MEGA MOGEA key terms

The central point a passage conveys about its topic, often stated in a sentence or implied by the details. Identifying it helps a reader decide which details are essential.

A conclusion drawn by combining clues in a text with the reader's own knowledge. It is not stated directly, so readers must support it with evidence from the passage.

Words, phrases, or sentence structure near an unfamiliar word that help a reader figure out its meaning without using a dictionary.

The reason a writer creates a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain. Recognizing it helps readers interpret choices in content and language.

The way an author organizes ideas in a passage, for example comparison, cause and effect, chronology, or problem and solution. Structure signals how details connect.

The writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed through word choice and details. It differs from mood, which is the feeling a reader gets.

Restating the main ideas of a text briefly in one's own words, leaving out minor details and personal opinion. A good summary reflects the original's emphasis.

Language that goes beyond literal meaning to create vivid comparisons or effects, including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole.

A leaning toward or against an idea that shapes how information is presented. Biased texts may omit facts, load language, or treat one viewpoint as obvious.

A fact, example, statistic, or reason that explains or proves a passage's main idea. Strong details are relevant and specific.

A sentence that states the central claim of an essay and previews the reasoning that will follow. It usually appears near the end of the introduction.

The sentence that introduces the main idea of a paragraph and controls what the rest of that paragraph discusses.

A word, phrase, or sentence that links ideas and shows how they relate, such as addition, contrast, cause, or sequence.

Presenting another person's words or ideas as one's own without proper credit. It includes copying text, paraphrasing too closely, and failing to cite sources.

A reference that identifies the source of a fact, quotation, or idea, usually giving author, title, and publication information in a required format.

The readers a piece of writing is intended for. Awareness of their knowledge, expectations, and attitudes guides word choice, detail, and tone.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or for ideas of equal importance, which makes writing clearer and easier to read.

Correcting errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization in a draft. It is a later stage of the writing process than revising content and organization.

A style of writing that avoids slang, contractions, and casual expressions, suiting academic or professional contexts. It uses standard English and complete sentences.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a to b, a:b, or a/b. It shows how many times one amount contains another.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal. Solving one usually means finding a missing value by cross multiplying.

A letter or symbol that stands for an unknown or changing number in an expression or equation.

An equation whose graph is a straight line, typically written as y = mx + b, where the highest power of the variable is one.

The measure of a line's steepness, calculated as the change in y divided by the change in x between two points.

The arithmetic average of a data set, found by adding all values and dividing by the number of values.

The middle value in an ordered data set, or the average of the two middle values when the set has an even number of items.

A number between 0 and 1 expressing how likely an event is, often found by dividing favorable outcomes by total possible outcomes.

The agreed sequence for evaluating expressions: parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division from left to right, then addition and subtraction from left to right.

Any whole number, including positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero, but not fractions or decimals.

A testable prediction about the outcome of an experiment, based on prior knowledge or observation. It must be stated so that evidence could support or reject it.

The factor in an experiment that the researcher deliberately changes. The dependent variable is measured to see how it responds.

A community of living organisms interacting with one another and with the nonliving parts of their environment, such as water, soil, and sunlight.

The value of the next best alternative given up when a choice is made. It reflects the trade-off involved in any decision.

A principle of government in which each branch can limit the powers of the others, helping prevent any branch from becoming too powerful.

The relationship between how much of a good producers offer and how much consumers want. Their interaction helps set market prices.

An original document or object from the time being studied, such as a letter, photograph, diary, or law. It offers direct evidence rather than later interpretation.

A measure of distance north or south of the equator, expressed in degrees. Lines of latitude run east to west and help locate places on a map.