Definition Rhetorical mode paper
The next paper written will be in the Definition Rhetorical Mode.
Your goal here is to find a term (two or more words) and define it. You may gain some ideas from magazines (especially recent publications), newspapers, other published sources, or websites tied to the news, current events, and blogs.
In the introduction, it is possible to spend some time on analyzing or breaking down the term word by word (if the descriptions for the term will be multi-layered), especially if you directly associate the term as something far greater than it appears to be. If there is an origin of the term or a history behind the term, you may want to elaborate on it in the introduction paragraph.
Once you have a term in mind, come up with at least three qualities that effectively describe the term you choose. These should be the topic sentences to your body paragraphs. Although defining the term should be something that is of interest to you, don’t make it about yourself! Your goal here is to define the term for universal application.
Some general examples that finish the question, “What is/are. . .?”:
A Green Bay Packer fan (or a fan for any other team)
A good neighbor
A con artist
A practical joker
A cheapskate date
A “team player”
A born-again Christian
A truthful politician (if one exists)
A Type A (or B) personality
A sense of humor
A courteous driver
A stamp collector (philatelist)
A professional gambler
A collector of junk (hoarder)
Be sure your conclusion not only summarizes your points, but also expresses a final thought about the definition. Let your details in your paper inform you on what your final thought will be.
