Definition Writing
Week 6, Unit 6: Definition Essay. Define the topic of your research paper.
(Learning Objective 1: Incorporate writing skills in more detailed compositions.)
A. Read Chap. 15 on Definition, pp. 247-262 in Strategies for Successful Writing (If you have a different edition than mine, you'll still be able to find the chapter on DEFINITION in the Contents pages at the front of the book.
B. Read “The Blended Economy" by Mark Zwelling (p.564) and "Krumping" (p.566) by Marti Bercaw in Strategies for Successful Writing. (If you have a different edition than mine, the page numbers are in the Contents Section under "Reader".)
C. Take the Definition Reading Quiz over "The Blended Economy" by Mark Zwelling (located on the Home page next in Unit 6).
D. Answer Discussion Questions on Canvas over "Krumping" (located on the Home page next in Unit 6).
E.You may wish to e-mail your Definition essay to The Writing Center (writingcenter@swosu.edu) as an attachment (also include the rubric), where grad students and English majors are standing by to assist you. Ask them to check for grammar and mechanics errors and to make sure you have an essential and an extended definition. You should get their feedback in 48 hours. Make revisions they suggest.
Here is an outline for a Definition paper. I’d like for you to organize your Definition Paper to follow like this EXAMPLE:
Definition Essay Title
I. Introduction
A. Attention-getter (possibly describing a scene or giving a dramatic fact or shocking statistic, maybe a question)
B. Defining a word or some aspect of your paper using an “Essential Definition” of your own creation (see Strategies, Chapter 15, page 249) or possibly a dictionary definition, quoted.
C. Thesis statement
II. Body of paper—An “Extended definition" (see page 251 in Strategies) Explain that there is more to understanding this than just its dictionary or essential definition. Go on to do any of the following:
--Personalize your own interpretation “To me, patriotism means more than flag waving. . .”
--Put forth a revised meaning for a commonplace term ("thong” isn’t a shoe these days)
--Analyze the word if it is complex or controversial (“hell” wasn’t originally hot—just meant to cover the ground.)
--Give any new information a person may not be familiar with (“Wife” is not just a spouse, but a cook, chauffeur, maid, waitress, counselor, accountant, nurse . . .)
--Compare or contrast (Because silver has to be smelted, it is hard to find than gold, so the expression “Seek as if for silver” means . . .)
--Tell a story to illustrate the meaning of this word or concept. (SIDS—Joe and Sue were new parents when tragedy suddenly struck in the dark of night . . .)
--Inform or explain or persuade.
III. Conclusion—Restate your thesis, but in different words.
--Tie back to your attention-getter or title
Lastly, add a Works Cited page. If you cited from a dictionary or encyclopedia or cited any expert authority to help define your topic, you need a Works Cited page and parenthetical citations. See MLA section in your Writer's Reference book and look carefully at the sample essay with Works Cited (p. 440).
Remember that pp. 371-72 gives you a chart to help you find out how to cite the sources you will be using for the Works Cited page. Notice encyclopedias and dictionaries are listed. Maybe you are using one or more of the sources you showed me on your first bibliography page for the whole research paper. If so, that is good, because you should already know how to correctly make a Works Cited page entry for that source. (Remember: Do not list sources that you are not quoting from in this essay. You may have some on that bibliography page that you did not use for this essay.)
How to put or "cite" a dictionary or encyclopedia inside your paper using parenthetical citations is explained on the bottom of p.394, #13. The word you looked up acts as the title and goes in parenthetical citations.
Before you turn in your Definition Essay, click "next" and read more on definition.