Writer's Guidelines: Definition

Simple Definition1. No two words have exactly the same meaning2. Serveral forms of simple definitions can be blended into your discussion: basic dictionary, synonyms, direct explanations, indirect explanations, and analytical definitions.3. For a formal or an analytical defintion, specify the term, class, and characteristic(s).4. Avoid "is where" and "is when" definitions, circualr definition, and the use of words in the defintion than the word being defined.Extended Definition1. Use clustering to consider other patterns of development that may be used to define your term.2. The organization of your extended definition is likely to be one of emphasis, but it may be space or time, depending on the subject material. You may use just one pattern of development for theoverall organization.3. Consider these ways of introducing a definition: with a question, with a statement of what it is not, with a statement of what is originally meant, or with a discussiton of why a clear definition is important. You may use a combination of these ways before you continuse with your definition.4. Whether you personalize a definition depends on your purpose and your audience. Your instructor may ask you to write about a word within the context of your own experience or to write about it from a detached, clinical viewpoint.Source:Brandon, Lee. Brandon, Kelly. Paragraphs and Essays with Integrated Readings, 11th Edition. Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2011