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Here, we index many of the Key Terms that appear throughout the course of our Revision Guide. The Key Terms in the bullet-pointed list below anchor-link to the Key Term further down the page. We list the Key Term in BOLD CAPS, which links to the term’s definition in the Glossary, followed by hyperlinks to the Revision Strategy the term appears in.

To return to the bullet-pointed list at the top of the page click:

In the Glossary, we define each of the following Key Terms. We define and unpack the terms that organize the categories of our Menu (Structure, Heirarchy, Argument, Evidence and Analysis, Key Terms, Orienting, Style, Tone, and Voice, and Clarity, Grammar, and Usage) in their introductions and, more briefly, in the introduction to the Revision Strategies Guide. 

ABSTRACTION:

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

ACADEMIC LANGUAGE:

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

ANALYZE/ANALYSIS:

Argument: Introduction

Can’t Distill Your Argument? 20 Minute Free Write as a Clarification Tool

Do Your Paragraphs and Sections Build Toward an Argument? The Uneven U as a Tool to Check

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Does My Writing Flow? Topic Position Check for Moving Smoothly from Sentence to Sentence

Disorganized First Draft? Color-coding as a Tool to Reorganize and Restructure

Evidence and Analysis: Introduction

Is Quoting Slowing You Down? Try Summarizing to be Strategically Efficient

Is This Sentence Adding Anything? Stress Position Check

Is Your First Draft Disorganized? Reverse Outlining as a Method to Discover Structure

Is Your Information Disconnected From Your Argument? Search for Free-Floating Info

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

Key Terms: Introduction

Not Sure Whether You Should Paraphrase, Cite, or Block-quote? Assessing Evidence Length and Detail

Not Sure If Your Meaning Is Clear? Check Key Term Consistency

Orienting: Introduction

Relational Terms and Failures of Logical Reasoning: Positive and Negative Value Assignments

Revision Strategies

Sentences and Paragraphs out of Order? Reassembling as a Tool to Restructure

Trouble Balancing Evidence and Analysis? Color-coding to Find Your Evidence-to-Analysis Ratio

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

Which Counterarguments Should I Engage With? Determining Levels of Engagement for Counterarguments

AUDIENCE:

Am I Including The Right Amount of Contextualizing Information? A Promote-Demote Exercise

Disorganized First Draft? Color-coding as a Tool to Reorganize and Restructure

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Having Trouble Evaluating Your Prose Style? Try Writing for the Ear

Is Your Information Disconnected From Your Argument? Search for Free-Floating Info

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

Not Sure Whether You Should Paraphrase, Cite, or Block-quote? Assessing Evidence Length and Detail

Revision Strategies

Style, Tone, and Voice: Introduction

CLAIM:

Am I Including The Right Amount of Contextualizing Information? A Promote-Demote Exercise

Are You Providing Too Much Context? 10-minute Free Write As a Tool for Summary

Clarity, Grammar, and Usage: Introduction

Clarity Issues? Try this Pronoun and Pointing Term Review

Do Your Paragraphs and Sections Build Toward an Argument? The Uneven U as a Tool to Check

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Does Your Evidence Say What You Think It Does? Assessing Agreement Between Evidence and Analysis

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Key Terms: Introduction

Is Your Information Disconnected From Your Argument? Search for Free-Floating Info

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

Got an Elevator Pitch? Summary Writing at Different Scales

Not Sure Whether You Should Paraphrase, Cite, or Block-quote? Assessing Evidence Length and Detail

Orienting: Introduction

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

Revision Strategies

Sounding Too Much Like an Author You Admire? Try This Exercise to Find Your Own Voice

Trouble Balancing Evidence and Analysis? Color-coding to Find Your Evidence-to-Analysis Ratio

What’s My Main Point? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Argument

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

CLARITY:

Clarity, Grammar, and Usage: Introduction

Clarity Issues? Try this Pronoun and Pointing Term Review

Coining a New Term? Introducing It Clearly and Precisely

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

Is This Sentence Adding Anything? Stress Position Check

Not Sure If Your Meaning Is Clear? Check Key Term Consistency

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

Relational Terms and Failures of Logical Reasoning: Positive and Negative Value Assignments

Sounding Too Much Like an Author You Admire? Try This Exercise to Find Your Own Voice

COMPLEMENTARY CLAIMS:

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

CONTROLLING IDEA:

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

CONTEXT:

Am I Including The Right Amount of Contextualizing Information? A Promote-Demote Exercise

Are You Providing Too Much Context? 10-minute Free Write As a Tool for Summary

Clarity, Grammar, and Usage: Introduction

Do Your Sentences All Sound the Same? Try Diversifying Sentence Structure and Length

Do You Over-rely on Negation?: Switch to Positive Claims for More Clarity

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Is Your Information Disconnected From Your Argument? Search for Free-Floating Info

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

Key Term Inconsistency: Thinking Through the Vacuum

Orienting: Introduction

Revision Strategies

CONTRAVENING CLAIMS:

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

COUNTERARGUMENT:

Unsure of Reader Objections to Your Work? Strengthen your Argument by Playing Devil’s Advocate

Which Counterarguments Should I Engage With? Determining Levels of Engagement for Counterarguments

DISSONANCE:

Clarity Issues? Try this Pronoun and Pointing Term Review

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

EVIDENCE:

Am I Including The Right Amount of Contextualizing Information? A Promote-Demote Exercise

Argument: Introduction

Disorganized First Draft? Color-coding as a Tool to Reorganize and Restructure

Do Your Paragraphs and Sections Build Toward an Argument? The Uneven U as a Tool to Check

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Evidence and Analysis: Introduction

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Not Sure Whether You Should Paraphrase, Cite, or Block-quote? Assessing Evidence Length and Detail

Orienting: Introduction

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

Sentences and Paragraphs out of Order? Reassembling as a Tool to Restructure

Trouble Balancing Evidence and Analysis? Color-coding to Find Your Evidence-to-Analysis Ratio

FREE WRITE:

Can’t Distill Your Argument? 20 Minute Free Write as a Clarification Tool

Are You Providing Too Much Context? 10-minute Free Write As a Tool for Summary

FUNNELING:

Is Your Intro Out of Date?: Funneling to Align Your Intro with Your Argument

JARGON:

Is Your Prose Murky and Full of Jargon? Try This Writing Exercise: “What I Really Mean Is…”

Not Happy Using Only Formal Tone? Try Using an Informal Tone Strategically

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Can’t Distill Your Argument? 20 Minute Free Write as a Clarification Tool

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

LOGICAL REASONING:

Clarity Issues? Try this Pronoun and Pointing Term Review

Do Your Paragraphs and Sections Build Toward an Argument? The Uneven U as a Tool to Check

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

Relational Terms and Failures of Logical Reasoning: Positive and Negative Value Assignments

METHODOLOGY:

Revision Strategies

Struggling With Tenses? Consider Their Purpose

Unsure of Reader Objections to Your Work? Strengthen your Argument by Playing Devil’s Advocate

MIND MAPPING:

MIRROR OUTLINING:

Can’t Remember What You’ve Written? Mirror Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Your Rough Draft

NARRATIVE:

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

Structure: Introduction

PARAGRAPH PURPOSE:

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Is Your Essay’s Structure Clear? Try This First and Last Sentence Exercise

Is Your First Draft Disorganized? Reverse Outlining as a Method to Discover Structure

Sentences and Paragraphs out of Order? Reassembling as a Tool to Restructure

What’s My Main Point? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Argument

Where Are My Section Breaks? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Find Them

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

PREMISE:

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

REVERSE OUTLINING:

Can’t Remember What You’ve Written? Mirror Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Your Rough Draft

Can’t Distill Your Argument? 20 Minute Free Write as a Clarification Tool

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Is Your First Draft Disorganized? Reverse Outlining as a Method to Discover Structure.

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structure

What’s My Main Point? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Argument

Where Are My Section Breaks? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Find Them

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

ROADMAP PARAGRAPH:

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

SIGNAL PHRASE/SIGNALING:

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Does My Writing Flow? Topic Position Check for Moving Smoothly from Sentence to Sentence

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Key Term Inconsistency: Thinking Through the Vacuum

Revision Strategies

Relational Terms and Failures of Logical Reasoning: Positive and Negative Value Assignments

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

SIGNPOST(ING):

Revision Strategies

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

STORYBOARDING:

Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy

Lost Your Work’s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work’s Structur

STYLE/STYLISTIC:

Am I Using This Word Too Much? Identifying and Limiting Repetition

Does Your Writing Feel Unvaried? Principles for Mixing Things Up

Having Trouble Evaluating Your Prose Style? Try Writing for the Ear

Style, Tone, and Voice: Introduction

SUBORDINATE CLAIMS:

Argument: Introduction

Hierarchy: Introduction

Revision Strategies

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

SUMMATIVE CLAIMS:

Will My Reader Know What’s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims

THESIS:

Argument: Introduction

Is Your First Draft Disorganized? Reverse Outlining as a Method to Discover Structure

Revision Strategies

Structure: Introduction

TONE/TONAL:

Am I Using This Word Too Much? Identifying and Limiting Repetition

Does Your Writing Feel Unvaried? Principles for Mixing Things Up

Style, Tone, and Voice: Introduction

TOPIC SENTENCE:

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Does Each Topic Sentence State the Purpose of That Paragraph? Check Topic Sentences for Signaling

Is Your Essay’s Structure Clear? Try This First and Last Sentence Exercise

Is Your Intro Out of Date?: Funneling to Align Your Intro with Your Argument

Overusing The Passive Voice? Fixing Fractured Logic and Clouded Purpose

Sentences and Paragraphs out of Order? Reassembling as a Tool to Restructure

Struggling With Tenses? Consider Their Purpose

Where’s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims

TRANSITION:

Disorganized First Draft? Color-coding as a Tool to Reorganize and Restructure

Am I Using This Word Too Much? Identifying and Limiting Repetition

THE VACUUM:

Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum

Evidentiary Disconnect—Thinking Through the Vacuum

Key Term Inconsistency: Thinking Through the Vacuum

VENN DIAGRAM:

What Are You Not (Not) Saying? Defining Your Argument Positively Instead of Negatively

VENTILATION:

Does Your Writing Feel Unvaried? Principles for Mixing Things Up

Having Trouble Evaluating Your Prose Style? Try Writing for the Ear

VOICE:

Am I Using This Word Too Much? Identifying and Limiting Repetition

Having Trouble Evaluating Your Prose Style? Try Writing for the Ear

Sentences and Paragraphs out of Order? Reassembling as a Tool to Restructure

Sounding Too Much Like an Author You Admire? Try This Exercise to Find Your Own Voice

Style, Tone, and Voice: Introduction

WORD CLOUD:

Don’t Know Your Key Terms? Try a Word Cloud