This document is quoted from Academic Writing Skill, IFL, Cambodia. It's for students in year three not only at IFL but also other universities in Cambodia.

1. Definition Essay

2. Purpose
• To expand or explain the meaning of a word
or term to provide clarity meaning of the
word or term to the audience.

3. WAY to Define
• Logical
placing the term into logical category and
clarifying to particular selected meaning or
closely meaning to the dictionary
Example:
Trust : an emotion that involves a
connection between at least tow human
being

4. • Stipulate
what is commonly meant by the term,
develop by examples
Example:
Cool : mean something exciting and
interesting

5. • Historical
what the term has meant over the time.
Example:
Cool : In 1900 means closely to the weather
and then it started changing to something
different according to the decade.

6. • Connotative
The meaning of the term different social or
cultural context.
Example:
Cool : refer to the situation you are in, or
talking about at the time. When you outside
and wearing a big jacket it show about the
feeling you are in. According to different
group or different places and condition.

7. Outline
• Introduction
Thesis: what is the term, how will it be
defined direction.
• Body
One paragraph for each change in definition
or example of the term in use.
• Conclusion
Why is important to know the term’s
meaning.

8. HOW START TO YOUR BODY
• Classify : divide subject into type, describe each
type.
• Compare: show how subject is like/unlike
something.
• Illustrate : give example or narrate incident.
• Tell cause: analyze why something happened.
• Show effect: describe the consequence

9. Juvenile Delinquent
• Standard Definition: Underage person convicted
of crime or antisocial behavior
• Pattern : Classify
• Thesis : To understand juvenile
delinquency, it’s necessary to know the major types of
delinquents.
• Main points : The first type is referring to
someone who is the bully in school.
: The second type is someone
who writes graffiti on the wall
: The third type is someone who
is join the gang.

10. Habeas Corpus
• Standard Definition: legal right to go before judge
after arrested or imprisoned
• Pattern : Illustrate with examples
• Thesis : The concept of habeas
corpus is no longer guaranteed in American today
• Main points : Muslim American after 9/11
: Guantanamo prisoners
: Bradley Manning

11. • Standard Definition: legal process of resolving
the dispute
• Pattern : Classify, Narrate, Result
• Thesis : Arbitration takes away legal
rights of Americans, and criminal to go free
• Main points : Classify “force arbitration”
: Narrate: story of Jamie Leigh
Jones, brutally rapped by Halliburton coworker in
Iraq
: Result : Rapist went free
Adjudication