Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Definition tips for your definition essay

Here is an example of innocence - Cash goes running for his daycare buddy, Macey.  They see each other and instantly hug.  Every adult in close proximity gushes, "Ahhhhhhh!"






Advice:

Many papers in the past have, umm, sucked.  Why?  They weren't cool.  Or specific. Or filled with voice and style.

Don't write in generalities.  Want to drive your professors nuts? Want to totally illustrate to them that you have no idea what you're talking about? Then keep your writing vague and generic.

Examples - (from defining the term beauty)

"Many people in this world find beauty all around them."  Really?  Why don't you tell us something we don't know Captain Obvious!

"What is beautiful to one person may be ugly to another."  Really?  Thanks for the blinding flash of insight Jerkstore!


How to cure this: 

Drill down to specifics.  Remember, this is ultimately a personal definition essay.  The main word their is personal.  SHOW ME WHAT YOU REALLY, PERSONALLY THINK.  SHOW US A UNIQUELY PERSONAL DEFINITION OF BEAUTY TAKEN FROM EITHER YOUR LIFE OR FROM YOUR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD.

Examples - (from various student samples)


*  There is beauty in death.  I know this is hard to fathom, but the morning my father died from lung cancer was beautiful.  After his passing, the family gathered in the adjacent waiting room to wait for the funeral home director.  We began telling stories about Dad.  Soon everyone in that room had tears in their eyes.  Not because we were sad.  Rather because we knew we had been blessed to have Dad in our lives.

In fact, the funeral home director actually did a double take before entering the room.  He couldn't believe we were in as good of spirits as we were.  We were wrapped in beauty.  We were celebrating Dad's life.

Here is a link to several great examples from the past three years.  The formats vary from APA to MLA.  This will be your last MLA paper.

Examples for 'geek'






Examples for #boomroasted





Examples for beauty --



















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