|
Acronym |
A word created from the first letters of each (or most) word in a phrase, such as SCUBA, self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. |
|
Affix |
A letter or group of letters attached to the beginning and/or end of a root word that changes its meaning or function, such as the prefix un- and the suffix -able in undeniable. |
|
Allegory |
A narrative in which the characters, events, action, and setting are contrived not only to make sense in themselves but also to signify a second, correlated order of persons, things, concepts, or events. |
|
Alliteration |
The repetition of the beginning sounds of two or more neighboring words, such as “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” |
|
Argumentative |
A type of writing that develops or debates a topic in a logical or persuasive way. |
|
Assonance |
The repetition of a vowel sound in words, such as the long e sound in she feeds the seals. |
|
Climax |
In a story or play, the turning point or highest point of interest in the action of the plot. See also plot sequence. |
|
Cognate |
Two or more words from different languages that are related to one another because their historical base is the same or similar. |
|
Conceit |
A metaphor or simile that is constructed using elaboration or exaggeration to establish a striking parallel between two apparently dissimilar things or situations. |
|
Connotative |
The emotional, implied, or suggested meaning attached to a word that goes beyond its literal meaning. |
|
Consonance |
The repetition of final consonant sounds, such as bake, stick, clock. |
|
Consonant Blends |
Two or more consonants that are blended together rapidly without loss of identity of the sounds, such as the bl sound in black or the str sound in struggle. |
|
Conventions of Print |
Fundamental knowledge of how a person interacts with printed material based on the culture of the person. This knowledge forms the basis upon which a person learns to read. Examples include directionality (left to right, top to bottom), differences between letters and words, uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation, understanding that books have front and back covers, title page, author, etc. |
|
Conventions of Writing |
Fundamental knowledge of how a person uses his or her own understanding of the written language when writing. This knowledge includes grammar, usage, mechanics (including capitalization and punctuation), structure (topic sentence, paragraph, etc.), and spelling. |
|
Declarative Sentence |
A sentence that states an idea, a fact, or an argument—often punctuated by a period—such as The rabbit hopped. |
|
Deductive Reasoning |
The process of logical reasoning that proceeds from the more general to the more specific; reasoning from whole to parts. |
|
Denotative |
The literal meaning or dictionary definition of a word. |
|
Derivative |
A word formed by adding an affix (prefix and/or suffix) to a root or stem, such as dogs, highly, running, bicycle, replant. |
|
Developmental Spelling |
The transitional stages students progress through as they move toward spelling standard English words. |
|
Digraph |
Two or more letters that make up a single sound, such as the ph sound in phone or the oo sound in foot. |
|
Dialect |
The social or regional variation of a language as it differs from the standard language. |
|
Diphthong |
A single vowel sound made when the tongue glides from one vowel sound to another in the same syllable, such as the ow sound in owl or the ai sound in main. |
|
Dramatic Monologue |
A type of poem or speech uttered by an assumed character, or persona, in a specific situation at a critical moment, that reveals the character’s innermost thoughts and feelings to the audience. See also soliloquy. |
|
Epic |
A long narrative poem about a subject, and told in an elevated style, centering on the adventures of a larger-than-life hero or heroine, and reflecting the ideals of a nation or culture. |
|
Etymology |
The study of words—their origins, history, and meanings. |
|
Euphemism |
A word or expression used to replace unacceptable or taboo language. |
|
Exclamatory Sentence |
A sentence that expresses a strong opinion or emotion, often punctuated by an exclamation point or marked by intonation, such as What a fantastic play! |
|
Expository |
A mode of writing that is informational in nature. It is used to explain, describe, or tell about something. |
|
Falling Action |
The part of the plot generally following the climax, in which the author reveals the result of the conflict. |
|
Fiction |
Literary writing whose content comes from the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact but is designed to entertain; specifically, a type of literature, especially prose (novels, short stories, and forms of folklore). |
|
Figurative Language |
Language enriched by word images and figures of speech; not literal in its intent, but designed to make the reader take an imaginative leap to understand the author’s point. Often includes the use of similes, metaphors, personification, etc. |
|
Flashback |
A literary device in which an earlier event is inserted into a narrative to show events that happened at an earlier time. |
|
Fluency |
The ability to orally read words or express ideas with clarity and ease. |
|
Foreshadowing |
The technique of arranging events and information in a narrative so that later events are set up beforehand. |
|
Genre |
A French term for a kind, a literary type or class. |
|
Graphic Organizer |
A representation of information in forms such as maps, charts, graphs (including pie charts and bar graphs), or tables, which visually organize information to identify patterns and relationships. |
|
Homograph |
One of two or more words that have the same spelling but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes pronunciation, such as bear (large animal) and bear (support; carry) or bow (weapon for shooting arrows) and bow (forward part of a ship) and bow (bend in greeting or respect). |
|
Homonym |
One of two or more words that have the same sound and often the same spelling but that differ in meaning, such as bay (a body of water) and bay (part of a window). |
|
Hyperbole |
A figure of speech in which subject exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, such as That tree must be a mile tall! |
|
Idiom |
A verbal expression that does not mean what it literally says and which may not be understood without local knowledge of the given language. For example, You’re barking up the wrong tree is the equivalent to arriving at the wrong conclusion. |
|
Imperative Sentence |
A verb, a phrase, or a sentence whose construction or spoken tone issues a command and is punctuated with an exclamation point, for example, Watch out! |
|
Inductive Reasoning |
The process of logical reasoning that proceeds from the more specific to the more general; reasoning from parts to a whole. |
|
Inflection |
A change in the form of a word by the addition of an affix or by changing the base of the word to indicate grammatical features, such as number, person, tense, or mood, for example, run to runs or run to ran. |
|
Inflectional Forms |
The changing grammatical forms, functions, and meanings of a base or root word as different affixes are added to it. For example, the root word is bake; some inflectional forms of bake are bakes, baked, baking, prebake. |
|
Interrogative Sentence |
A sentence or expression that asks a question and is punctuated with a question mark, such as Where are you going? |
|
Intonation |
The rise and fall in pitch of the spoken voice, helping to convey the meaning of a phrase or sentence, for example, the difference between a command and a question as in “Stop!” or “Stop?” |
|
Irony |
A literary technique for implying, through words, plot or character development, that the actual comments or situation is quite different from what is asserted. The author’s use of tone, exaggeration, or understatement often suggests the opposite of the literal meaning of the words used. |
|
Literal |
The simplest, nonfigurative, or most obvious meaning of a word or words; without exaggeration or embellishment. The words stated mean exactly what they say. |
|
Literary Devices |
Rhetorical elements (such as metaphor, foreshadowing, flashback, allusion, symbolism, irony, hyperbole, etc.) used to create a desired mood or tone in a piece of writing. |
|
Metaphor |
A figure of speech that makes an implied comparison between two things, such as Habits are first cobwebs and then cables. |
|
Mood |
The emotional state expressed in a literary work. |
|
Motif |
Intentional repetition of a word, phrase, event, or idea used as a unifying element in a piece of writing. |
|
Multicultural Literature |
Writing that reflects the customs, beliefs, and experiences of people of differing nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, and races. |
|
Narrative |
1. A written (or orally presented) story that consists mainly of a sequence of events, which may be fictional or nonfictional. Narratives generally give an account of something presented as if it really happened. 2. A mode of writing that includes telling a story. |
|
Nonfiction |
A genre of writing designed to explain, argue, or describe a real event rather than to tell an invented story. A type of prose other than fiction but including biography and autobiography. |
|
Nonphonetic Word |
Any word whose pronunciation cannot be accurately predicted from its spelling. |
|
Onomatopoeia |
The formation and use of words to imitate sounds, such as buzz, bang, crunch, etc. A figure of speech in which the sound reflects the sense. |
|
Onset |
The part of a syllable that precedes the syllable peak when spoken aloud. Typically, the consonants preceding the syllable’s vowel sound, such as the gr in grape. |
|
Paradox |
An apparently contradictory or illogical statement that goes against common sense but suggests a truth, such as Less is more. |
|
Personification |
A metaphorical figure of speech in which nonhumans (animals, objects, or concepts) are given human qualities. |
|
Persuasive |
A mode of writing or a spoken text, the purpose of which is to prove something to be true, credible, or worthy. Arguments may be explicit or implicit, but the purpose of a persuasive argument is to convince an audience to adopt a belief or perform a desired action. |
|
Phoneme |
The smallest sound unit of speech that conveys a difference in the meaning of a word, for example, /b/ in book and /t/ in took. |
|
Phonemic Awareness |
An understanding of the sounds (phonemes) that make up syllables and spoken words. |
|
Phonics |
The application of sound-symbol relationships to read and write words. |
|
Phonological Awareness |
A broad term that includes identifying and making oral rhymes, working with syllables, onsets and rimes. |
|
Plot Sequence |
The structure of the actions of a narrative or drama. The classic plot sequence is as follows: 1) exposition, 2) rising action, 3) climax, and 4) falling action leading to 5) resolution. |
|
Point of View |
In fiction, the narrative perspective used by an author to tell a story: · Third-person points of view: ○ omniscient – gives the reader an all-knowing position from which to see actions and the characters’ thoughts ○ limited— point of view that presents the story from outside any single character’s perception, but the reader has no special insight into the characters' minds or motivations · First person points of view—events are related as they are perceived by one character. ○ self-conscious narrator—aware that he or she is composing a work of art and takes the reader into his or her confidence about problems involved either seriously or for comic purposes ○ fallible or unreliable narrator—his or her interpretation of matters does not coincide with the implicit beliefs and norms of value held by the author, whose beliefs and norms the author expects the reader to share.[j1] In nonfiction, used to discuss the author’s beliefs and objectivity or subjectivity toward his or her subject. |
|
Prefix |
An affix (a letter or group of letters) that comes before a base or root word, such as pro at the start of proclaim. |
|
Primary Source |
A research resource that a writer studies first hand and that contains original opinions or information. A writer may use primary sources as research for an essay or presentation, such as interviews, journals/diaries, letters, autobiographies, etc. See also secondary source. |
|
R-controlled Vowel |
The modified sound of a vowel immediately preceding /r/ in the same syllable, as in care, never, sir, or, curse, etc. |
|
Resolution |
The part of a story following the climax in which the conflict is resolved. |
|
Rhetorical |
Using the principles of rhetoric (the art of finding the available means of persuasion for a given situation) to compose effective and purposeful texts or speeches. |
|
Rime |
One or more vowels following the consonant sound of a syllable, such as /ǒǒk/ in cook or brook, or /ā/ in stay. |
|
Rising Action |
The part of a story in which the plot becomes increasingly complicated and introduces the conflict. Rising action generally leads to the climax of the story. |
|
Satire |
A literary technique or work that uses ridicule, humor, and wit to expose vices and fallacies. It may provoke change in the targeted beliefs, attitudes, or institutions. |
|
Secondary Source |
A research resource that contains the work and ideas of other authors or researchers. A writer may use secondary sources as research for an essay or presentation, such as reference books, articles by other authors, biographies, etc. See also primary source. |
|
Simile |
A comparison of two things that are apparently dissimilar, usually using the words like or as, for example, coffee as cold as ice. |
|
Soliloquy |
A speech, usually dramatic, performed by a character while or as if alone on stage. The soliloquy generally is used to develop the speaker’s character and typically is a projection of the speaker’s innermost thoughts. See also dramatic monologue. |
|
Sound Devices |
Literary terms that emphasize the sound(s) of the word (e.g., alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia). |
|
Standard English |
The style of spoken and written English used in
most schools, businesses, and government organizations in the |
|
Story Elements |
Typical components that make up a story’s structure and can be discussed individually, such as plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict, and outcome. |
|
Stream of Consciousness |
In literature, a technique used to present a character’s thoughts and feelings as they develop; generally a random but continual flow of these thoughts and feelings. |
|
Style |
An author’s distinctive manner of using language that suits his or her ideas and purpose in writing. An author’s style often reflects his or her personality and beliefs and appears through each writer’s characteristic ways of arranging ideas and use of diction, sentence structures, rhythm, figures of speech, and other elements of composition. |
|
Suffix |
An affix (a letter or group of letters) that comes at the end of a base or root word that changes the meaning or grammatical function of the word, such as -ing at the end of fishing. |
|
Symbol and Symbolism |
Symbol: a word or a set of words that signifies an object or event which itself signifies something else. Scales, for example, symbolize justice; a dove, peace; the lion, strength and courage. Symbolism: the use of a concrete image to express an emotion or an abstract idea, such as the white whale representing the concept of evil in Moby Dick. |
|
Syntax |
The pattern or structure of word order in sentences, phrases, and clauses. The rules of grammar that dictate proper sentence construction. |
|
Technical Writing |
Writing for the purpose of communicating scientific or technical information or instructions to a specific audience. |
|
Theme |
A main idea or central idea that may be stated directly or indirectly. A theme may be profound, difficult to understand, or even moralistic. Generally a theme can be extracted as the reader explores a text. |
|
Thesis Statement |
The main point or argument of which an author or speaker tries to convince an audience through writing or speech. |
|
Tone |
The reflections of an author’s attitude toward the topic and the audience as suggested by his or her word choices and stylistic efforts, for example, using a formal or informal tone. The tone of a text may also indicate the message or reaction that an author hopes for from the audience. See also voice. |
|
Visual Texts |
Information conveyed with images, or with meaningful patterns or sequences. Visual texts range from diagrams to documentaries. Other examples include tables, flowcharts, storyboards, picture glossaries, maps, and movies. |
|
Voice |
The expression of an author’s self or identity as reflected in sentence construction and word choices, for example, using an active or passive voice. Less formally, the total effect of the elements of style that make a particular author’s voice distinctive. See also tone. |
|
Webbing |
Any method of using diagrams, mapping, or other graphic-based tools that illustrate the relationships among the ideas and topics to be included in a piece of writing. May be used as a tool for teaching prewriting, outlining, comprehension, and note-taking. |
|
Acceleration |
The change in velocity per unit time; it is a vector quantity, as are velocity and position. The metric units of acceleration are meters per second squared or m/s2. |
|
Aerobic Respiration |
Process of respiration that involves the release of energy from glucose or another organic compound in the presence of oxygen. The basic word equation that summarizes aerobic respiration is (glucose + oxygen ® carbon dioxide + water + energy). The balanced chemical equation is C6H12O6 + 6O2 ® 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy. The energy produced is captured in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. |
|
Anaerobic Respiration |
Process of cellular respiration in which a cell obtains energy from inorganic molecules in the absence of oxygen. |
|
Biome |
A biome is a group of ecosystems that covers a large geographic area, related by having a similar type of vegetation, and governed by a similar climate. Examples of biomes are arctic tundra, coniferous forest, temperate forest, grassland, desert, tropical rain forest, and ocean. |
|
Biosphere |
Thin layer of Earth's surface where life exists; it includes all living organisms and all organic matter. |
|
Bohr Model |
Simplified, schematic model of the atom proposed by Niels Bohr in 1915 and more familiarly known as the planetary model. In the Bohr model, neutrons and protons occupy a dense central nucleus and the electrons orbit the nucleus. |
|
Cardinal Directions |
The four basic points (top or north, bottom or south, left side or west, and right side or east) on a compass. |
|
Carrying Capacity |
The maximum number of individuals of a species or population that an ecosystem can support without being degraded or destroyed over time. |
|
Celestial |
Of or related to the sky or universe, as the planets and stars. |
|
Centripetal Force |
Force acting on a body in curvilinear motion that pulls the object toward the center of curvature or axis of rotation. |
|
Circuit |
Closed path followed by an electrical current. |
|
Closed System |
A complex unity of diverse parts that is isolated so that it experiences no interactions to the outside environment; a closed-loop system. |
|
Communicable Disease |
Disease that is transmittable between persons or species; contagious disease. |
|
Compression Waves |
Waves which travel back and forth in the same direction as the waves wave motion; an example of compression waves is sound waves; also known as longitudinal waves. |
|
Conductor |
Substance or medium that transmits heat, light, sound, or especially, an electrical charge. |
|
Consistency |
Repeatability or reproducibility of measurements. |
|
Continental Drift |
The movement of continents as described by the German geologist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener in 1915. A theory that proposed the continents had once been joined together and have slowly drifted apart by an unknown mechanism. Essentially this theory has been replaced by advances in plate tectonics, which built on the original theory of continental drift. |
|
Constants/Controls |
Those factors (variables) that are kept unchanged or are restricted during a controlled experiment. |
|
Control/Control Group |
A group of subjects or objects in a scientific experiment or group investigation that does not receive the treatment being tested. |
|
Controlled Experiment |
An experiment in which all but one of the variable factors are experiment kept the same in order to observe the results of changing one factor, the independent variable. |
|
Coulomb’s Law |
Principle stating that electrostatic force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Charles A. Coulomb, a French scientist, was the first to quantitatively measure the electrical attraction and repulsion between charged objects. |
|
Covalent Compound |
A compound in which bonded atoms share electrons; it is formed compound when two nonmetals bond to each other. |
|
Data |
Numerical or descriptive, factual information, especially that which is derived from scientific observations or experiments, organized for analysis. |
|
Dependent Variable |
A variable whose value is determined by the changes made in the variable independent variable. Those factors observed for changes in value as a result of adjustments made in the independent variable. |
|
Dichotomous Key |
Tool that can be used to correctly identify organisms or objects in the natural world (e.g., trees, flowers, rocks, minerals) through a series of divergent choices between two descriptions. |
|
Dimensional Analysis |
Problem-solving method based on the fact that any number or analysis mathematical expression can be multiplied by one without changing its value; also called factor-label method or unit factor method. |
|
Doppler Effect |
Apparent change in the wavelength of radiation caused by the relative motion of a source and the observer. As the source and/or the observer draw closer together, the observed frequency is higher than the emitted frequency and decrease as they move apart. |
|
Electromagnetic Waves |
Waves that involve varying electrical and magnetic fields at right angles to each other and the direction of wave propagation (direction of travel of the waves). Examples of these waves that together comprise the electromagnetic spectrum are light (visible, infrared, and ultraviolet) waves, microwaves, x-rays, gamma rays, and radio waves. |
|
Electrostatic Forces |
Forces between electrically-charged objects at rest, as measured and expressed by Coulomb's law. |
|
Empirical |
Based entirely on experimental evidence and observation rather than theory. |
|
Endothermic Chemical Reactions |
Chemical reactions such as photosynthesis that absorb energy in chemical order to proceed and cannot occur spontaneously; these types of reactions reactions are characterized by positive heat flow (i.e., into the reaction) and an increase in enthalpy. |
|
Eukaryotic Cells |
Cells that contain membrane-bound nuclei and organelles. |
|
Exothermic Chemical Reactions |
Chemical reactions that release energy in the form of heat, light, or chemical sound. In the laboratory, these reactions produce heat and may reactions be flammable or explosive. |
|
Genotype |
Combination of two alleles that an organism inherits for a certain trait; genetic makeup of an organism. |
|
Guiding Questions |
Questions that begin a process of thinking and questioning leading to discovery through exploration and manipulation of data. |
|
Habitat |
Specific environment or part of an ecosystem where an organism lives (e.g., woods, desert). |
|
Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) Diagram |
A two-dimensional plot of the observed stars used to group them by spectral class, relative luminosity (compared to Sun = 1), diagram absolute magnitude or degree of brightness on a logarithmic scale, and effective temperature (Kelvin). |
|
Homeostasis |
The maintenance of the internal environment in a system within tolerable limits; the resistance to change and the maintenance of equilibrium, or constant conditions, in a system. |
|
Hybridization |
1. Cross-mating between two closely related species. 2. Concept dictating the nature of bonding and resulting molecular shapes of carbon compounds. |
|
Hypothesis |
Rational explanation of a single event or phenomenon based upon what has been observed but not proven. A tentative explanation for the cause of an observed phenomenon. |
|
Independent Variable |
Manipulated variable in a scientific experiment or investigation that determines the changes in the dependent variables. |
|
Inertia |
The tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest, or if moving in a straight line, to continue moving in a straight line, unless acted on by an outside force. |
|
Inexhaustible Resources |
Apparently endless resources such as the Sun, wind, or internal resources heat of Earth. |
|
Inference |
Process of drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment based on prior conclusions or evidence but without direct observation. |
|
Inorganic Matter |
Matter not involving or relating to living organisms or the products of organic life. |
|
Inquiry |
Systematic process of using knowledge and skills to acquire and/or apply new knowledge and skills. |
|
Ion |
An atom or group of atoms that has acquired a net positive or negative electrical charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons. |
|
Ionic Compound |
A compound in which bonded atoms transfer electrons from one to the other; it is usually formed when metals bond to nonmetals. |
|
Kinetic Energy |
The energy of motion of an object, as expressed in the equation, KE = ½ * m * v2, where m equals the mass of the object and v equals the speed of the object. |
|
Lewis Dot Structures |
Symbolic representations in atoms and simple ions
showing structures valence electrons as dots placed around the symbol of the
element, and structures
illustrating covalent compounds or polyatomic ions showing valence electrons
arranged among the atoms symbols in the molecule to illustrate the bonding of
the atoms. |
|
Lithospheric Plate |
One of the movable sections of Earth's crust and upper mantle. |
|
Medium |
Substance, for example water or glass, through which something else, such as sound or light, is transmitted or carried. |
|
Metamorphosis |
Process of change of organisms through various stages in their life cycles. May be complete, involving the four stages of egg, larva, pupa, and adult, as in butterflies and moths, or incomplete, as in the gradual development of many insects and crustaceans. |
|
Metric System Units of Measurement |
Decimal system of weights and measurements that includes units of Standard International or SI units measurement. |
|
Meiosis |
Process of cellular division in which the number of chromosomes in each daughter cell is reduced by half the number in the parent cell. This cellular division process produces gametes. |
|
Mitosis |
Process of cellular division in which a cell's chromosomes are divided into two identical sets prior to cytoplasmic division. This process produces two identical daughter cells. |
|
Model |
Simulation of a real object that has explanatory power but that typically differs in size, scale, and/or detail; examples include plan, scheme, structure, or mathematical equation. |
|
Molality |
Number of moles of solute dissolved in one kilogram of solvent. |
|
Molarity |
Number of moles of solute dissolved in a liter of solution. |
|
Nebular Hypothesis |
Hypothesis for the origin of the solar system that proposes that hypothesis that the Sun and planets formed from the same cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space. |
|
Niche |
The role an organism carries out in its habitat. |
|
Noncommunicable Disease |
Disease that is not transmittable between persons or species; disease non-contagious disease. |
|
Nonpoint-source |
Sources of pollution that do not result from a single point or pollution source, for example, erosion of soil materials from multiple farms and construction sites that are carried and deposited in an adjacent stream as opposed to specific points of discharge. |
|
Nonstandard Tools |
Objects or instruments such as pieces of string, rows of blocks, tools fingers, hands, or pencils used for measurement; examples do not include standard and systematic means of measurement such as scales, rulers, clocks, and thermometers. |
|
Normality |
Concentration of a solution expressed in gram equivalent weights of solute per liter; it is particularly useful in titration calculations. |
|
Null Hypothesis |
Statistical hypothesis, often the reverse of what the experimenter actually believes, that is used to determine if the results obtained can be rejected merely on the basis of chance factors. |
|
Organic Matter |
Matter that is of, related to, or derived from living organisms. |
|
Phenotype |
The expression of an organism's traits as a result of its genetic makeup; outward appearance of an organism. |
|
Pitch |
Relative quality of highness or lowness of sound that is primarily dependent on the frequency of the waves produced by its source. |
|
Plate Tectonics |
Theory that Earth’s outer shell consists of individual plates which interact in various ways and produce earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. |
|
Point-source Pollution |
Pollution originating from a single source such as a discharge pipe from a sewage plant or chemical factory. |
|
Potable Water |
Water fit for human consumption. |
|
Potential Energy |
Energy that is stored in an object as a result of its vertical position. |
|
Precision |
The relative degree of exactness and reproducibility between measurements or estimates. |
|
Prokaryotic Cells |
Cells that lack an organized, membrane bound nucleus. |
|
|
Chart or grid system used to compute and visualize all possible genotypes of a genetic cross. |
|
Refract |
To deflect or bend from a straight path, as when a light wave changes direction as it passes from one medium into another of different density. |
|
Revolution |
The motion of a body or object around another
body or object, for example, the revolution of Earth around the Sun. |
|
Rotation |
The spinning of a planet such as Earth or other object on its axis. |
|
Rules of Evidence |
Criteria used to examine and evaluate experimental results; examples include testability, reliability, application of standards and controls, error rate, subjection to peer review, and acceptance in the scientific community. |
|
Scalar Quantity |
A quantity that is completely specified by its magnitude and has no direction in space; examples are mass, length, volume, temperature, and speed. |
|
Scientific Evidence |
Evidence in which theories are validated against physical observations and not judged simply on the basis of their logical compatibility with available data; includes criteria such as testability, reliability, application of standards and controls, error rate, subjection to peer review, and acceptance in the scientific community. |
|
Sea-floor Spreading |
It is the process of producing new sea floor crust on the ocean floor between two diverging tectonic plates. |
|
Standard International (SI) Units of Measurement |
More complete, coherent version of the metric system of International measurement; basic units of the SI system include the centimeter (SI) units of or meter, gram or kilogram, and second. measurement |
|
Standard Tools |
Instruments such as meter sticks, pan balances, graduated cylinders, or thermometers used for systematic measurement. |
|
Statistical Significance |
A test performed to determine if the null hypothesis can be significance rejected, and if so, then the effect in the sample is found to be statistically significant. |
|
Stoichiometry |
Quantitative relationship between chemical substances in a reaction. |
|
Superposition |
Principle in geology which states that in any
undisturbed sequence of sedimentary rocks each bed is older than the layers
above and younger than the layers found below. |
|
Sustainability |
Capacity of continuing and maintaining a
population and growth with minimal long-term effects on natural resources and
the environment. Sustainable means that a process can
be continued indefinitely without depleting the energy and resources upon
which it depends. |
|
Sustainable Development |
Development that provides benefits now without sacrificing or development depleting resources or causing environmental impacts that will affect future generations. |
|
Symbolic Representation |
Ways in which science ideas such as chemical elements, formulas, representation ions, and equations are expressed; other examples include numbers in scientific notation illustrations, fractions, graphs, or spreadsheets. |
|
Terrestrial |
Relating to Earth or earthlike, its environments, or its inhabitants. |
|
Testable Question/ |
A query that can be answered through experimentation or research; hypothesis that makes predictions about the compatibility or investigation noncompatibility of observable evidence; an investigation or experiment to answer a testable question or hypothesis. |
|
Scientific Theory |
Explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon theory hypotheses that have verified through multiple investigations. Scientific theories differs from the general use of the word theory because this term applies to well tested and widely accepted ideas that explain certain observable facts. |
|
Translucent |
Transmitting light with sufficient diffusion so as to prevent distinct perception of images. |
|
Transverse Waves |
Waves in which the motion is up and down or at right angles to the direction of propagation or the direction in which the waves are traveling. Examples include radio waves, light waves, heat waves, and water waves. |
|
|
Principal and customary system of weights and
measurements of measurement used in the |
|
Valence Electron |
Orbital electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that largely determine its properties and that are capable of forming chemical bonds with other atoms. |
|
Validity |
Degree to which an experimenter is measuring what s/he thinks; more generally refers to the strength of conclusions, inferences, propositions. |
|
Vector Quantity |
Quantity that is not complete unless both a magnitude and a direction are specified; an example is velocity. |
|
Velocity |
Vector quantity specifying both the speed and direction of a body or an object in motion. |
|
Zygote |
Fertilized egg resulting from the joining of two haploid gametes. |
|
Absolute Chronology |
Chronology is the sequencing of events by time, from earliest to most recent. Absolute chronology is the sequencing of events according to the exact date (day, month, and/or year) that an event occurred. |
|
Atmosphere |
The several layers of gases that surround Earth and separate our planet from space. |
|
Biosphere |
The part of Earth and its atmosphere in which
plant or animal life exists or is possible. |
|
Capital Resources |
One of three types of resources, natural, human, and capital, used in the production of goods and services. Capital resources are human-made products, such as tools, equipment, buildings, and machines that are used to produce other goods and services. |
|
Cardinal Directions |
The four primary points on the compass: north, south, east, and west. |
|
Choice/Trade-off |
An economic choice requires choosing among alternatives. The result of making a choice is that something is given up to get something else. The result of a choice is a trade-off. |
|
Command Economy |
An economic system in which the government regulates the economy and answers the four basic economic questions (i.e., “what to produce,” “how to produce,” “how much to produce,” and “for whom to produce”). In a command economy, the central government or authority determines both supply and price. |
|
Complements |
Goods or services that are usually consumed or used together (e.g., hot dogs/hot dog buns). A change in demand for one complement causes a similar change in demand for the other complement. Also known as complementary goods. |
|
Concurrent Powers |
Powers that may be exercised by both the national (federal) government and state governments (e.g., the power to tax). |
|
Consumer |
A person who satisfies a want or need by buying or using a good or service. |
|
Cost/Benefit |
All predicted costs weighed against the predicted benefits of an economic choice. The process and outcome of weighing costs and benefits is known as cost/benefit analysis. |
|
Culture, Elements of |
Cultural elements include the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. These elements may be spread from group to group through direct and indirect contact. See also cultural diffusion. |
|
Cultural Diffusion |
The process of spreading cultural elements (e.g.,
music, religious beliefs/practices, clothing) from society to society through
indirect or direct contact among groups. |
|
Cultural Diversity |
The
variety of human cultures represented in a specific group,
institution, or region. |
|
Delegated Powers |
Powers granted to the national (federal) government under the U.S. Constitution, including expressed and implied powers, as enumerated in Articles I, II and III (e.g., declaring war). |
|
Demographic Variables |
The statistical data variables of a population (e.g., age, gender, income, location, employment, education). |
|
Demographics |
The
characteristics or statistical data of a population as classified by age,
gender, income, location, employment,
or education. |
|
Division of Labor |
The division of an entire production process into a number of simpler tasks, each one of which is undertaken by a different individual who typically specializes in one task. See also specialization. |
|
Economic Institution |
Any institution that has evolved in a market economy to help individuals and/or groups accomplish their goals. Banks, labor unions, corporations, legal systems, and not-for-profit organizations are examples of economic institutions that are essential to a market economy. |
|
Equilibrium Point |
The price when the supply of goods matches demand. Also known as equilibrium price. |
|
European Union (EU) |
An economic and political association of European countries founded by the Treaty of Rome in 1957 as a common market for six nations. It was known as the European Community until January 1, 1994, and is currently comprised of 15 European countries—Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. The EU’s goals are a single market for goods and services without any economic barriers, and a common currency—the euro—with one monetary authority. |
|
Federalism |
A form of political organization in which governmental power is divided among a central government and territorial subdivisions (e.g., states, or provinces). |
|
Five Themes of Geography, The |
Location (position on Earth's surface), region (the basic unit of geographic study), place (the human and physical characteristics that give meaning and character to a place and distinguish it from other places), movement (humans interacting on Earth), and human/environment interaction (the positive and negative effects of people interacting with their surroundings). |
|
G8 |
The G8 (Group of Eight) is comprised of the heads
of state/government of the major industrialized democracies who meet annually
to deal with international trade and other economic and political issues
facing their nations or the international community as a whole. The meetings
began in 1975 with a Group of Six (France, |
|
Goods and Services |
A good is an object, such as a toy, a box of cereal, or a computer, that can be used to satisfy a person’s want or need. A service, such as waiting on a table or providing dental care, is an action that can be used to satisfy a person’s want or need. |
|
Human Characteristics |
In geography, features or patterns of features on Earth’s surface created by humans. |
|
Human Resources |
One of three types of resources, natural, human, and capital, used in the production of goods and services. Human resources are people, such as teachers, truck drivers, and factory workers, who work to produce goods or provide services. |
|
Human Systems |
The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement, structures, and competition for control of Earth’s surface. |
|
Hydrosphere |
The water realm of Earth, which includes water contained in the oceans, lakes, rivers, ground, snowfields, glaciers, and water vapor in the atmosphere. |
|
Implied Powers |
Powers that are not specifically enumerated for
the national (federal) government, but are “implied” in Article I, Section 8,
Clause 18 of the U.S. Constitution. This clause, also known as the elastic
clause, or the necessary and proper clause, gives Congress the authority to
"make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into
execution the foregoing powers and all other powers vested by the
Constitution in the government of the |
|
Inflation |
An increase in the general level of prices consumers pay for goods and services. This is equivalent to a fall in the value or purchasing power of money. The Consumer Price Index is a common measure of inflation. |
|
Interdependence |
The situation which occurs when individuals and
businesses rely on each other for production of goods or providing services
to satisfy wants and needs due to specialization or division of labor. See
also division of labor, specialization. |
|
Intermediate Directions |
The points on the compass that fall between the four primary points (north, south, east, and west). The intermediate directions are northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. |
|
International Monetary Fund |
An international financial organization that was established in 1946 to stabilize the international monetary system. It manages the global financial system and provides loans to its member states to help alleviate balance of payments problems. Part of its mission is to help countries that experience serious economic difficulties. In return, the countries who are helped are obliged to enact certain reforms, such as privitization. |
|
Laws |
Regulations that are issued and enforced by a government or other authority and that bind every member of society. |
|
Limited Government |
A government in which a constitution, statement
of rights, or other laws define the limits of those in power. Everyone,
including all authority figures, must obey the laws. The |
|
Lithosphere |
The uppermost portion of the solid Earth, including the soil, land, and geologic formations. |
|
Market Economy |
An economic system in which individuals answer the four basic economic questions (i.e., “what to produce,” “how to produce,” “how much to produce,” and “for whom to produce”) based on supply, demand, and prices. This economic system is also known as free enterprise, and has the following characteristics: private ownership of goods and the factors of production, freedom of individuals to make economic choices, the use of prices to allocate resources, and a limited economic role for government. |
|
Mental Map |
A map that represents the mental image a person has of an area. A mental map includes geographic features and spatial relationships, as well as a person's perceptions and attitudes regarding the place. Also known as a cognitive map. |
|
Mercantilism |
An economic doctrine/system prevalent in |
|
Migration |
The process of people moving to a new place with the intent of staying at the destination permanently or for a relatively long period of time. |
|
Militarization |
Act of assembling and putting into readiness for war or other emergency. |
|
NAFTA |
The North American Free Trade Agreement which was
signed by the |
|
Nation |
A nation is a group of people sharing aspects of their language, culture, religion, and/or ethnicity (e.g., Cherokee Nation). A nation may exist within more than one state (i.e., across political boundaries). The term nation is sometimes applied to a group of people organized under a single government, country, or to the government of a sovereign state. See also nation-state. |
|
Nation-State |
Often refers to a political unit of people living in a defined territory, with government authority in their economy, political organization, and external security. Thus, the term nation-state is often used interchangeably with the term state. However, nation-state more properly refers to a state in which a single nation (i.e., group of people sharing aspects of their language, culture, religion, and/or ethnicity) is dominant. See also nation. |
|
Natural Disasters |
Calamitous events resulting in great material damage,
loss, and distress. They are the result of natural phenomena such as floods,
hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. |
|
Natural Resources |
One of three types of resources, natural, human, and capital, used in the production of goods and services. Natural resources are not made by humans. They are found in and on Earth, such as water, oil, and trees. |
|
|
The value of the next best (second best) alternative that must be given up when a choice is made. |
|
Patterns of Land Use |
The societal patterns of exploiting the land for agricultural, industrial, residential, or other purposes. |
|
Physical Characteristics |
In geography, traits that are used to describe the natural environment of a place. Physical characteristics may be related to climate, vegetation, soil, landform, or body of water. |
|
Physical Systems |
Physical processes that shape Earth’s surface and interact with plant and animal life to create, sustain, and modify ecosystems. |
|
Primary Sources |
Documents produced by a person who participated in or observed an event, or artifacts, such as photographs produced by a person who lived during the time period being studied. |
|
Producer |
A person or business that uses resources to make goods or provide services. |
|
Productivity |
The relationship between input (workers, machines, materials, and capital) and output (goods and services), e.g., the number of loaves of bread a particular bakery can make in a single day. |
|
Profit |
The amount of money left over after all of the costs of production have been paid (revenues minus costs). |
|
Region |
An area of Earth that has physical or human characteristics that make it distinctive from other areas. |
|
Relative Chronology |
Chronology is the sequencing of events by time, that is from earliest to most recent. Relative chronology is the sequencing of events, individuals, or time periods in relation to each other (e.g., which came first). Relative chronology does not rely on knowing the exact date (day, month, and/or year) that an event occurred. |
|
Relative Location |
A position that is described solely in relation to another position(s); where a place is in relation to other places. |
|
Reserved Powers |
The powers not delegated to the national (federal) government by the U.S. Constitution, nor prohibited to the states. These powers are reserved to the states (e.g., creating a school system) or the people. |
|
Risk |
In economics, risk is the potential loss when a choice is made. For example, in choosing to finance the production of a good, there is the risk that product sales will not generate sufficient revenues to cover production expenses. |
|
Rural Areas |
Areas that are sparsely settled and are distinct from more densely populated urban and suburban areas. Rural areas are also distinct from unsettled, or wilderness, areas. |
|
Scarcity |
The condition that occurs when there are not enough resources (goods and services) to satisfy wants and needs. |
|
Secondary Sources |
Summaries or interpretations of historical events produced by people who did not observe or participate in the events. |
|
Specialization |
At a broad level, specialization means the production of a limited variety of goods or services by a business, region, or nation. At an individual level, specialization usually refers to a worker who produces only one part of a final product, rather than producing the entire product (e.g., an autoworker who only installs engines in automobiles). There may also be specialization within providing services (e.g., one person may sort the mail and another may deliver it). See also division of labor. |
|
Substitutes |
Goods or services that can be used or consumed interchangeably (i.e., they satisfy the same want). Also known as substitute goods. |
|
Suburban Area |
A residential, or largely residential, area located on the outskirts of a city. |
|
Supply and Demand |
Supply is the quantity of a good or service that producers are willing and able to offer for sale at various prices at any given time. Demand is the quantity of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to buy at various prices at any given time. These two forces combined result in the law of supply and demand: more will be bought at lower prices and less at higher prices, and more will be produced at higher prices than will be produced at lower prices. |
|
Technology |
A broad and encompassing term that includes any tool, instrument, machine, system, or process that humans develop to solve human problems and/or assist in living in or managing the physical environment. |
|
Topography |
The shape or configuration of Earth’s surface, including relief and position of natural and human-made features. |
|
Trade-off |
See choice/trade-off. |
|
Traditional Economy |
An economic system in which customs, habits, and religious beliefs determine how the four basic economic questions (i.e., “what to produce,” “how to produce,” “how much to produce,” and “for whom to produce”) are answered. In a traditional economy most goods and services are produced by and for a family, with little surplus for sale or barter. |
|
Unemployment |
In economic terms, the measure of the number of workers that want to work but do not have jobs. |
|
Unlimited Government |
A government in which control is held solely by the ruler and his or her appointees, and there are no limits imposed on the ruler’s authority. |
|
Urban Area |
A geographical area constituting a city or town. |
|
World in Spatial Terms, The |
Refers to understanding and interpreting the world in terms of geographic representations. |
[j1]Why is second person crossed out? There are many famous second-person stories. Probably the best way to describe it is that a second-person point of view is characterized by the use of you and is used to draw the reader more intimately into the story.