DEFINITION ESSAY By: Dr. Mary Custureri

1
DEFINITION ESSAYBy Dr. Mary Custureri
2
What do definitions do?

• Definitions answer questions What are we
  talking about?
• They give terms that are clear for specific
  audiences
• All audiences are not alike. Some need more
  specific, more easily understood definitions
  because they have not been trained.
• Poor definitions can cause problems because of
  misinterpretation

3
Levels of Detail in Definitions

• Technical level (Doctor, scientist)
• Ex A tumor is an neoplasm
• Tech. level (nurse, technician)
• A tumor is a growth of cells that occurs
  independently of surrounding tissue and serves no
  useful function.
• Lay person
• A tumor is a growth that has no useful function
  and that may be benign or become cancerous.

4
DEFINITIONS FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCE LEVELS
High tech Use jargon, acronym or abbreviation alone The wastewater is being treated for DBPs
Low-tech Use jargon, acronym, or abbreviation with a parenthetical definition The wastewater is being treated for DBPs (disinfectant by products).
Lay person (not experienced with the specific technology) Use jargon, acronym, or abbreviation with a parenthetical definition and a brief explanation or extended definition. The wastewater is being treated for DBPs (disinfectant by-products) such as acid, methane, chlorine, and ammonia.
5
What is a definition essay?

• It is an extended explanation of an abstract
  idea, a complicated idea or a controversial word
  or phrase
• Example love
• quality
• beauty

6
What question does the definition essay answer?

• What is it?
• What does it encompass?
• What does it include?

7
Why should a writer know how to write a
definition essay?

• I Often people debate about issues and
  misunderstand
• each other because of unique
  definitions. This lack of
• understanding leads to problems.
• EXAMPLES
• life death
• morality
  cheating
• marriage
  equality
• success
  failure
• beauty
  ugliness
• pornography art
• addiction
  minority(ethnic or otherwise
• monopoly (in business) defense
• power
  weakness

8

• Cont. Why write a definition?
• People who are not experts in a field may
  misunderstand the authors meaning.
• Medical terms
• Technical terms
• Specific terms in a proposal for a project
• Explanations of problems

9
Purpose of a definition essay

• Specify the meaning of a term or concept
• Specify distinctive characteristics, and
  boundaries of that term so that the reader cannot
  make a mistake

10
Formal definition has specific parts

• Word A watch
• Class is a mechanical device
• Characteristics that is used for telling time
  and is usually carried or worn

11
Example 2

• Word Semantics
• Class is an area of linguistics
• Classification that is concerned with the study
  of the meaning of words.

12
Ways in which to help readers understand

• The writer offers examples and sets up contrasts
  by showing what it is not.
• The writer offers analogies or examples of what
  it is
• The writer offers a graphic picture with
  explanations
• The writer redefines the word by explaining it in
  easy-to-understand language
• The writer can write an informal essay or even
  satire to entertain and inform

13
Activity with definition

• Define one of the following terms formally by
  putting it in a class and then differentiating it
  from other words in the class.
• potato chips saxophone
• sociology monopoly (the game)
• love physical therapy
• Chickadee quality
• other?