Chapter
Exercise 1
On a separate sheet of paper, write about a time in your own life in which the definition of a word, or the lack of a definition, caused an argument. Your term could be something as simple as the category of an all-star in sports or how to define a good movie. Or it could be something with higher stakes and wider impact, such as a political argument. Explain how the conversation began, how the argument hinged on the definition of the word, and how the incident was finally resolved.
Collaboration: Please share with a classmate and compare your responses.
Exercise 2
On a separate sheet of paper, define each of the following items in your own terms. If you can, establish a context for your definition.
- Bravery
- Adulthood
- Consumer culture
- Violence
- Art
Exercise 3
Create a full definition essay from one of the items you already defined in Exercise 2. Be sure to include an interesting introduction, a clear thesis, a well-explained context, distinct body paragraphs, and a conclusion that pulls everything together.
LICENSE AND ATTRIBUTION
Adapted from “3.5 Definition” of Successful College Composition (3rd Edition), 2019, used according to CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.