Informative Essay Vocabulary Terms

source

A book, article, text, website, image, or other resource consulted for information.

Citation

A written reference to a specific SOURCE work (book, article, dissertation, report, musical composition, etc.) identifies the document in which the work may be found.

Informative Essay

An essay that gives the reader information and facts about a topic.

Body Paragraph

An informative essay will have three (3). Each body paragraph will explain a different key idea that supports the main topic/thesis of the essay. Body paragraphs have a topic sentence and text evidence facts (quotations) and elaboration of the evidence.

What do you highlight or underline in the texts?

Answers to the prompt questions

Direct Quote

Copying a text word for word exactly as the author wrote it without using quotation marks. Not using quotation marks for direct word for word copying is PLAGIARISM - intellectual theft = ZERO credit!

Evidence

Details from articles and media sources, including facts, examples, and reasons to support the topic sentences and key ideas in the essay.

supporting details/evidence

Details/evidence from the source articles that help to explain the topic sentence.

Essay Structure/Outline

Includes 5 paragraphs: • Introduction - introduces the topic and clearly states the thesis. • 3 body paragraphs- each explains a different key idea • Conclusion - Restates thesis and summarizes key ideas

Thesis statement

MOST IMPORTANT in the intro paragraph. It describes what your entire essay will be about. (Main Topic + 3 Key Ideas) - gets restated in conclusion.

Plagiarism

Taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas. This includes using direct quotes and paraphrased information without using an in-text citation of the original source. Plagiarism = NO CREDIT

Introduction Paragraph

The first paragraph of an essay includes a hook, a lead or background information, and a thesis.

Conclusion Paragraph

The last paragraph in an essay. Rewords the thesis statement, the main points of the essay, and ends with a clincher/closing statement.

Elaboration or analysis sentence starters can be ...

This explains, proves, demonstrates

Elaboration / analysis

To explain the evidence in greater detail, i.e. give examples.

Paraphrase

To restate something in your own words. Still needs a source of the information. >>>Using ideas from a text without the source is PLAGARISM - intellectual theft = no credit!

A body paragraph contains...

Transition Word or Phrase, Topic Sentence, Evidence, Analysis or Elaboration, Wrap up Sentence

Hook/Background Information

the beginning of an essay designed to grab the reader's attention and introduce the topic by giving background information about the topic. Found in Introduction Paragraph.

transition words

words and phrases that provide a connection between ideas, sentences and paragraphs

Formal Writing

writing that is grammatically correct, proper; used in most letters, books, essays, and textbooks