursive process in which authors develop compositions