11.2: Planning a Definition Effect Essay

When planning a definition essay, you have two potential places you can begin planning: you can begin with your idea about the definition OR you can begin with the examples and thoughts in your body paragraphs. If you know what you want to say about the word but don’t know what to back it up with yet, start by writing out your ideas for your thesis: what is your point about the definition? If you have some ideas for your proof but don’t know your thesis, start by planning your body paragraphs: what examples and ideas do you plan to use to flesh out your body paragraphs? Jotting down your ideas on one of these initial directions will help point you to a picture for your paper. Either a definition will emerge as you plan the body paragraphs, or you can plan the thesis and then brainstorm ideas for your body paragraphs from there.

Planning a Definition Essay with Audience in Mind

Since the purpose of the Definition essay is to give your audience all the information it might need to understand a concept or word, audience is a little less of a concern; however, like the Illustration essay, be aware of what type of audience you are writing to. For example, if you are trying to define something like “sexual harassment” in the workplace, your explanations and examples should focus on that particular aspect of the definition. While the legal definition or relevant court cases would certainly be good sub-topics, sexual harassment in professional sports or education might be a bit off topic. Either way, be mindful of your audience and their specific concerns while you are narrowing your focus.

Structuring a Definition Essay

The definition essay opens with a general discussion of the term to be defined. You then state your definition of the term as your thesis. The rest of the essay should explain the rationale for your definition. Remember that a dictionary’s definition is limiting, so you should not rely strictly on the dictionary entry. Indeed, unless you are specifically addressing an element of the dictionary definition (perhaps to dispute or expand it), it is best to avoid quoting the dictionary in your paper (it is also generally frowned upon to quote a reference work like a dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, etc. since the information in those works is considered “common knowledge”). Instead, consider the context in which you are using the word. Context identifies the circumstances, conditions, or setting in which something exists or occurs. Often words take on different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the ideal leader in a battlefield setting could likely be very different from a leader in an elementary school setting. If a context is missing from the essay, the essay may be too short, or the main points could be vague and confusing.

The remainder of the essay should explain different aspects of the term’s definition. For example, if you were defining a good leader in an elementary classroom setting, you might define such a leader according to personality traits: patience, consistency, and flexibility. Each attribute would be explained in its own paragraph. Be specific and detailed: flesh out each paragraph with examples and connections to the larger context.