Lecture Essay writing & presentation skills - Lecture 9: Definition Essay

Lecture 9

Definition Essay


Recap
•

How to Write a Descriptive Essay?

•

Steps for Writing an Descriptive Essay

•

Topic Selection for Descriptive Essay

•

Key Points to Consider

•

Dos and Don’ts

•

Common Mistakes

•

Example


Definition Essay

A
3


How to Write a Definition
Essay?

•

•

•

In a definition essay, you explain the
meaning of a certain term by giving a
detailed description of it.
You support your definition with clear
examples or facts.
Such explanations are needed if a term is:
–

special

–

Abstract

–

disputed or

–


Steps for Writing an Definition
Essay
Step # 1: Choose a term that you want to
define and introduce to your
readers. This can be done in several
ways, but your main goal at the
outset is to indicate clearly the
contents of your paper.
Step # 2: Use several sources (dictionaries
or
encyclopedias) to see how the term
you
have chosen is usually defined.
Then
think of a way to combine or


Steps for Writing an Definition
Essay

Step # 3: Present the term you’ve chosen
to your
readers in the introductory part
of your paper.
Step # 4: In the main body paragraphs,
provide
your readers with information
about
the term. Along with your own
description, you can point out:
•

some cases in which this term is used,

•

as well as historical information about its origins

•

the evolution of its use in literature

•


Steps for Writing an Definition
Essay
Step # 5:
examples
explain

Think of a couple of good
that will fully illustrate and
your definition.


Topic Selection
•

There are plenty of terms that we use
every day. Many of them are clear to
almost everybody, but still there is a vast
body of abstract or scientific terms, that
can become a topic of discussion.


Topic Selection
Some terms that could be chosen as a
topic for your definition essay are listed
below:
•

God

•

Love

•

Hatred

•

Beauty

•

Morale

•

Good and evil

•

Happiness


Key Points to Consider
•

Remember, that giving a definition is not
just copying what has been written in
other dictionaries.
–

•

If you cannot define a brand new meaning for

some concept on your own, then use the
definition that already exists, but give your
own interpretation of it.

Choose terms that you understand. Do
not try to define a term that you don’t
understand else you will confuse your


Key Points to Consider
•

You can define something by explaining
its:
–

•

functions

–

structure or

–

nature

You can also define the term by:
–

–

specifying what it does not mean
by comparing it with other members of the
same class emphasizing the differences.


Key Points to Consider
•

Follow the structure of your essay. It would
be logical to:
–

Present your term in the introduction

–

give extended explanations in the main body
paragraphs, and

–

end with brief conclusions


Dos
•

Do narrow down the term if it has an

excessively wide meaning.
–

For instance, you might need to write many
pages to define adequately the term ‘fear’, but
if you limit your topic to ‘panic fear’, it will be
much easier for you to craft your essay.


Dos
•

Do look for good transitions to connect
the parts of your essay together.

•

Do proofread your essay carefully to
avoid factual mistakes.


Dos
•

Do try to think of a definition that would be
uniquely yours.
–

Don’t be afraid to be creative in giving nonstandard explanations; that approach should
be encouraged.

Don'ts
•

Don’t use definitions like:
–

•

‘X is when’ or ‘Y is where’.

Try to make you definitions look more
scientific.


Don’ts
•

Don’t try to write a paper on a too narrow
topic or a well-known obvious term.
–

It will be extremely hard to write an extended
essay about a ‘tree’ or a ‘cat’.


Don’ts
•

Do not write in a superfluously detailed
manner. However, don’t be too brief
either. Consider the word limit of your
essay before you begin writing.

•

Don’t repeat the defined term within the
bounds of the definition itself. No one will


Common Mistakes
•

•

Trying to define a term that is too broad in
scope for the essay.
Forgetting to emphasize the term that
one is defining.
–

In this case, it may be hard for the readers to
understand what your essay is ultimately
about.


Common Mistakes
•

Writing about things that are well-known
and

which

do

not

have

conflicting

interpretations. There is no need to explain
terms that everyone is familiar with.


Common Mistakes
•

•

Ignoring the necessity of examples. No
matter how detailed and clear your
definition is, without concrete examples, it
may be hard for your readers to
understand how or when a certain term
should be used.
Copying the existing definition word by
word. Instead, reinterpret the meaning. Do

not be afraid to expound your own


Example of Definition Essay

What is
Democracy?


Introduction Paragraph
Turn on your TV and switch to a
news channel. Take a pencil and a
sheet of paper and prepare to take
notes. Your aim is to count the use of
one of the most popular words in the
modern

world.

This

word

is


1. Supporting Details
Democracy can be understood as a process of people
governing their state and managing community affairs all
together, based on consensus. Though democracy is often

defined as a form of government, to my mind it’s more
reasonable to contemplate it as a process, a constant
opportunity by which citizens may bring changes into their
social and political life.


2. Supporting Details
The origins of democracy lie in Ancient
Greece. This very term was constructed from
two Greek words ‘demos’, which means
‘people’, and ‘cratos’, which means ‘power’. A
long time ago Greek men used to gather on the
town square to make decisions about urgent
political issues. Greek democracy was direct –