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more about expository writing terminology
Here are definitions and explanations of some of the specially
significant terms that arise in connection with
expository prose writing.
expository prose writing perspectives
Depending on the form of exposition authors write, expository prose writers can take one or the other of two perspectives:
objective
Objective means:
- not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice;
based on facts; unbiased.
- intent upon or dealing with things external to the mind rather than
with thoughts or feelings.
- belonging to the object of thought rather than to the thinking subject
(opposed to subjective).
- of or pertaining to something that can be known with certainty.
- of or pertaining to something that is an object or a part of an object
in the real, external world or in the world of the mind.
- existing as a part of reality independent of an observer or his line
of thought.
In this perspective, the writer's primary purpose is to expose facts and
information about facts relating to a theme or subject that are
uninfluenced by his personal feelings, interpretations, beliefs, or
prejudices. The writer's primary purpose is to reveal and explain
information, properties, data, or ideas without
introducing his own point of view, opinions, or beliefs.
The objective perspective regards facts and
information about facts as objects in the real world that are independent of perception or thought—as
things that exist regardless of the mind—not as things fabricated by the mind. Facts
about objects belong to the objects themselves rather than to the
subject who thinks about them.
Exclusive expository prose is totally objective. It is accepted
everywhere by writers and readers and and widely taught in schools. Writers use it to
produce scores of different kinds of prose works whose purpose is to expose
only non-subjective, factual information. In so doing, they exclude all
subjective information. (See the section titled
The Exclusive
Expository Prose Form on Page 3.)
Articles in scientific journals are examples of
this kind of expositional perspective because they are impersonal,
unbiased, and to the point. They report findings about properties of
objects that exist independently of who writes about them.
Many of these kinds of expository works are crucial for society's continued operation—for
example, newspaper articles and advertisements, text books, bulletins,
posters, and high school year books.
subjective
Subjective means:
- existing in the mind.
- belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought
(opposed to objective).
- pertaining to or characteristics of an individual; personal; individual.
- placing excessive emphasis on one's own moods, attitudes, opinions,
etc.
- relating to or of the nature of an object as it appears in the mind, as
distinct from an object as it appears in physical reality.
- relating to properties or specific conditions of the mind as
distinguished from general or universal experience.
In this perspective, the writer's primary purpose is to expose facts and
information about facts that are influenced by his personal feelings,
viewpoints, opinions, or biases about a theme or subject. He presents
and substantiates his personal conclusions or claims; he convinces his readership
to accept his beliefs or moves it to action. He may back up his opinions by
stating the views of others. (See the section titled The Expository Prose
Essay Form and the section titled The Exclusive Expository Essay Form on
Page 3.)
Expository prose essays and exclusive expository prose essays are
examples of the subjective perspective on expository writing. Not only do
they expose objective facts and information on a narrow topic, they expose
non-objective facts and information that are productions of their authors'
own minds rather than of objective facts; and they generate supporting
analyses, speculations, or interpretations that are based on their author's
personal convictions and beliefs. They reflect the author's own thoughts or
ideas, opinions, and attitudes.
Exposition
One of the four rhetorical modes of discourse. Any technique or process
a writer uses to expose or inform readers about facts. Exclusive expository
prose works are expositions that convey information, make things known,
disclose, expose, reveal, or hold up to public consideration or criticism.
They present explain, and supply
information by presenting ideas, relevant facts, and appropriate
discussion. If an exposition is an expository essay, it performs the same
functions as exclusive expository prose works. Additionally, it analyses,
speculates about, or interprets the information it provides. objective expository writing
In the expository prose literary context, objective means:
- not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice;
based on facts; unbiased.
- intent upon or dealing with things external to the mind rather than
with thoughts or feelings.
- belonging to the object of thought rather than to the thinking subject
(opposed to subjective).
- of or pertaining to something that can be known absolutely.
- of or pertaining to something that is an object or a part of an object.
- existing independent of thought or of an observer as part of reality.
Exclusive expository prose is totally objective. It is accepted
everywhere by writers and readers and and widely taught in schools. Writers use it to
produce scores of different kinds of prose works whose purpose is to expose
only non-subjective, factual information. In so doing, they exclude all
subjective information.
Many of these kinds of expository works are crucial for society's continued operation—for
example, newspaper articles and advertisements, text books, bulletins,
posters, and high school year books.
subjective expository writing
In the expository prose literary context, subjective means:
- existing in the mind.
- belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought
(opposed to objective).
- pertaining to or characteristic of an individual; personal; individual.
- placing excessive emphasis on one's own moods, attitudes, opinions,
etc.
- relating to or of the nature of an object as it is known in the mind as
distinct from a thing in itself.
- relating to properties or specific conditions of the mind as
distinguished from general or universal experience.
Expository essays are either 1) totally objective, or alternately,
they're 2) partly objective and partly subjective.
- If totally objective, an expository essay does not permit inclusion of subjective facts
or information such as personal thoughts or ideas, opinions, attitudes, or
speculative to be treated.
- If partly objective and partly subjective, the objective passages
follow the guidelines and rules of expository exploratory prose; the
subjective passages follow the guidelines of ordinary prose. Authors may
sometimes choose to depart from some of the exploratory expository prose
rules in the objective passages.
Nonfiction
The branch of literature distinguished from poetry and drama that
comprises works of narrative prose dealing with or offering opinions or
conjectures upon facts and reality, including biography, history, and the
essay. Works of this class.
Exposition is a kind of nonfiction.
Fiction
The class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration,
especially in prose form and occasionally in poetry. Works of this class,
as novels or short stories. Also, something feigned, invented, or imagined,
as a made-up story. The act of feigning, inventing, or imagining. An
imaginary thing or event, postulated for the purposes of argument or
explanation.
A fictitious prose narrative of considerable length and complexity,
portraying characters and usually presenting a sequential organization of
action and scenes.
- Roman à clef (a special kind of historical novel)
A French term meaning a novel that represents historical events and
characters under the guise of fiction. Roman is French for the
English words novel or romance; clef (also clé) is French for
key
or clue.
Roman à clef is a French literary term that denotes a fictional
work such as a novel (romance) that functions as a key to understanding the real
or historical events and characters that it recounts.
The prose narration
in a roman à clef is fictional but the events and characters are real,
or close to real, depending on the novel. Details of events and
characterizations may be fictional to an extent that depends on such
factors as the novelist's treatment of narrative, dialog, and
characterization.
Accuracy of narrative, dialog, and characterization depend on the
writer's predisposition toward distortion, the degree to which facts
are available and are incorporated by the the novelist, and the extent of
fabrication to which the novelist is willing to go to make his points or
stir his audience.
- Explore the novel literary form at the feature titled Welcome To The
Novel:
click here.
Creative; Uncreative
Creative means having the quality or power of creating; resulting
from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative.
Creative writing
Writing that exhibits creative qualities or properties.
- Explore the nature of creative writing at The Muse's page
called Welcome To The World Of Creative Writing:
click here.
Literature
Writing in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of
permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features.
Examples include poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays.
Alternately, literature means:
- The entire body of writings of a specific language, period, people,
etc. For example, the literature of England.
- The writings dealing with a particular subject.
- The profession of a writer or author.
- A literary work or production.
- Any kind of printed material, such as circulars, leaflets, handbills,
or literature describing company products.
- Explore literature at The Muse Of Literature's
feature titled The Muse of Literature
Welcomes You—Page 2:
click here.
Literary Form
A literary form is the organization, placement, or relationship of the basic
literary and linguistic
elements in a composition or class of compositions so as to produce a coherent piece of
writing; it's a composition's formal structure.
Alternately, form means:
- A typical document to be used as a guide in framing others for a like
case.
- The shape or pattern of a word or other construction (distinguished
from substance).
- Due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts; good order.
- Explore literary form at the
Muse Of Literature's feature titled Literary Forms:
click here.
Sub-form
A composition or class of compositions structured so that they contain some of the
basic literary and linguistic structural elements of another class of
composition.
- Explore literary forms and sub-forms at the
feature titled Literary Forms:
click here.
Genre
A class or category of prose having a particular kind of content, subject, or the like.
- Explore literary genre at The Muse Of
Literature's feature titled Literary Genres:
click here.
Sub-genre
A lesser or subordinate composition or class of compositions that has the same form or
sub-form as another expository prose genre but that has a different kind of
content, subject, or the like.
- Explore literary genre at The Muse Of
Literature's feature titled Literary Genres:
click here.
Rhetorical modes
(or modes of discourse)
Discourse is communication of thought by written words, talk, or conversation.
A discourse is a formal discussion of a subject that's either recorded or
conducted in speech or writing. Dissertations, treatises, and sermons are
examples of different kinds of written prose discourses.
Rhetorical modes of
discourse are different ways to communicate by talking or writing.
The four most common
and major rhetorical modes of discourse are
exposition,
argumentation,
description, and
narration. Each mode has its
own conventions, and purposes.
The chief rhetorical modes of
expository discourse are:
1. Exclusive expository prose.
2. Expository essay.
3. Exclusive expository essay.
Expositional compositions are either: 1) rhetorical discourses that are
not argumentative because they're written in an
expository prose style that only exposes and describes (type 1), or 2),
rhetorical discourses
written in an expository prose style that exposes and describes and that
also analyzes, speculates,
or interprets (types 2 & 3).
Argumentation;
Persuasive Rhetoric; Satirical Rhetoric
Argumentation is a kind of rhetoric that attempts to prove the validity of an idea or
point of view by presenting thoroughly convincing sound reasoning,
discussion, and argument. Persuasive rhetoric is a type of
argumentation with the additional aim of urging readers to take some
form of action.
Expository prose compositions that can be examples of persuasive rhetoric include:
- Expository essays
- Exclusive expository prose essays
- Advertising copy
- Critical reviews
- Editorials
- Job evaluations
- Job application letters
- Letters of recommendation
- Letters to the editor; op-eds
- Résumés
Expository prose compositions that can be examples of persuasive rhetoric include:
- Expository essays
- Exclusive expository prose essays
- Advertising copy
- Critical reviews
- Editorials
- Job evaluations
- Job application letters
- Letters of recommendation
- Letters to the editor; op-eds
- Résumés
Notice that some types of composition belong either or both of the above
lists. Whether a given composition belongs in one or the other list depends
on the manner in which it is written.
Writers of argumentative expository prose works employ a variety of different kinds of
rhetorical arguments to argue their points and convince their readers. Even
humor finds its way into expository literature. For example, some (not all) kinds of
expository prose essays can be written in a satirical vein; they use humor
to clarify, illustrate, and reinforce the points they make.
But expository prose writers exercise caution when they introduce humor
to argue a point. They're careful to be sure that the satirical vein is
consistent with the purpose of their piece, the type of work, and the
situation. For instance, an author might use humor in an advertisement, but he's
unlikely to use it in a job evaluation or a corporate budget. Notice that exclusive expository prose works
should not employ humor unless humor is
their theme or subject.
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