requested information

The information which is the goal of the literacy task. In the case of the question “Who shot the sheriff?” the requested information is the identity of a person. We are ‘given’ the information that someone has shot the sheriff, and the identity of that person is requested in the question.

response mode

How to respond to the directives and questions on a form. The most common response modes on entry forms are ‘text entry,’ where individual numbers, words or phrases are written in. Other response modes include putting check marks in boxes, crossing out choices that don’t apply, or circling yes/no. In the absence of specific instructions, form-fillers will often improvise–is it better to circle the ‘yes,’ or cross out the ‘no,’ or perhaps do both to make sure?

rubric

In the context of this Guide, rubric refers to a set of rules for coding the complexity of literacy tasks. The rubrics in the Guide are presented as a flow chart in which each rule is applied in the order suggested by the chart.

semantic

Having to do with meaning and with the meaning of words specifically.

semantic field

A group, pattern, or framework of related words and word elements that covers or refers to an aspect of the world, such as colour words, culinary terms, military ranks, and the language of sports.

specifics

Pieces of information included in an organizing category. For example, the organizing category ‘Dosage’ on a medicine bottle may include three ‘specifics:’ Children, one capsule every two hours; adults 2 capsules every two hours; nursing mothers, one capsule every four hours.