Writing Reminders

Getting ready for expository writing with an extended definition essay

Pre-Writing: Choosing a Topic

A definition essay attempts to define a specific term.

tries to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept.

goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition

It's important to limit your term before you start defining it.

For example, you could write forever on the term "love." To limit it, you would write about either "romantic love,“ "platonic love,“ "first love."

1. Love

2. Hope

3. Independence

4. Injustice

5. Freedom

6. Education

7. Patriotism

8. Pain

9. Courage

10. Honor

11. Work

12. Responsibility

13. Beauty

14. Kindness

15. Compassion

16. Sexism

17. Gumption

18. Racism

19. Sportsmanship

20. Modesty

21. Self-assurance

22. Humility

23. Dedication

24. Sensitivity

25. Trust

26. Respect

27. Ambition

28. Right to privacy

29. Generosity

30. Laziness

31. Charisma

32. Common sense

33. Team player

34. Maturity

35. Integrity

36. Healthy appetite

37. Frustration

38. Optimism

39. Sense of humor

40. A teacher

41. Physical fitness

42. Marriage

43. True friendship

44.Citizenship

45.A good boss

46. Success

47. A coach

48. Intelligence

49. Personality

50. Peer pressure

51. Cruelty

52. Leadership

53. Persistence

54. Responsibility

55. Human rights

56. Sophistication

57. Self-respect

58. Comfort Food

59. A nerd

60. Heroism

61. Thrift

62. Sloth

63. Vanity

64. Pride

65. Greed

66. Virtue

67. Progress

68. A parent

69. A fan

70. A good student

Structure—The Introduction

Hook—When appropriate, use an attention-getting device to begin.

Avoid using questions

Instead try an unusual detail, strong statement, quote, statistic, short story

Background

Anything your reader needs to know to understand the rest of the essay

Thesis

The main claim/assertion/point you are proving in the rest of your paper

Should be interesting and arguable

Extended Definition: Thesis Statement

Think about the following when crafting your thesis:

• The term to be defined

• Your own definition of the term and how it varies from other definitions

• Reason(s) for giving a more detailed definition

• The kinds of additional information that will be used to extend the

definition

What do

introductions look

like in extended

definition essays?

When I was young, people would sometimes ask whether my

mother worked. I was never quite sure how to reply. If I said “No,” I

didn’t feel I was being truthful. If I said “yes,” the likely follow-up

question would be “Where does she work?” When I answered that my

mother worked at home, people would smile politely and say, “Oh,

then she’s a housewife.” “No,” I would explain, “she’s an artist.”

Because what seemed like a simple question turned out to be

complicated, I grew up giving the issue of work a lot of thought. In

one definition, Merriam –Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, describes

work as “the labor, task, or duty that is one’s accustomed means of

livelihood.” Unfortunately, not all work situations fit into this definition.

If they did, I would have to conclude that because my mother never

sold enough of her art to earn a living—that is, because her art was

not a means of “livelihood”—she didn’t work. By the same reasoning,

I would have to say that when Dad washed the dishes after dinner or

when I wrote a paper for my English class, either of us w e re actually

working—unless, of course, someone was paying us for our labor.

Why is it, then, that performing those tasks felt like work, even if the

dictionary would not define them that way? Perhaps what we need is

a more complex definition of the word work. It makes sense that work

is a labor, task, or duty. Rather than focus on whether work

contributes to one’s livelihood, though, it makes more sense to define

work as a labor, task, or duty that entails a sense of obligation, and

one that is performed with the goal of making a contribution.

Let’s take a look!

Structure—The Body Paragraphs

Topic sentence—Clearly relates to your thesis

Supporting sentences

Evidence to prove your point in the topic sentence

Reasoning/commentary to show how your evidence proves your

point

What do body

paragraphs look like

in extended definition

essays?

Most people believe they know what work is not. Work is not play. Does that mean that work is never fun? Of course not. Some people love their work. They see their jobs as rewarding experiences, brisk mental or physical workouts that end in the glow of success. Some people even select their careers based on what they have fun doing. A ski instruct r, for example, might choose that career because he or she loves to ski. What separates work from play is not how much fun we have doing it, but whether we feel an obligation to perform the task. If the ski instructor decides to hit the slopes on her day off, she is “playing.” If, though, a sense of obligation enters into the picture —“I have to practice skiing today so that I can become a better teacher”—then play becomes work. I might enjoy reading books on the weekend. If I have to read a book over the weekend for school, though, I’m likely to call this work rather than play, no matter how much or how little I enjoy it. One way to define “work,” then, is by what it is not: work is not play, an activity that a person is under no obligation to perform.

Let’s take a look!

• Use example, negation, structure,

function, and/or background to

explain the definition

• Each body paragraph should explain

ONE important aspect of your

definition

Structure—The Conclusion

Emphasize why it is important

Highlight the significance and relevance of the points you made in the rest of the paper

Synthesize your main points—put it all together!

Do NOT simply cut-and-paste your thesis here

Look at your opening and closing paragraphs side-by-side. If they say the same thing, you’re not quite there. It’s good, however, to refer back to your attention getter and bring your paper full circle.

Avoid being didactic—this means preachy

What do conclusions

look like in extended

definition essays?

According to the definition in the

dictionary, my mother was not working. If we

broaden the definition of “work,” however, so

that it includes both an obligation and a

contribution, we can take steps toward a much

more inclusive and realistic meaning of the

word. By taking into consideration the many diff rent ways people can contribute their

labor, we can begin to see that what looks like

play is sometimes really work; that work is not

always about how much money a person

earns while performing a task; and that our

labor, if it makes a contribution to ourselves,

our employers, our society, or our world, is

always important work.

Let’s take a look!

The Content

One purpose of this essay is to practice writing at length about some

topic, in a focused and sustained way.

Focused -- not rambling disconnectedly on "everything I know about X", but

discussing a specific topic or cluster of interrelated topics in an integrated way.

Sustained -- following through some clear line(s) of argument in some depth.

Whichever way you go, you should aim for a clearly structured essay and some meaty

arguments.

Go beyond the obvious! This is vital for a good definition essay! Be potato pickers, not tomato pickers.

Structure—Transitions

Transitions guide your reader through your paper.

Any time you switch topics, include a transition.

Two types of transitions:

Transition Words

Paragraph Hooks

Take a word or idea from the previous paragraph

and repeat it in the next paragraph

Conjunctions

and

but

or

for

nor

neither

so

yet

To introduce a topic

as for

concerning

with regard to

with respect to

To summarize

in all

in a word

in brief

briefly

in other words

in short

in summary

that is

To show purpose

in order that

in order to

so that

To show cause and

effect

accordingly

as a consequence

as a result

consequently

for this reason

hence

it follows that

so/so that

then

therefore

thus

To compare

by comparison

here again

in the same way

in a similar manner

likewise

similarly

so too

as

also

equally

To contrast

conversely

however

instead

in spite of that

anyhow

on the contrary

on the other hand

otherwise

rather than

still

yet

To explain, give

reasons

actually

admittedly

because

certainly

for example

in fact

indeed

really

of course

since

that is

To add information

and reasons

add to this

again

also

besides

equally

further

furthermore

in addition

moreover

once more

then too

too

yet again

yet another

To show various

conditions

in this event

in these

circumstances under such circumstances

this (that) being so

provided that

in spite of

none

nevertheless

at the same time

even if

if

unless

otherwise

although

even though

though

despite

To show conviction

after all

at least

at the same time

apparently

even so

evidently

certainly

conceivably

conclusively

doubtless

no doubt

perhaps

possibly

presumably

probably

surely

undoubtedly

To show concession

admittedly

after all

all the same

at any rate

granted

however

in any case

in spite of

it is true that

nevertheless

obviously

of course

still

to be sure

To show

chronological order

after that

afterwards

later

shortly

subsequently

concurrently

in the meantime

in the meanwhile

now

simultaneously

when/while/was

first, second, etc.

formerly

earlier

previously

before that

then

already

at last

at length

by that time

finally

To list or show logical

order

for example

for instance

in particular

to illustrate

the one…the other

this…that

these…those

here…there

either…or

neither…nor

whether…or

though…yet

wherever…there

since…then

the more…the more

not only…but also

The Writing—Pronouns

In formal, academic writing…

Stick with 3rd person pronouns

He, she, it, they, them

Avoid 2nd person pronouns like the plague

NO you, your

Unless you are writing about a personal experience, avoid 1st person

pronouns

I, me, we, my, our, ours

Word Choice

Choose interesting, vivid, and

appropriate words.

Avoid being too repetitive and don’t

be vague

Keep your diction (word choice)

academic in tone.

Throw out boring or overused words.

Stuff, good, bad, very, really

Keep words that get to the point, that

are descriptive, that are evocative, that

sound interesting

Choose words that reveal something

interesting to the reader.

Think about changing "I slipped on my

shirt" to "I punched my arms into my

shirt." One is a throw-away action, you

might even skim it. It’s just there like,

“Okay great, now I know she’s not

naked!” But the other shows emotion.

That girl is angry about something if

she’s punching her arms into her shirt.

Sentence Structure

Vary your types/lengths of

sentences

Compound

Complex

Simple

Compound-Complex

Vary sentence beginnings

• Are some of your sentences long and

others short?

• Do you start the beginnings differently?

• Do some sentences start with a part of

speech other than a noun or pronoun?

• Do you use sentence length strategically to add emphasis and

suspense?

Sentence Structure:

An Example

This sentence has five words.

Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen.

I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length.

And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.

Common Mechanics Errors

Avoid sentence fragments and comma splices.

Comma Splice: Mrs. Springer’s class is the best, I never miss it. ---BAD! How do we fix this?

Fragment: The class period before last when we worked on quotation integration—BAD! How do we fix?

Possessives

Spongebob’s hamburger, Harper Lee’s book, my friend’s car

Always italicize or underline book titles.

Weirdly, spelling…

Be creative and

good luck!