Unit 8: The Essay

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. essay
    an analytic or interpretive literary composition
    An essay is a short nonfiction work that presents a single main idea, or thesis, about a particular topic.
  2. thesis
    a treatise advancing a point of view resulting from research
    An essay is a short nonfiction work that presents a single main idea, or thesis, about a particular topic.
  3. purpose
    an anticipated outcome that guides your planned actions
    The type of essay is determined by the writer’s purpose, or what he or she hopes to accomplish through the work.
  4. informative
    serving to instruct or enlighten
    An informative, or expository, essay explores a topic with the goal of informing or enlightening the reader.
  5. argumentative
    proceeding to a conclusion by systematic reasoning
    An argumentative, or persuasive, essay aims to convince the reader to accept a certain point of view.
  6. personal
    concerning an individual or his or her private life
    A personal essay explores a topic related to the life or interests of the writer.
  7. introduction
    the first section of a communication
    Whether an essay is formal or informal, it includes an introduction.
  8. argument
    a methodical process of logical reasoning
    An argument is a form of persuasion that makes a case to readers for accepting or rejecting a proposition or course of action.
  9. rhetorical
    relating to using language effectively
    The essayist may employ rhetorical devices, techniques used to achieve particular effects, especially to persuade or influence.
  10. parallelism
    similarity by virtue of corresponding
    Parallelism emphasizes the equal value of two or more ideas by expressing them in the same grammatical format.
  11. repetition
    the continued use of the same word or word pattern
    Repetition is the intentional reuse of a sound, word, phrase, or sentence; writers often use repetition to emphasize words and ideas.
  12. rhetorical question
    an inquiry that is not supposed to be answered
    A rhetorical question is one asked for effect but not meant to be answered because the answer is clear from context.
  13. conclusion
    the last section of a communication
    The conclusion of the essay returns to the thesis.
Created on Tue Mar 09 10:16:41 EST 2021 (updated Mon Mar 29 09:40:24 EDT 2021)

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