AP Seminar Vocabulary

• Argument


  A claim or thesis that conveys a perspective developed through a line of reasoning and supported by evidence
• Bias


  A personal opinion, belief, or value that may influence one's judgment, perspective, and claim
• Claim


  A statement made about an issue that asserts a perspective
• Commentary


  Discussion and analysis of evidence in relation to the claim which may identify patterns, describe trends, and/or explain relationships
• Conclusion


  Understanding resulting from analysis of evidence
• Context


  The intent, audience, purpose, bias, situatedness, and/or background (larger environment) of a source or resource
• Conventions


  The stylistic features of writing (e.g. grammar, usage, mechanics)
• Counterargument


  An opposing perspective, idea, or theory supported by evidence
• Credibility


  The degree to which a source is believable and trustworthy
• Deductive Reasoning


  A type of reasoning that constructs general propostitions that are supported with evidence or cases. (General Principle → Special Case)
• Ethos


  Appeal of the speaker/writer to his/her own credibility
• Evidence


  Information (e.g., data, quotations, excerpts from texts) used as proof to support a claim or thesis
• Fallacy


  Evidence or reasoning that is false or in error
• Implication


  A possible future effect or result
• Inductive Reasoning


  A type of reasoning that presents cases or evidence that lead to a logical conclusion. (Special Case → General Principle)
• Inquiry


  A process for seeking truth, information, or knowledge through a study, research investigation, or artistic endeavor/work
• Issue


  Important problem for debate or discussion
• Lens


  Filer through which an issue or topic is considered or examined
• Limitation


  A boundary or point at which an argument or generalization is no longer valid
• Line of Reasoning


  Arrangement of claims and evidence that leads to a conclusion
• Logos


  Appeal to logic
• Pathos


  Appeal to emotion
• Perspective


  A point of view conveyed through an argument
• Plagiarism


  Failure to acknowledge, attribute, and/or cite any ideas or evidence taken from another source
• Point of View


  A position or standpoint on a topic or issue
• Primary Source


  An original source of information about a topic (e.g., study, artifact, data, set, interview, article)
• Qualitative Data


  Having to do with text, narrative, or descriptions
• Quantitative Data


  Having to do with numbers, amounts, or quantities
• Rebuttal


  Contradicting an opposing perspective by providing alternate, more convincing evidence
• Reliability


  The extent to which something is accurate
• Resolution


  An understanding about an issue that could potentially lead to new solutions or that could help mitigate the consequences of the issue
• Secondary Source


  A commentary about one or more primary sources that provides additional insight, opinions, and/or interpretation about the primary sources data, study, or artifacts
• Solution


  An action-based set of ideas, founded upon evidence, that could help solve the problem
• Thesis


  A claim or position on an issue or topic put forward and supported by evidence
• Validity


  The extent to which an argument or claim is logical