1. WRITING AN EXTENDED DEFINITION

2. WHAT IS AN EXTENDED DEFINITION When the writer defines, explores, and explains an abstract concept that has a complex meaning and is debatable (could mean different things to different people)  Ex. What is true love? What is courage? What is success? Defining the concept helps support a larger idea or argument  Ex: Is my current relationship true love or just a lustful crush? You would need to define true love to answer that question.  Am I getting a good education? You would have to define good education first.

3. WRITING YOUR THESIS Needs to be-  Specific  Debatable  Provable  Well thought out  Unique Weak Example: Animal cruelty can be defined as unjust  Offers an opinion, but concept isn’t defined

4. Have I really thought this through? Animal cruelty can be defined as any activity or action that harms an animal.  What about responsible hunting, where the hunter follows the rules? According to this definition, all hunting would be animal cruelty. Keep thinking.

5. Are there types of animal cruelty not addressed by my definition? Animal cruelty can be defined as hunting or killing an animal when it is done in a way that causes unnecessary suffering to the animal or endangers the survival of a species.  Hunting and killing doesn’t address abuse or neglect. Animal cruelty can be defined as hunting, killing, or interacting with an animal in a way that causes unnecessary suffering or endangers the survival of a species.  This is a well thought out thesis. It is specific, debatable, provable, well thought out, and unique.

6. WAYS TO BACK UP YOUR DEFINITION Cause and/or Effect Analysis Categorization/ Classification Examples

7. CAUSE AND EFFECT Explain what causes contribute to the existence of the concept  Ex. of CAUSE for animal cruelty: According to the 2013 Washington Post article “The Grisly Economics of Elephant Poaching,” because ivory can earn $1,000 per pound in China, approximately 30,000 elephants were illegally poached in 2012, “the most in three decades” (Plumer). The potential for profit is at the heart of these particular acts of animal cruelty. Explain the effects of the concept  Ex. of EFFECTS of animal cruelty: Before the ivory trade became illegal in 1989, nearly 75% of elephants in certain regions were killed, especially grown females, which have especially large tusks. A 2013 study led by Karen McComb, from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, found that “the trauma of separation and displacement” from the cruel poaching of elephant matriarchs “may have lasting psychological impacts on the creatures resembling post-traumatic stress disorder in humans” (Gannon).

8. ANALYSIS Explain the parts that make up the whole Explain how those parts work together  Ex: True love is one part physical, and two parts emotional. Without either of those elements, love cannot exist.

9. CATEGORIZATION/CLASSIFICATION Identify different types of categories of the concept Be sure the types you identify are clearly different from one another  Ex: Animal cruelty can include harm based on the premise that the needs of humans supersede that of animals, harm that results from neglect or apathy, harm in the pursuit of greed, and perhaps the worst form—harm rooted in deriving pleasure from watching a creature suffer.  Ex: There are several types of love, including familial love, deep friendship, commitment to an idea or thing, and true love. The strongest, however, is true love.

10. EXAMPLES Describe—in great detail—how the concept looks in real life by pointing to a SPECIFIC example  Ex: According to the American Humane Society, in a 2007 malaria study conducted at Emory University, a four year- old monkey could not move nine days after being infected, had signs of severe malaria, was not eating, and had a high heart rate. Ten days after being infected, he had pale mucous membranes, a severe heart murmur, severe anemia, and purple spots all over his body. After twelve days, he appeared reluctant to use his hands and developed gangrene on his fingertips and tail, which he was biting, a symptom of extreme distress. After fourteen days, the monkey was finally euthanized. Allowing the monkey to increasingly suffer for two weeks was unnecessary animal cruelty.

11. TYING IT ALL TOGETHER All methods used should support your overall idea/argument about your definition Should help others see the concept in a complex way that may challenge people’s thinking on the subject Intentionally use transitional words, phrases, and sentences between methods Use your intro and conclusion to tie your ideas together