DEFINITION ESSAY -- PLANNING GUIDE
1. What is the term to be defined?
2. Who is the intended audience for the writing? Is this a general audience for which terms must be broken down in laymen's terms or is it a specific/specialized audience that will know technical terms and do not require further definition?
3. What is the purpose for the intended definition?
4. What is the sentence definition of this term?(Term, Class, and Distinguishing Characteristics)
2. Who is the intended audience for the writing? Is this a general audience for which terms must be broken down in laymen's terms or is it a specific/specialized audience that will know technical terms and do not require further definition?
3. What is the purpose for the intended definition?
4. What is the sentence definition of this term?(Term, Class, and Distinguishing Characteristics)
·
The Term is the word(s) to be
defined.
·
The Class is the group or
category of similar terms in which the term to be defined is to be placed.
·
The Characteristics are the
essential qualities that set the term apart from all other terms of the same
class.
5. What other pattern(s) of organization will you employ to
complete an extended definition? See the list below:
Explanation of a
Process
Definition (further)
Description
Comparison/Contrast
Classification
Cause/Effect
Narrative (Anecdotal Illustration)
DEFINITION THEME -- OUTLINE FORMAT
I. INTRODUCTION: Thesis
Your thesis should include the following information:
A. The term to be defined.
B. Sentence definition of the term.
C. Reason(s) for giving a more detailed definition
D. The kinds of additional information that will be used to extend the definition
A. The term to be defined.
B. Sentence definition of the term.
C. Reason(s) for giving a more detailed definition
D. The kinds of additional information that will be used to extend the definition
II. BODY
(The body of an extended definition may use one or more of
the patterns of organization to assist in a fuller explanation of the term.)
III. CONCLUSION
(Usually there is no formal closing that is specific to the
definition essay. It might end as a description, a comparison/contrast, a
process analysis, etc. However, a comment about the term, or a summarizing
statement regarding the paper itself, may often be included.)
http://www.dca.net/~areid/define.htm
There
are two kinds of description essays: the Objective Description and the
Impressionistic Description.
In the Objective Description, the
language used presents physical objects in a way that anyone would see them --
using spatial order, color, etc. A kind of objective description would be
a police report in which one describes an object exactly the way that it is,
without the use of emotion or feeling.
The Impressionistic Description,
however, relies on senses to paint a picture for the reader. Sensual
impressions tend to employ the use of metaphor and simile, or figurative
language, to bring an object "to life" for the reader. Rather than
relying on the real and actual, as the objective description does,
impressionistic description relies more heavily on sight, sound, smell,
taste and touch.
DESCRIPTION
ESSAY -- PLANNING SHEET
1. What is the item to be described
in this paper?
2. Who is my intended audience? (General or Specialized/Specific)
3. What is the formal definition of the item?
4. OBJECTIVE: What is the function, use, and/or purpose of this item?(Who uses it? When? Where?)
Impressionistic: How does this item make you feel?
5. OBJECTIVE: What are the physical characteristics of this item? Size/ shape/ weight/ material?
Impressionistic: What does this item look like to you?
6. OBJECTIVE: What are the major parts of this item and their descriptions? (List the Parts, Function and Physical Characteristics in the order in which they will be discussed in the paper.)
Impressionistic: What is the dominant impression that this item gives you in its makeup, design, or build?
2. Who is my intended audience? (General or Specialized/Specific)
3. What is the formal definition of the item?
4. OBJECTIVE: What is the function, use, and/or purpose of this item?(Who uses it? When? Where?)
Impressionistic: How does this item make you feel?
5. OBJECTIVE: What are the physical characteristics of this item? Size/ shape/ weight/ material?
Impressionistic: What does this item look like to you?
6. OBJECTIVE: What are the major parts of this item and their descriptions? (List the Parts, Function and Physical Characteristics in the order in which they will be discussed in the paper.)
Impressionistic: What is the dominant impression that this item gives you in its makeup, design, or build?
DESCRIPTION
THEME OUTLINE FORMAT
I.
INTRODUCTION: Thesis and identification of the item
A. Definition or identification of the item and why this
description is important.
B. The points, or frames of reference, about the item being described.
B. The points, or frames of reference, about the item being described.
II.
BODY: Explanation of the function, physical characteristics and parts
A. Function, use or purpose of the
item. (What is it used for? Where and when is it used? or What
do you use it for and why?)
B. Physical characteristics of the item (What does the item look like : size, shape, material --and, if impressionistic, what does it taste, feel, smell, and/or sound like?)
C. Parts of the item:
B. Physical characteristics of the item (What does the item look like : size, shape, material --and, if impressionistic, what does it taste, feel, smell, and/or sound like?)
C. Parts of the item:
1. List major parts in the order in which they will be
described (top to bottom, left to right,
etc.)
2. Identify each part, its function and its physical characteristics.
2. Identify each part, its function and its physical characteristics.
III.
CONCLUSION: Making the parts into a whole
A. Show how the individual parts
work together, or give a general and complete explanation of how the
parts convey a single, dominant impression.
B. Mention variations of the item, or similar items, emphasizing the importance of the particular item that has been described.
B. Mention variations of the item, or similar items, emphasizing the importance of the particular item that has been described.
http://www.dca.net/~areid/describe.htm
EXPLANATION
OF A PROCESS--PLANNING SHEET
1. What is the process that will be
explained in this paper?
2. Who is the audience for this paper? (General or Specialized/Specific)
3. What are the items, material, tools, and preparations needed to carry out this process? (Please list them)
4. Are there any special conditions necessary to carry out this process?
5. Are there any terms used in the completion of this process that require explanation or special definition?
6. List the steps and actions involved in this process in the order in which they occur.
2. Who is the audience for this paper? (General or Specialized/Specific)
3. What are the items, material, tools, and preparations needed to carry out this process? (Please list them)
4. Are there any special conditions necessary to carry out this process?
5. Are there any terms used in the completion of this process that require explanation or special definition?
6. List the steps and actions involved in this process in the order in which they occur.
What to do
How (and why) to do it
Who would need to know how to do it?
How (and why) to do it
Who would need to know how to do it?
7. Are there any precautions that
need to be mentioned? (Crucial steps, possible difficulties, dangers, places
where errors are likely to occur, cautions and warnings)
EXPLANATION
OF A PROCESS OUTLINE FORMAT
I.
INTRODUCTION: Thesis and identification of the subject
A. State the operation to be
explained
B. Give the purpose and significance of the instructions, indicating who uses them, when, where and why.
B. Give the purpose and significance of the instructions, indicating who uses them, when, where and why.
II.
BODY: The steps of the process and the development of those steps
A. Step One
1. Explain clearly what is to be
done in each individual stepand what equipment, materials, etc. used to
complete the step.
2. Emphasize the important points of
the step and include any cautions about mistakes that may be made for this step
3. Include any theory underlying
this part of the process, if applicable.
Follow these protocols for the
remaining steps.
B.
Step Two
C.
Step Three
D.
Step Four
III.
CONCLUSION
Usually the last step of the process
is the conclusion of the essay. See information to be included below:
A. Completion of the discussion of the last step
B. Summary of the main steps
C. Significance of the process
D. Discussion of other methods to do this process or any feasible shortcuts that could be taken to complete the process
A. Completion of the discussion of the last step
B. Summary of the main steps
C. Significance of the process
D. Discussion of other methods to do this process or any feasible shortcuts that could be taken to complete the process
http://www.dca.net/~areid/process.htm
COMPARISON/CONTRAST
PLANNING SHEET
1. What two items are being compared
and contrasted in this paper? (Remember that the two items must be logically
comparable.)
2. Who is the audience for this
paper? (General or Specialized/Specific)
3. List three to five similarities
and three to five differences in the two items being compared and contrasted.
(it helps to create a "grid" of the bases of comparison/contrast.)
SAMPLE GRID (Example of how your comparison/contrast could be tested)
|
Bases
of
Comparison/ Contrast |
ITEM
ONE
|
ITEM
TWO
|
|
Size
(Point A) |
|
|
|
Shape
(Point B) |
|
|
|
Weight
(Point C) |
|
|
|
Color
(Point D) |
|
|
|
Uses
(Point E) |
|
|
4. Write down the order in which the
similarities and differences will be discussed.
5. Which of two outlining patterns
for C/C will you be using for this paper?
|
BLOCK STYLE
|
ALTERNATING BLOCK STYLE
|
COMPARISON/
CONTRAST OUTLINING FORMATS
BLOCK
FORMAT
I.
INTRODUCTION
Introduces to your audience the two subjects being discussed
in this piece, giving any necessary definition or description of the items.
Include in your intro the bases of comparison/contrast by which the items will
be analyzed.
II.
BODY
A. ITEM 1
1. Point A
2. Point B
3. Point C
2. Point B
3. Point C
B. ITEM 2
1. Point A
2. Point B
3. Point C
2. Point B
3. Point C
III.
CONCLUSION
Usually, when the points are a comparison, the conclusion
contrasts the items, or examines the differences between the items. If
the points contrast, or shows differences in the two items, the conclusion
demonstrates those things that are similarities between the two.
ALTERNATING
BLOCK
I.
INTRODUCTION:
Introduce to your audience the two subjects
being discussed in this piece, giving any necessary definition or description
of the items. Include in your intro the bases of comparison/contrast by which
the items will be analyzed.
II.
BODY
In Alternating Block, the bases of
comparison or contrast lead. Each item is discussed BY their similarities
or differences to the bases being analyzed.
A.
Point A
1. Item One
2. Item Two
2. Item Two
B.
Point B
1. Item One
2. Item Two
2. Item Two
C.
Point C
1. Item One
2. Item Two
2. Item Two
III.
CONCLUSION
Again, when the points offer similarities
in comparison, the conclusion contrasts the items, or examines the
differences between the items. If the points contrast, or shows
differences in the two items, the conclusion demonstrates those things that are
similarities between the two.
http://www.dca.net/~areid/compcont.htm
What is a cause and effect essay?
Cause and effect essays are concerned with why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). Cause and effect is a common method of organizing and discussing ideas.
Cause and effect essays are concerned with why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). Cause and effect is a common method of organizing and discussing ideas.
Follow these steps when writing a
cause and effect essay:
1. Distinguish between cause and effect. To determine causes, ask, "Why did this happen?"
To identify effects, ask, "What happened because of this?" The
following is an example of one cause producing one effect:
|
Cause
|
Effect
|
|
You
are out of gas.
|
Your
car won't start.
|
Sometimes, many causes contribute to a single effect or many
effects may result from a single cause. (Your instructor will specify which
cause/effect method to use.) The following are examples:
|
Causes
|
Effect
choose
to major in accounting
|
|
liked business in high school
|
|
|
salaries in the field are high
|
|
|
have an aunt who is an accountant
|
|
|
am good with numbers
|
|
Cause
reduce
work hours
|
Effects
|
|
less income
|
|
|
employer is irritated
|
|
|
more time to study
|
|
|
more time for family and friends
|
However, most situations are more
complicated.
The following is an example of a
chain reaction:
Thinking about friend…forgot to buy
gas…car wouldn't start…missed math exam…failed math course.
2. Develop your thesis statement. State clearly whether you are discussing causes, effects,
or both. Introduce your main idea, using the terms "cause" and/or
"effect."
3. Find and organize supporting details.Back up your thesis with relevant and sufficient details
that are organized. You can organize details in the following ways:
· Chronological.
Details are arranged in the order in which the events occurred.
· Order of importance.
Details are arranged from least to most important or vice versa.
· Categorical. Details are arranged by dividing
the topic into parts or categories.
4.
Use appropriate transitions.
To blend details smoothly in cause and effect essays, use the transitional
words and phrases listed below.
|
For causes
because, due to, on cause is,
another is, since, for, first, second
|
For Effects
consequently, as a result, thus,
resulted in, one result is, another is, therefore
|
When writing your essay, keep the
following suggestions in mind:
· Remember your
purpose. Decide if your are writing to inform or persuade.
· Focus on immediate
and direct causes (or effects.) Limit yourself to causes that are close in time
and related, as opposed to remote and indirect causes, which occur later and are
related indirectly.
· Strengthen your
essay by using supporting evidence. Define terms, offer facts and statistics,
or provide examples, anecdotes, or personal observations that support your
ideas.
· Qualify or limit
your statements about cause and effect. Unless there is clear evidence that one
event is related to another, qualify your statements with phrases such as
"It appears that the cause was" or "It seems likely" or
"The evidence may indicate" or "Available evidence
suggests."
To evaluate the effectiveness of a cause and effect essay,
ask the following questions:
What are the causes? What are the effects? Which should be emphasized? Are
there single or multiple causes? Single or multiple effects? Is a chain
reaction involved?
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