What am I?: A defining presentation on definition

Modes of EssayMs. SchwaneNovember 2, 2009

Definition1.What a term means

To “google” means to use the search engine Google to look up someone or something.

2. How it differs from other terms in its class

“Googling” is done online and is typically faster and more informal than research through interview or extensive reading, for instance

Types of DefinitionFormal Extended

Both include term – class -- differentiation

When to use definition? Academic writing:

Essay exams Course papers Speeches Debates

Any time you need to clarify the meaning of a term for your audience.

Writing Definition Essays Rarely is the dictionary definition enough…

Have an intro + thesis, body, conclusion – the rest is flexible

Give the term, class and differentiation (denotative/formal meanings)

Give connotative/extended meanings. Do not use the term in your definition

Have a greater purpose for giving

the definition(thesis statement)

Strategies for Writing Extended Definitions:

Synonyms Personal interpretations

Negation Historical/social interpretations

Enumeration Analogies

Origin + DevelopmentUse within other modes/patterns of writing

Avoid “is when” & “is where”Why?Leads to examples, not definitionsCauses you to exclude the class of the

term

See pg. 515 for models of correct and incorrect structures

“Wife-Beater” and your brain In the definition

section of your brain, write 3 strategies Smith uses to define the shirt

Write down the author’s purpose for writing the definition

Some of Smith’s examples

Your Turn – example topics

In your group write a paragraph definition of your mystery item. Be sure to not name

your item in your paragraph, as other groups will have to guess

what you are defining.

Other possible writing topicsAbstract concepts:

What is hope? What is belonging for a teenager? What does it mean to be a good student? What does it mean to be a New Berliner? How would you define safety in the 21st century?

Concrete concepts: What is a kitchen table? What is a Northern Michigan pasty? What is a sneeze?

BibliographyPatterns for College Writing Images from www.writehisanswer.com;

http://www.rics.org/MyRICS/ATC/wmmyec_e_19112008.html; www.menstuff.org ; www.oldnavy.com; news.ninemsn.com.au