Writing the extended definition

1. Karen S. Wright

3. As you begin
your research,
ask yourself
the questions
of a
journalist:
Who? What?
When? Where?
Why? How?

5. Subject, Topic,
Question, Thesis=
Continuum:
Level 1: Broad subject
area
Level 2: Topic for
exploration
Level 3: Key question
that concerns you
Level 4:

6. 1. Narrows your topic
to a single main
idea;
2. Asserts your
position in a clear
sentence;
Thesis
3. States not only a
fact but also an

7. 4. Makes a
generalization that
can be supported by
facts, details, and
examples.
5. Curiosity in
readers prompts them
to think, “Why do
Thesis

8. A good thesis statement will have one or more of the
following:
1. A strong, thoughtprovoking, or controversial
statement. (Bilingual
education has not fulfilled
its early promise.)
2. A call to action. (All innercity schools should set up
bilingual programs.)

9. A good thesis statement will have one or more of the
following:
3. A question that will be answered in
detail in the essay. (What can bilingual
education accomplish for a child? It can lead to
academic and personal development.)
4. A preview or reflection (Bilingual
education suffers from two main
problems: a shortage of teachers and
a lack of parental involvement.)

10. •Once you have developed
your thesis statement,
write it on a Post-it
note or an index card
and keep it near you as
you write.
•Your focus for your
paper will be on this

11. The best introductions include an
anecdote, a short story--draw a picture of
your problem with words.

12. Look up key
words on your
topic in the
dictionary and
consider
connotations
and synonyms,
too.

13. Make your definition of the problem
more vivid with details about color,
light, location, movement, size,
smell, sound, taste.

14. Sometimes doing an interview or a
survey can produce good
definitions or even interesting
ideas for writing.

15. Convey information on what
causes or produces your topic
and what effects or results
emerge from it.
Example: What
causes poverty
in America?

16. Help your reader understand your topic
by describing what it might be similar
to and different from.

17. What solutions have been tried?
What
has
worked?
What
has not
worked

18. Give your reader
information, facts, and
statistics on what
others say about your
topic.

19. Suggest possible solutions to the problem.

20. No

21. No research paper is complete without a call
to action.
•What now needs to be done?
•From where will the resources come?

22. Begin by defining the
problem
Write a thesis
statement to explain
the topic of your paper.
Write the
problem/analysis and
problem/solution.

23. Fairly present the
other side of the
argument.
Offer a rebuttal to the
opposite point-of-view.
Call to action—
encourage others to act
on the possible
solutions.