Glossary

chronological order	one method of organizing an essay: details are listed as they occur in time; also known as time order



concise writing	simple and clear writing; the opposite of wordiness



description	a pattern of essay development: a verbal picture of a person, place, or thing



essay exam	a test that includes one or more questions to which you must respond in detail, writing your answers in a clear, well-organized manner



examples	details, particulars, and specific instances; also, a pattern of essay development in which a writer provides specifics that support his/her point; a form of exposition



paragraph	a short piece of writing with roughly 150 to 200 words



progressive order	a pattern of essay development in which the best or most telling example is saved for last



spatial order	a method of organization that arranges details across space; for example, front to back, near to far, left to right, or top to bottom



topic sentence	the main point or assertion of a paragraph



transitions	words or phrases such as first of all, finally, however, for example, and therefore, that signal the direction of a writer's thought

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