Audience - The person or persons, real or imagined, for whom the author writes. By keeping a particular audience in mind, the author can make effective decisions on word choice and content and can maintain a tone in keeping with the nature of the writing and the understanding of the reader.

Body of paper - The portion of a composition in which, through the use of such specific strategies as details, examples, and explanation, the author develops the central idea or thesis. The body falls between the introduction and the conclusion. In a theme, this portion of the work usually consists of three or more well-developed paragraphs.

Central idea - In most English classes, a synonym for thesis or thesis statement. (See the discussion of the thesis, pages 57-58.)

Coherence - A principle of writing requiring that all ideas in an expository essay be related and that the relationship be immediately apparent to the reader. Transitional words and repetition of key words from the thesis statement are important devices for establishing coherence within a composition. (See the discussion of transition.)

Comma splice - The punctuation error of using a comma to join two groups of words, each of which could be a sentence by itself. May also be called comma fault. Comma splice: I'm hungry, I think I'll have a sandwich. Correction: I'm hungry. I think I 'll have a sandwich.

Concluding paragraph - A final paragraph in which the author attempts to bring his writing to a satisfactory close. The conclusion should be strong and brief. Among other things, it may restate the central idea, summarize the points made in the paper, raise a question, or provide a challenge.

Controlling idea - The thesis or thesis statement. (See the discussion of thesis.)

Dangling modifier - A modifying phrase that causes the reader trouble in finding the word or phrase that it modifies.

Details - See Supporting detail.

Diction - The use of words in writing or speaking. Good diction demands that the words chosen for use in a particular composition be accurate, suitable, specific, and effective.

Documentation - The proper identification of authors and sources of information used in a research paper.

Essay - A brief prose discussion of a limited subject.

Exposition - A form of composition used to inform or explain. Expository essays or themes usually include some characteristics of one or more of the other forms of writing: argumentation, description, and narration. They may be developed through the use of one or more rhetorical patterns. (See the discussion on rhetorical patterns.)

Fragment - See Sentence fragment.

Grammar - The set of formal patterns in which the words of a language are arranged in order to convey larger meanings. Thus grammar deals with classes of words and their various forms and with their arrangement, relations, and functions in a sentence. Writers of English need to be aware of grammatical patterns acceptable in written standard English, which differs from spoken standard English.

Introductory paragraph - The opening paragraph of the essay. The introduction usually includes several sentences that carefully lead toward the statement of the central idea or thesis, which is often used as the concluding sentence of the paragraph.

Mechanics - The technical components of writing, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Misplaced modifier - A modifying word or phrase that is confusing because it could describe more than one thing.

Outline - A plan for a composition. A scratch or rough outline may consist of ideas jotted down in no particular order but in sufficient detail for the author to develop a thesis statement and plan an organized theme. Formal outlines are of several types, including topic outlines, in which words and phrases are used, and sentence outlines, in which the use of complete sentences is required throughout. A well-constructed expository theme is seldom achieved unless the author has previously constructed some kind of outline.

Paragraph - A unit of thought. Although it may occasionally be composed of one or two sentences, a paragraph usually consists of a group of related sentences. These include a topic sentence, which is often but not always the first sentence, and the other sentences that develop the idea of the topic sentence. When the paragraph is part of an essay, it must qualify, analyze, explain, exemplify, or otherwise develop the central idea of the paper.

Peer editing - Working with other students in writing classes to write and rewrite and to edit student prose as a means of improving writing and editing skills.

Proofreading/Editing - The stage in writing following the preparation of the rough draft. This stage requires careful reading and reviewing of the material so that mechanical errors, poor organization, and lack of supporting evidence may be detected. After this process is completed, and all necessary corrections and revisions have been made, a final draft may be prepared. This final draft, also, must be checked for mechanical errors before it is presented.

Rhetorical patterns - Various methods and techniques used for organizing paragraphs and themes. Frequently used patterns or strategies include definition, cause-and-effect, process, analogy, classification, identification, and comparison-contrast.

Rough draft - The first attempt at writing the entire essay, including the thesis statement and supporting material, in complete sentences and full paragraphs. The phrase "rough draft" can be somewhat misleading, since teachers usually expect it to be as long as a final draft, well-thought-out, typed, and proofread.

Run-on sentences - No punctuation between two independent clauses, which makes it difficult for the reader to know how they should be separated. Example: My brother opened the door where I was sleeping I could feel the draft.

Sentence fragment - A group of words that does not fully express an idea. Example: When the horse eats in the field where the cows are.

Supporting detail - Specific ideas, facts, or words that explain, exemplify, or qualify both thesis statements and topic sentences. Abroad generalization does not qualify as supporting detail, which must be specific.

Thesis statement - A sentence that clearly gives the author's purpose in writing a theme or essay. It also usually indicates the writer's point of view toward his subject and ordinarily sets the limits for the discussion. This statement usually falls at or near the end of the first paragraph. The thesis statement may also be called a thesis, central idea, or controlling idea.

Tone - A term for the attitude toward a subject or reader that a composition conveys. (Tone may also refer to the mood the writing arouses.) Tone depends for its quality on many factors, including word choice, sentence structure, and paragraph form. The writer attempts to make tone consistent and appropriate to the audience and the purpose.

Topic sentence - The statement that provides the main idea of a paragraph and limits the range of acceptable material in the paragraph. Although other positions are suitable, the topic sentence is often placed at the beginning of the paragraph.

Transition - A word, phrase or sentence used to link sentences within paragraphs, and paragraphs with each other, so that the reader is able to follow the line of thought without difficulty. Some examples of transitional words and phrases are first, second, finally, then, thus, however, in addition, on the one hand, on the other hand, and in other words.

Unity - Characteristic of a composition in which each element included contributes to the central thought. A unified paper will have a clearly stated thesis, well-constructed paragraphs developing the idea stated in the thesis, appropriate transitional connecting sentences and paragraphs, and a clear sense of direction (stemming from the thesis statement) throughout. Unity within a paragraph is essential and is achieved when the paragraph discusses only one idea by the topic sentence.

Usage - The way words and phrases are actually used by a language community. Usage in the United States varies somewhat from one region to another, from one sub-group to another, and from one situation to another. The language suitable for most themes is standard English.

Writing process - The recursive method of creating written work: prewriting, writing, rewriting. For a more complete discussion, see The Writing Process.