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Patterns for College Writing Chapter 12 - Coggle Diagram
Patterns for College Writing Chapter 12
What is a Definition
A definition tells what a term means and how it differs from other terms in its class.
brief and succinct definitions are called formal definitions
sometimes a definition requires a paragraph, an essay, or an entire book, and these are called extended definitions.
Understanding Formal Definitions
most definitions have a standard three-part structure
they present the term being defined
then they present the general class it is apart of
then they identify the qualities that differentiate it from other items in the same class
Understanding Extended Definitions
they include short formal definitions (like dictionary entries)
these definitions can introduce readers to the extended definition
it is not good to provide formal definitions for each term used
they do not follow a set pattern of development
they use whatever strategy best suits the writer's purpose
Planning a Definition Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
the thesis should do more than identify the term to be defined and more than just define it
the thesis needs to make clear to readers the larger purpose for as to why you are defining the term
Deciding on a Pattern of Development
exemplification
giving examples to support your definition
examples are often the clearest way to explain things
Description
you can explain the nature of something by describing it
these descriptions enable readers to visualize exactly what is said
Comparison and Contrast
analogy could be used to compare and contrast
you can also define something by contrasting it with something unlike it
Process
Process explanations trace processes form stage to stage
Process is also a good pattern for defining objects in terms of what they do
Classification and Division
classification and division could be used to describe large categories into smaller ones
by identifying the class something belongs to, you are explaining what kind of thing it is.
Structuring a Definition Essay
Introduction
the introduction identifies the term to be defined
states teh thesis
conclusion
reminds the readers why the chosen term was chosen
restate the thesis in different words
body
expand the definition put forth in the thesis
to define these terms you can
use synonyms
use negation
use enumeration
discuss its origin and development
use a visual
Revising a division essay
checklist
is definition called for
does the essay have a clearly worded thesis
is a formal definition of the subject included
are appropriate patterns of development used
does the origin and development of the defined term need to be discussed
are other strategies used to expand the definition
does a visual need to be included
Editing a Definition Essay
don't depart from the structure by using phrases like
is where
, and
is when
avoid this by making certain the form of the verb
be
in your definition is followed by a noun
Editing checklist
are
is when
and
is where
phrases avoided
is the present tense used for formal definitions
is the defined term italicized and the definition in quotation marks