Glossary

mass media modern methods of communicating quickly with large masses of people; for example, television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet

medium the way a message is conveyed; for example, newspapers, books, posters, and films

medium shot a camera shot that includes the subject's entire body as well as some details about the location and context

memoir an autobiographical writing of someone who has reached a level of distinction or fame

metacognition taking notice of your own thinking and imagining by way of reflection, critical awareness and analysis, monitoring, and reinvention

metaphor an implied comparison between two unlike things without using the words like or as

metrical foot a group of two or three syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm

misplaced modifier a modifier that is placed too far away from the word or words being modified

modifier a word, phrase, or clause that qualifies the meaning of another

monologue a speech made by one person, usually in a play

mood the feelings evoked by a piece of writing or work of art

motif an element repeated within a particular work for a particular purpose that usually relates to theme

musical devices words and phrases that appeal directly to the ear

myth a traditional story about superhuman beings, usually explaining the origin of natural events and cultural practices

name-calling attacking or rejecting an argument through written or verbal abuse of the person presenting the position

narrative point of view the viewpoint from which a story is told

narrator the person who tells the story

nearness a factor that makes an event newsworthy because it happened close to readers

non-fiction literature that deals with information and facts or opinions; prose writing that deals with actual events or issues

non-verbal without words

norm the commonly accepted standard of behaviour and appearance of a community of people

noun a word that identifies or names a person, place, thing, idea, or feeling

novel a fictional prose narrative of considerable length 

novella prose fiction of middle length as opposed to short stories and novels

octet a group of eight lines in a poem

oddity a factor that makes an event newsworthy because it is strange or out of the ordinary

olfactory imagery imagery that appeals to the sense of smell

omniscient narrator a narrator that knows or seems to know everything

online electronic data on a computer network or the Internet

online catalogue a catalogue of library materials accessed on a computer

onomatopoeia the use of words whose sounds resemble the sounds that they describe

opinion a personal viewpoint that can't be verified

organizational structure the way in which the details of a work are presented

oxymoron a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms; a combination of two contradictory or contrasting terms in a single, meaningful phrase, for example, pretty ugly or cold fire