DEFINITION
DEFINITION as RHETORICAL STRATEGY:
o providing the meaning of a term through personal understanding
 explaining a word from your point-of-view
 term = abstraction, technical term, neologism, idiom/vernacular/argot
 explained concretely so readers can appreciate your sense of the word
 using the other rhetorical strategies to convey your conception of the term
 discussing, explaining, illustrating the 3 most significant characteristics/traits of your term
o This is NOT a “reasons” essay or a “types” essay
 in which you are explaining “why” you believe as you do
 in which you are classifying the people related to your topic
 Instead, it IS a “characteristics” or “traits” paper
 in which you are defining a term through your personal understanding
 not a text book definition, not the common understanding
 but your definition -- your perception, your belief
o This is NOT a research paper, either.
 Because you are defining a term through your personal understanding, you will use your own
beliefs, feelings, and experiences.
 Research is irrelevant, so consult no text books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, or other sources.
ASSIGNMENT:
Who are you? I really want to know.
For this final assignment, you will define yourself in a frank piece of sincere
self-reflection. Admittedly, this is more difficult than it appears to be,
but I want you to be truly honest with yourself and look long and hard
into the proverbial mirror. As we are walking contradictions, what traits
you see reflected there may be both positive and negative; for the Body,
select the three most significant traits, the three most characteristic
characteristics of
*** YOU. ***
TRAITS:
 Positive or negative. Strengths or weaknesses.
 Personality traits, not physical traits
o (nouns) kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness, gentleness, generosity
o (adjectives) kind, compassionate, thoughtful, gentle, generous
o humanity, sympathy, empathy, charity, open-mindedness
o intelligence, aptitude, ingenuity, athleticism
o honesty, sincerity, perseverance, hard-work, drive,
o family, love, warmth, self-sacrifice, God, holiness, tradition
o selfishness, egocentricity, narcissism, materialism
o viciousness, vindictiveness, dishonesty, lying, cheating, stealing
o depression, loneliness, isolation, debt, greed, gluttony, indulgence, waste, decadence
I. INTRODUCTION:
 OPEN with a generalization or quote
o If you use a quote from a song that you happen to know, place quotation marks around it and
place the composer/song writer/band in the parenthetical.
o The Who’s “Who Are You” or “The Real Me”
 NARROW deductively toward your Thesis
o tip your hat to the minor characteristics
 END with your thesis
 Thesis = Definition
o TERM + CLASS + CHARACTERISTICS
 A friend is a person who is __, __, and __.
 However, the three most significant traits of a friend are ….
 characteristics = “3 of a kind” (parallel structure)
 3 nouns OR 3 adjectives
II. BODY:
3 – 3 characteristics
 each paragraph = 1 characteristic (1 trait per par.)
2 – 2 examples per characteristic
 3 traits total = 3 Body paragraphs
1 – 1 characteristic per paragraph
 emphatic order
(1) NAME the trait in a strong Topic Sentence
o One characteristic of (your name) is ________.
o While __ and __ are major characteristics of me, __ is truly the most significant.
(2) EXPLAIN briefly the trait
o Briefly clarify what you mean by the trait
o That is to say, ….
(3) ILLUSTRATE the trait
o Use descriptive examples
 BE SPECIFIC:
 relate a specific, detailed instance in which your thoughts, words, or actions clearly
illustrate the trait you are discussing in a paragraph
o 2 detailed instances per trait **
o This is the biggest part of the paragraph.
o For instance, For example
(4) REITERATE the paragraph’s trait in a Clincher Sentence/Warrant Statement
o Reiterate your Topic Sentence (not verbatim)
o Thus, Therefore
III. CONCLUSION:
 Bring the essay full-circle
 Repeat the opening gambit
 Repeat the minor characteristics
 Repeat the major characteristics
 What does this definition mean, teach you about the term?
o SO WHAT?!
 What does this definition, these traits say about you?
 Should you improve, change, keep, develop…?
 End with an appropriate Clincher Sentence
Brainstorm Personality traits (regardless of parallel structure):
 Skeptical, cynical, doubting, doubtful,

distrustful, wary

 Jealous

 Stubborn

 Competitive

 Procrastinating

 Passionate, “passion’s slave,” emotional,

high-strung

 Patient

 Quick-tempered, ill-tempered
Begrudging, hold grudges, resentful
Angry, hulk-out
Athletic
Intelligent
Loyal to a fault, to a losing cause
Traditional
Funny
Poetic soul
Private
Getting started:
 1st impressions = wrong (can’t “judge a book by its cover”)
 Most people don’t like/find it difficult to define themselves
 When Dr. H. first assigned this essay
 Generalizations @ uniqueness, individuality, personal identity, personal development/growth, ego
formation/development, self-awareness, self-deception, denial
 ALL of us wear social masks
Song quotes to start:
 “the man in the mirror”
 “who are you”
 “can you see the real me”
 “I’m a walking contradiction”
Other Points:
 Keep the “self” in “self-reflection”
o that is, don’t ask anyone for help, input, or advice
o look within yourself
o so don’t ask friends or family –
 a fearless moral inventory should reveal the same traits that they would offer
 PLUS, a major part of the assignment is for you to examine yourself, thinking for
yourself while thinking about yourself
 a definition within a definition:
o the “explain” stage of the paragraph is like a mini-definition
o define the trait
o explain what you mean by that word/characteristic
o explain how you understand it
 BE SPECIFIC
o be specific, be detailed
o a real occurrence, an actual situation you were in
o show us your being that way, your exhibiting that behavior/attitude
o use specific instances
 yesterday, this morning, this past weekend
 NO hypotheticals, generalizations