Essay Two: Extended Definition

Due Dates: 1^st Draft: 10/16/01

2^nd Draft: 10/18/01

Final Draft: 10/25/01

In this essay, you will choose a word or phrase and construct an extended definition thea explores this term in detail. You should provide and explain your criteria for your analysis of this term, leaving little room for ambiguity. Your paper should also provide both positive and negative examples (situations that “are” examples of your term and situations that “aren’t”) as well as borderline or gray areas. Just as with all of your essays, you need to provide an opening paragraph that introduces the topic to the reader as well as a conclusion that sums up the paper’s main ideas.

Choosing a Term

Here are some ideas to get you started in your search for a subject. You may choose any of the ideas on this list or come up with your own. Any topics not on this list need to be approved.

· Success

· A happy marriage

· Family

· A feminist

· Obscenity

· Religion

· Blues music (or some other category of music)

· Masculine/Feminine

· Art

· A liberal education

· Any literary form (tragedy, comedy, romance) or genre (horror, romance, western)

· An ideal society

Your paper will be graded according to the following criteria:

· Introduction that grabs attention and properly introduces your subject.

· Clear thesis statement

· Explanation of criteria

· Use of positive and negative examples

· Discussion of “borderline” examples and explanation of how these correspond to your criteria

· Mechanical and grammatical correctness

· Well–organized paragraphs