SCAPA 7th & 8th Grade Writing Core Content Vocabulary

A method of idea development in which the writer bearks apart a topic to examine its parts and the relationship of the parts to reach new conclusions about the whole

Samples of good writing that you can look at as you revise your work to see how you should improve your writing

The slant or approach a writed uses to tell the story

The specific readers for whom a piece of writing is intended

Written for a realistic purpose and audience in a realistic form not merely as a class assignment

Persuasion which claims that something is attracting growing support. Ex. "Everybody's doing it."

Way of organizing your writing by explaining how a particular action (cause) brings about a result (effect)

In order by time. Ex. When writing an article about a ballgame, you would keep your inforamtion in chronological order so your reader should know what happened first, and what happened later

The way a piece ends (conclusion); often ties together main ideas and refers back to the introduction

Logical connections between ideas

Way of organizing your writing by looking at two ideas or events and showing how they are similar or different

Precise descriptions using specific bits of information

Links between ideas or thoughts

Words or details that provide a necessary link or explanation to the meaning of a sentence or event. Ex. Standing by the curb with your arm extended makes sense in the context of New York City where you would be hauling a taxi

Commonly accepted rules for writing and speaking English

Accepted standards or benchmarks; specific examples of what is good

An adjective, or a verb used as an adjective, that is not next to the noun that it modifies. Ex. Squeling, the farmer carried the pig." (This should be, "Squealing, the pig was carried by the farmer" so that the modified is clearly next to its noun)

Using words, figures, or pictures to develop a mental pictures

A person's direct words or a conversation; used in writing to show what a character is thinking or feeling

Evidence provided to prove that something is true or real; a list of sources you used in writing a piece

An early version of your writing, before the final editing

Writing the first versions of your writing

Using as few words as are necessary

Explaining by including important details

Persuasion aimed your your feelings. Ex. "Your donation could save the life of a child."

Persuasion aimed at your sense of wanting to do what is right, fair, or honest. Ex. "You would want others to help you if you were in need. Won't you send a donation?"

Persuasion which includes the words of someone who is considered to be an authority on the subject. Ex. "Dentists say this toothbrush is the best at reducing cavities."

Details which are unrelated or unimportant to your topic

An expression or description that does not mean exactly what it says; can include metaphors, similes, or personification

An interruption of the chronological order of the story by telling about something related that happened in the past

Thinking about what you already know about your subject and determining a meaningful reason to write

A sign or suggestion of what will happen later in the story. Ex. "Surprisingly, the day began in an ordinary way." The word "surprisingly" makes you wonder what happened later that was not ordinary.

Writing freely without stopping for a determined time

A particular kind of writing. Ex. novel, short story, play, poem

The rules and guidelines of a language used to be correct in writing and speaking

A writer's use of logical, relevant details including research, interviews, graphics, charts, sensory details, etc. to support the purpose of a piece of writing

Groups of words which when used together take on a new meaning that is generally understood. Ex. raining cats and dogs, or to catch the bus

A picture in the mind

The effect of something. Ex. "Because the article gave stron reasons, it has an immediate impact on the readers."

The beginning of your writing where you capture and focus your audience's attention

Not relating to the subject you are writing about, or not supporting your topic

The ability to read and write

Writing that is intended to tell a story or describe and event or scene; not intended to persuade the reader to take action. Ex. biography, novel, poetry, play

A persuasive attempt aimed at your ability to reason and make judgment. Ex. "These are the facts: Your donation of $20 can provide shelter for this child for one month."

The most important idea in a paragraph or passage that is supported by the other ideas

A form of prewriting in which you plan (map out) what you are going to write; strategy that lets you see how your ideas support your topic.

Rules relating to how your language works. Ex. proper placement of punctuation marks or capital letters, correct spelling

Personal writing which reflects on the relationship of the writer to a particular person, place, animal, or thing

Planning what you will say and what words you will use in your head before you write them on paper

Comparing two different things without using a word of comparision such as like or as. Ex. fists of iron

Adjective phrases or clauses that are in the wrong place in a sentence so they seem to modify the wrong noun. Ex. "The lady watched her dor driving down the road." This should be, "The lady driving down the road watched her so." so that you know who is doing the driving.

Examples of the writing from which to learn

The feeling created by a piece of writing

A persuasive technique which aims its attack at a person's private life

Personal writing that focuses on the significance of a central idea or insight in a person's life

Type of writing which focuses on true events, relationships, and life lessions. Ex. Personal essay, personal narrative, or memoir

Writing about one significant incident in your life

Giving human qualities to an object or animal. Ex. The tree branches waved good-bye to summer.

A point of view; a writer's perspective is based on what the writer knows and personally believes about the subject.

The main events in a story; what happened to whom and in what order (a literary element)

The perspective from which the story is presented; two main kinds are first person "I" and third person "He/She/They".
This is a literary element.

Names for people, places, and things (nouns) which are accurate and exact. Ex. Throw the baseball (not through that thing)

Selecting words which say exactly what you want to say

Determining your purpose and audience and considering idea development and organization

Way of organizing your writing by explaining the problem and proposing your solution

Information designed to promote a cause or spread an idea, and usually to damage the opposing side

The intentional message a writer want to convey to readers; why the author is writing this; to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain

Way of organizing your writing by stating what the question is and explainin why your answer is the best one

Repeating itself; The writing process is recursive because you will loop back through the stages of the writing process more than once before you reach your final draft. Ex. You may be in the revising stage and decide that you really want to organize your ideas differently, which will send you back to the prewriting stage

Repetitious; saying the same thing too many times

Using analysis and insight to contemplate past events

Writing that uses reflection (careful consideration and serious contemplation of past events) as a means of idea development

Saying something over and over in an attempt to persuade

Evaluating your work (and listening to the suggestions of others) for what you might add, take out, or rearrange

Describes language that appeacls to a variety of the senses (creates a mental image and sounds good to the ear), and is sufficiently strong and varied

A toll which includes the standards by which your writing will be judged

A setting or location whene an event happens; can also refer to the background and props in a play, or a short sction of a play or story

Informationin your writing which helps the reader see, hear, touch, teaste, smell what you are describing

One thing after another in a logical order

Logical order that shows how one thing affected the next, or came before the next

The time and place of action in a story.
A literary element

A comparison using like or as. Ex. He was sly as a fox.

The book, website, article, etc. where you got your information

Words which protray the exact action you which to describe. Ex. slammed the ball through the hoop (not pull the ball through the hood)

The way writers express their thoughts in language, which involves their choice of words and how they arrange those words in sentences; style should be appropriate to the subject matter and to the writer

Evidence which backs up the writer's position. Ex. facts, examples, reasons, comparisons, diagrams, charts, other visuals

The details used to develop a subject or bring a story to life; these are what make your writing truly persuasive or entertaining

To stay the same without changing; to remain consistent throughout a piece of writing

A persuasive statement in which you explain the benefits you have received. Ex. "My headaches have stopped since I have been using this product."

The printed layout of a book or article. Ex. subheadings, bullets, fonts, white space, layout, charts, diagrams, labels pictures, captions

The big idea of a story which connects the character, setting, and plow.
A literary element

Appropriate attitude toward the subject based on the writer's intended audience; can be establish by the types of workd you use (formal, casual, technical, slang)

Writing meant to persuade or inform; most job-related work is transactive

Word or phrase that shows a connection between two ideas; transition words help the reader move from one sentence or paragrapht to another without losing track of the bid idea

Sticking to one purpose throughout your piece of writing

The feature of writing that conveys the writer's personailty

Jotting down as many details connect to the topic as you can think of

Single draft writing which checks your thinking and learning about the content and is not checked for grammar and usage. Ex. learning journal, reading response, writer's notebook, exit slips