First Vocabulary List: Close Reading and Essay Writing

Question At Issue: The main problem or topic addressed by the author, and possible secondary issues.

Purpose: What the author seeks to accomplish with respect to the question at issue, the audience, or the speaker itself.

Assumptions: Ideas that are taken for granted by the author about the nature of the question at issue, the audience, or the speaker itself

Point of View: The perspective from which the essay is written. The individuals or groups whose interests, beliefs, or needs are supported by the author

Concepts: Abstract ideas (such as truth, justice, kindness, or progress) raised by the Question at Issue.

Implications: The direct or indirect results of addressing the Question at Issue in a certain way

Inferences: Conclusions made by the reader about any of the other seven elements of the wheel of analysis -- based on unwritten / implied logical connections.
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Thesis: The central argument or claim presented in the essay. That which the writer wants the reader to accept as true or reasonable

Contention: Claim intended to develop and support the author's central argument

Evidence: Material used to support/explain/embellish an opinion or claim. Evidence can take that form of facts, quotations, examples, statistics, or personal experiences among others.

Concession: an opposing claim or evidence that is accepted as true

Refutation: an attempt to disprove or invalidate opposing claims or evidence

Warrant: The logical link between a claim and supporting evidence

Introductory Paragraph: The first paragraph of a traditionally formatted formal essay. This paragraph raises the issue to be discussed, presents the author's thesis, and provides a roadmap for the essential issues to be discussed

Hook: An introductory statement places at the beginning of the essay intended to raise the general use discussed and engage the reader's attention

Transition: A sentence or phrase intended to clarify the logical connection between one idea and the next. In the case of an introductory paragraph, the hook is generally followed by a transition sentence that narrows the focus of discussion to the specific idea being discussed in the essay

Roadmap: Sentence or sentences provided immediately before or after the thesis statement raising the most important contentions to be addressed.

Topic Sentence: The introductory sentence for a body paragraph. Generally, topic sentences have three purposes: to identify the subject of discussion for the paragraph, to clarify the relevance to this topic to the thesis or the previous paragraph, and to present a contention to will be discussed in the following sentences.

Concrete Detail: Evidence intended to support the claim made in the topic sentence.

Commentary: Discussion and analysis sentences intended to demonstrate the relevance of the evidence to the claim it is intended to support.
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Argument To Dominate: Arguing to win agreement with your point at the cost of another

Argument To Assert: Arguing to present a possible solution, approach, or answer to a question

Argument To Negotiate: Presentation of ideas in order to reach a solution by consensus

Argument To Inquire: Presenting the process of discovery that leads to a conclusion