2. Genres of Nonfiction Literary Essay Informational
Provides factual
Style similar to fiction
Short work on a single subject
information
Tells a story
Examples:
Highly organized
Real people, places, or events
Newspapers
Thoroughly researched
Magazines
Examples
Structured
Encyclopedias
Infographics
Biography
Autobiography
Memoir

3. Informational Nonfiction
Words to Know

4. Proposal Claim Argument Thesis Assertion
A statement that requires support
Used to explore an idea, prove a fact, state an opinion
Assertion
Proposal

5. Where to find the claim May be at the end of the introduction
May be stated at the end of the piece
May be implied (not directly stated)

6. Evidence Support provided for an author’s claims Statistical Anecdotal
Analogical
Testimonial
Support provided for an author’s claims

7. Using data (numbers) to prove a point
Statistical Evidence
Using data (numbers) to prove a point
Charts, graphs, polls, survey results, statistics
Considered more trustworthy and fact based
Things to Consider:
Are the statistics accurate?
Are they from a reputable source?
Is the information relevant?

9. A short account of a particular incident or event
Anecdotal Evidence
A short account of a particular incident or event
Evidence based on a person’s OBSERVATIONS of the world
Usually dismissed as untrustworthy/meaningless
Can be useful in disproving a claim
Things to Consider:
Is the author ONLY using this type of evidence?
Are they anecdotes being used to prove or disprove?
Are there FACTS that would better support the claim?

11. Analogical Evidence A similarity between like features of two things,
on which a comparison is based
Used when dealing with an under-researched topic or hard to understand concept
Provides examples that are similar to highlight a certain feature
Things to Consider:
Are the comparisons far-fetched or similar?
Are the claims best supported by analogy?

13. Opinion or commentary from an “expert”
Testimonial Evidence
Opinion or commentary from an “expert”
Support a claim based on experience or education
Expert opinion
Things to Consider:
What are the qualifications of the “expert”
Is the background information relevant?
Does “famous” equal “expert”?

15. Informational Nonfiction
ANALYSIS

16. SOAPSTone
Speaker
Subject
Audience
Occasion
Purpose

17. Speaker SOAPSTone The voice that tells the story.
Before authors begin to write, they must decide whose voice is going to be heard.
Whether this voice belongs to a fictional character or to the writers themselves, effective writers determine how to insert and develop those attributes of the speaker that will influence the perceived meaning of the piece.
Speaker

18. SOAPSTone
The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing. Writing does not occur in a vacuum.
All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that swirl around a broad issue. Then there is the immediate occasion: an event or situation that catches the writer's attention and triggers a response.
Occasion

19. SOAPSTone
The group of readers to whom this piece is directed.
Before authors begin to write, they must determine who the audience is that they intend to address.
It may be one person or a specific group.
This choice of audience will affect how and why authors write a particular text.
Audience

20. Purpose SOAPSTone The reason behind the text.
Writers need to consider the purpose of the text in order to develop the thesis or the argument and its logic.
They ask themselves, "What do I want my audience to think or do as a result of reading my text?"
Purpose

21. Subject SOAPSTone The central topic.
Before authors begin to write, they must decide whose voice is going to be heard.
Whether this voice belongs to a fictional character or to the writers themselves, effective writers determine how to insert and develop those attributes of the speaker that will influence the perceived meaning of the piece.
Subject

22. Tone SOAPSTone The attitude of the author.
The spoken word can convey the speaker's attitude and thus help to impart meaning through tone of voice.
With the written word, it is tone that extends meaning beyond the literal, and authors must convey this tone in their
diction (choice of words)
syntax (sentence construction)
imagery (metaphors, similes, and other types of figurative language).
The ability to manage tone is one of the best indicators of a sophisticated writer.
Tone

23. Annotating Nonfiction
Underline the Claim
Summarize key points
Look up unfamiliar words
Highlight the evidence
Label the type of evidence
Comment on how effective it is
Complete a SOAPSTone Analysis