| A Writer's Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays Bob Brannan,
Johnson County Community College
Defining Ideas-Combining Patterns of Development
Summary1.Definition is the act of limiting and clarifying the meaning of a word, of separating it from other similar terms. |
| | | 2.We define daily at home, school and work. |
| | | 3.Brief definitions--synonyms, negation, comparisons, formal--are often part of a paragraph or essay being developed with a single pattern, such as process analysis or comparison and contrast. |
| | | 4.Brief definitions may be a single word or a short phrase, often enclosed by commas, parentheses, or dashes. |
| | | 5.Extended-definition essays often use brief definitions and several patterns of development. |
| | | 6.Definition depends on thoroughly explained and detailed examples. |
| | | 7.Transitional words and other connectors are especially important in bridging the gap between paragraphs. |
| | | 8.Definition essays can be organized chronologically but are frequently arranged by order of importance. |
| | | 9.A thesis sentence is a critical first step in focusing an extended definition essay. |
| | | 10.Outlining even a brief essay is a logical and valuable prewriting technique. |
| | | 11.Topic sentences are an essential part of a coherent body paragraph. |
| | | 12.Writing is never complete until it has gone through several revisions and careful editing. |
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