The document discusses different types of definitions, including formal definitions, informal definitions, and extended definitions. Formal definitions state the term, its class, and distinguishing characteristics. Informal definitions may use synonyms. Extended definitions provide additional context like etymology, comparisons, descriptions, and examples. Defining terms carefully and completely is important for discussion of various topics.

1. 1.What is the article all about?
2.What are the words that caught
your attention?
3.How were these words formed?

2. Definition
Essay

3. Term Type of Definition
Metrosexual Formal Definition: Metrosexual males are
(paragraph2) (term + class + differentiating males who do not give a
characteristics hoot about being identified
as overly concerned with
personal grooming and
fashion.
Ukay Etymology or word origin from words “halukay” and
“hukay”
Halukay Informal definition “to dig”
jologs Word history (how word has Will jologs have the same
changed through time) staying power as baduy? Or
will it go the way bakya,
quaint (attractively old-
fashioned) as the wooden
clogs of long ago.

4. Think about this!
Which statement is true to you?
A. New words capture the
contemporary realities.
B. Realities produce new words.

5. What made the
senators meet at a
crossroad?

7. Why should terms be
defined?

8. Definition
are central to moral , social,
political, and legal issues

9. “unemployed”
“reverse
engineering”

10. Definition Essay
•define, explain, and exemplify
something
•make the terms that we use
understandable for the reader

11. Ways to define any term
A. Formal Definition
B. Informal Definition
C. Extended Definition

12. A. Formal Definition
term + class + difference
1. Choose the specific class where the term belongs.
2. Make sure that the differentiating characteristic separate
the term from the other members of the same class.
(Principle of Exclusivity)
Be careful with the scope an limitations of your definition.
It must be large enough to include its members, but not
wider than its scope.

13. A. Formal Definition
term + class + difference
3. Avoid the trap of simply repeating the term in the
definition.
ex. Marketing is a process by which individuals
market their goods.
Love is a feeling of loving someone.
4. Avoid more technical terms. Use simpler terms.

14. Formal Definition Sample A
• Statistics (term) is a branch of mathematics
(general class) that deals with the analysis and
interpretations of numerical data in terms of
samples and population (distinguishing
characteristics).

15. Formal Definition Sample B
• Comic books (term) are sequential and
narrative publications (class) consisting of
illustrations, captions, dialogue balloons, and
often focus on super-powered heroes
(differentiating characteristics).

16. For clear and effective formal definition:
1. State the word or concept being defined, cite its genus/
general class, then its distinguishing characteristics
2. Use simpler and familiar terms
3. Do not just repeat a word being defined in your definition.
ex: Love is the feeling of loving someone.
4. Be careful with the scope and limitations of your definition.

17. B. Informal Definition
• you may simply give the term’s synonyms or
its class

18. Informal Definition Sample A
• An algorithm is a collection of simple
instructions for carrying out a task.

19. C. Extended Definition
• includes strategies to clarify the meaning of a
term such as giving its etymology or word
origin, contrasting it with its antonym, tracing
its history, comparing it with a more familiar
term, describing its uses and its feature, and
giving its examples.

20. C. Extended Definition
• Expresses the author’s opinion, attitude,
or judgement about the meaning of the
term being defined. He/ explains his
point of view supported with specific
details

21. Extended Defintion Sample A
• (Sentence definition)
We can define an SUV as a vehicle
which is usually driven on rough terrain.
(Illustration)SUV is an acronym which stands for
sports utility vehicle. (Description)The engines of the
SUV vehicles supply power to all four wheels, so
they are better for cruising sand dunes. (Classification)
SUV vehicles vary in size; some of them can seat 5
passengers, while others can seat 7 passengers.
(Description) SUV vehicles are quite common in Saudi
Arabia due to the low cost of petrol and their
fantastic performance in the desert.
21

22. Extended Defintion Sample B
• (Sentence definition) Glass
is a hard transparent material which
is used to make windows, bottles and other objects.
(Etymology) glass is an English word and was first used
before the twelfth century. (Chronology)Glass has been used
as a decorative object indoors since ancient times. Today,
glass is widely used in the construction and
telecommunication sectors. (Description) It is made by
cooling molten ingredients such as silica sand with
sufficient rapidity to prevent the formation of visible
crystals.
22

23. Let’s have an exercise!
Study carefully the given
definitions, and tell whether
it is a formal, informal, or
extended definition.

24. Item #1
• The term corruption covers a broad range of human actions. To
understand its effect on an economy or a political system, it helps to
unbundle the term by identifying specific types of activities or
transactions that might fall within it. In considering its strategy the
Bank sought a usable definition of corruption and then developed a
taxonomy of the different forms corruption could take consistent with
that definition. We settled on a straightforward definition—the abuse
of public office for private gain. Public office is abused for private gain
when an official accepts, solicits, or extorts a bribe. It is also abused
when private agents actively offer bribes to circumvent public policies
and processes for competitive advantage and profit. Public office can
also be abused for personal benefit even if no bribery occurs, through
patronage and nepotism, the theft of state assets, or the diversion of
state revenues.

25. Item #2
• Water is a liquid made up of molecules of
hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 2 to 1.

26. Item #3
• The so-called greenhouse effect is an atmospheric
process by which a portion of the sun's heat is trapped
within the earth's atmosphere, making the earth's
surface warmer than it would otherwise be. Life on
earth is possible because there is liquid water, a
blanket of life-supporting gases, and a climate neither
too warm nor too cold. Human beings may now be
altering this balance by adding unusual amounts of
carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This could make the
global climate warmer than at any other time in human
history. And this change would be irreversible.

27. Item #4
• Astronomy is a branch of scientific study
primarily concerned with celestial objects
inside and outside of the earth's atmosphere.

28. Item #5
Intuitively, a function is a machine (or an operation) that takes an
input and produces an output based on the input. For example, think
of a vending machine that sells soft drinks. It takes money (in the
form of coins or bills) as input, and produces canned soda as output.
In algebra, the functions we are interested are functions that take real
numbers as input and gives real numbers as output. An example of a
simple function would be something like:
f:
32
-4 1
5 -1
7 2

29. Reminders in writing a Definition
Essay
1. Start with a formal class definition
2. Give a little etymology of the term (cite its origin,
root, and so forth)
3. Include details that tell what the term is not
4. Appeal more to your audience by extending your
definition citing your feelings, judgment, or point
of view towards it

30. Reminders in writing a Definition
Essay
• Describe it
• Tell stories about it (anecdotes)
• Compare or contrast it to other things
• Give examples of it
• Classify it and identify its unique properties
• Describe causes and effects of the item being
defined
• Explain its process of functioning

31. Pair Activity
The article “31 Joyful Days of
Heritage” exemplifies the three types
of definition. On a ½ crosswise, give
the formal, informal, and extended
definition of the word “culture”.

32. Portfolio Writing Task
• Imagine you have been chosen to represent the
student sector in a committee which will choose
the Word of the Year in the field of Information
Technology. Think of a new word that reflects the
changing realities the field Web and Mobile
applications Design locally or globally. Write a 5
paragraph essay defining this word and why it
should be the word of the year. Your readers will
be other committee members who will evaluate
the word of the year.

33. Portfolio Writing Task
• Required documents
1. Pre writing Activity
2. Outline of the Essay
3. First Draft
4. Second Draft
5. Final Draft

34. References:
• Plata, Sterling M., et.al. (2006). Keys to Critical Reading and Writing I. English Proficiency and
Personal Leadership Workbook for College Success. (2nd ed.). Laguna: Trailblazer
Publications.
• Luna, Josephine M., and Elineth Elizabeth L. Suarez. (2011). Skill Builders for English
Proficiency 11. (1st ed.). Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
• http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/students/types%20of%20essays/DEFINITION%20ESSAY.pdf
• Ruetten, M. K. 1997, Developing Composition Skills, Heinle & Heinle Publishers, USA.
• Dale, T. 2004, An introduction to academic discourse, KFUPM Printing Press, KSA.
• http://www.onlineacademicwriting.com/documents/english_101.html
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/622/01/
• http://www.essaystart.com/Kinds_of_Essays/definition_Essays.htm