NonfictionNonfiction

Corinth Holders High SchoolCorinth Holders High SchoolEnglish IEnglish I

Spring 2012Spring 2012

What is nonfiction?What is nonfiction?

Written works intended to give facts or true accounts of real things and events.

Types of nonfictionTypes of nonfiction

personal essays

magazines

journals

biographies

newspaper

s

diaries

letters

informational books

news programs

editorials

Types of nonfictionTypes of nonfiction Informational Books

Biographies

Books of true experiences

Essays, journals, letters, and personal accounts

Historical documents and speeches

Newspapers and magazines

Television News

Informational booksInformational books• Information is factual and may be supported by detailed descriptions, examples, definitions, or quotations from authorities

• Mode of presentation may be expository, narrative, or descriptive.

• Illustrations clarify text and add authenticity

• Organization follows a logical pattern and may include textual aids (i.e. table of contents, chapter headings, notes in the margin, etc.)

• Content may include history, geography, science, nature, hobbies and crafts, experiments, discoveries, and how things work.

Informational booksInformational books

BiographiesBiographies

• Subjects may include explorers, political heroes and heroines; and achievers in literature, science, sports, the arts, and other disciplines.

• Effectiveness depends on accuracy, authenticity, and an appealing narrative style.

• Descriptions of someone's life, usually published in the form of a book or essay, or in some other form, such as a film.

BiographiesBiographies

Books of True ExperienceBooks of True Experience

• Content relates to specific episodes or events from a person’s life over a limited time span.

• Author may be the central figure or an objective narrator.

Books of True ExperienceBooks of True Experience

Essays, Journals, etc.Essays, Journals, etc.• Content is based upon or adapted from original documents in diary, letter, or essay form.

Historical Documents/SpeechesHistorical Documents/Speeches

• Official statements of social and political significance may include information about the author and setting of each document

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Historical Documents/SpeechesHistorical Documents/Speeches

Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

Patrick Henry - March 23, 1775

Newspapers/MagazinesNewspapers/Magazines• Writing style is simple and direct.

• Content provides something for every reader:

• Current events are reported accurately and objectively.

• Organization is based on who, what, where, when, why, and how.

• Vocabulary is functional.

news

sports

editorials

comics

business

Sudoku puzzles

many more

NewspapersNewspapers

MagazinesMagazines

Differences/Similarities?Differences/Similarities?

Television NewsTelevision News• Like a televised version of a newspaper

• Available to millions around the world, and able to broadcast breaking news stories in minutes.

• Local and national news stations/organizations

Television NewsTelevision News

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction Elements

* Purpose * Rhetoric* Bias * Syntax* Style * Diction* Main idea * Tone* Audience * Cause/Effect* Context * Fact/Opinion* Fallacies * Spin

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsThe author’s purposeauthor’s purpose in writing a story or other work may be to informinform, entertainentertain, or persuadepersuade the reader. Sometimes the author may combine two or three purposes in one work.

Facts or true information?

Fiction?

Tries to get you to do something?

To inform or teachTo inform or teach

To entertainTo entertain

To persuade or To persuade or convinceconvince

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsBiasBias is a personal and largely unreasoned judgment either for or against a particular person, position, or thing; a prejudiceprejudice. Bias can be either favorablefavorable or unfavorableunfavorable, or can be used to swaysway an audience.

• Emotional Responses • Exaggerations • Overgeneralizations (all-or-none statements)• Stereotypical comments • Opinions stated as facts • Imbalances or one-sided views

Detecting BiasDetecting Bias

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsStyleStyle describes the ways that the author uses words — the author's word choiceword choice, sentence structuresentence structure, figurative figurative languagelanguage, and sentence arrangementsentence arrangement all work together to establish mood, images, and meaning. Style describes how the author describes events, objects, and ideas.

He's passed away. He's sleeping with the fishes. He died. He's gone to meet his Maker. He kicked the bucket.

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsThe main ideamain idea is the central thoughtcentral thought or messagemessage of a passage or reading.

Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach. It is a beach with light-colored, soft sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and many people enjoy walking along it. Children like to play in the surf and walk along the rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun beach for people of all ages.

Topic:

Main Idea:

West Beach

Summer is a wonderful time at West Beach

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsThe audienceaudience – those for whom a piece of writing is intended. The identity of the audience shapesshapes the writing, as writers adaptadapt their tone and content to the situation.

Man, this was written just for ME!

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsContext Context – the surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings which determinedetermine, specifyspecify, or clarifyclarify the meaning of an event.

You can use context clues context clues to figure out the house is next to a body of water.

“The reflection of the house appeared perfectly on the calm surface next to it.”

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsLogical fallacies Logical fallacies – clearly defined errors in reasoningerrors in reasoning used to support or refute an argument, not including simple unintended mistakes. The word fallacy literally means “errorerror.”

"You can't prove Santa doesn't exist, therefore Santa doesdoes exist.”

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsRhetoricRhetoric – The art of using language, especially public speaking, as a means to persuademeans to persuade.

I’m right… No, I’m right…

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsSyntaxSyntax – A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.

Conjunction Junction,

what’s your function?

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsDictionDiction – The author’s choice of words based on their correctnesscorrectness, clearnessclearness, or effectivenesseffectiveness.

To a friend "a screw-up"

To a child "a mistake"

To the police "an accident"

To an employer "an oversight"

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsToneTone – the author’s attitudesattitudes toward a subject and toward the audience impliedimplied in a literary work.

It's not what is being said or done — it's a matter of how it is said.

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsCause and EffectCause and Effect – the relationship between two things when one thing makes something else happen.

For example, if you eat too much food and do not exercise, you usually gain weight.

Remember Eckels’ butterfly?

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsFact Fact – a statement that is objectively true and can be verified. OpinionOpinion – a belief or judgment that is strongly held, but without actual proof of its truth.

Tiger Woods is the best golfer ever!

Tiger Woods is the first African-American golfer to win the Masters.

OPINION

FACT

Nonfiction ElementsNonfiction ElementsSpinSpin — a distinctive interpretation (especially as used by politicianspoliticians to sway public opinion); "the campaign put a favorable spinspin on the story"

‘Nuff said.