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Definition of essay

(Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of essay (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

composition

attempt , try , endeavor , essay , strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

Examples of essay in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle French essai , ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay. Accessed 21 Aug. 2024.

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Definition Essay

Definition Essay - Writing Guide, Examples and Tips

14 min read

Published on: Oct 9, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

What is a Definition Essay?

Just as the name suggests, a definition essay defines and explains a term or a concept. Unlike a narrative essay, the purpose of writing this essay is only to inform the readers.

Writing this essay type can be deceivingly tricky. Some terms, concepts, and objects have concrete definitions when explained. In contrast others are solely based on the writerâs understanding and point of view.

A definition essay requires a writer to use different approaches when discussing a term. These approaches are the following:

Denotation - It is when you provide a literal or academic definition of the term.
Connotation - It is when the writer provides an implied meaning or definition of the term.
Enumeration - For this approach, a list is employed to define a term or a concept.
Analogy - It is a technique in which something is defined by implementing a comparison.
Negation - It is when you define a term by stating what it is not.

A single or combination of approaches can be used in the essay.

Definition Essay Types

There are several types of definition essays that you may be asked to write, depending on the purpose and scope of the assignment.

In this section, we will discuss some of the most common types of definition essays.

Descriptive Definition Essay

This type of essay provides a detailed description of a term or concept, emphasizing its key features and characteristics.

The goal of a descriptive definition essay is to help readers understand the term or concept in a more profound way.

Stipulative Definition Essay

In a stipulative definition essay, the writer provides a unique definition of a term or concept. This type of essay is often used in academic settings to define a term in a particular field of study.

The goal of a stipulative definition essay is to provide a precise and clear definition that is specific to the context of the essay.

Analytical Definition Essay

This compare and contrast essay type involves analyzing a term or concept in-depth. Breaking it down into its component parts, and examining how they relate to each other.

The goal of an analytical definition essay is to provide a more nuanced and detailed understanding of the term or concept being discussed.

Persuasive Definition Essay

A persuasive definition essay is an argumentative essay that aims to persuade readers to accept a particular definition of a term or concept.

The writer presents their argument for the definition and uses evidence and examples to support their position.

Explanatory Definition Essay

An explanatory definition essay is a type of expository essay . It aims to explain a complex term or concept in a way that is easy to understand for the reader.

The writer breaks down the term or concept into simpler parts and provides examples and analogies to help readers understand it better.

Extended Definition Essay

An extended definition essay goes beyond the definition of a word or concept and provides a more in-depth analysis and explanation.

The goal of an extended definition essay is to provide a comprehensive understanding of a term, concept, or idea. This includes its history, origins, and cultural significance.

How to Write a Definition Essay?

Writing a definition essay is simple if you know the correct procedure. This essay, like all the other formal pieces of documents, requires substantial planning and effective execution.

The following are the steps involved in writing a definition essay effectively:

Instead of choosing a term that has a concrete definition available, choose a word that is complicated . Complex expressions have abstract concepts that require a writer to explore deeper. Moreover, make sure that different people perceive the term selected differently.

Once you have a word to draft your definition essay for, read the dictionary. These academic definitions are important as you can use them to compare your understanding with the official concept.

Drafting a definition essay is about stating the dictionary meaning and your explanation of the concept. So the writer needs to have some information about the term.

In addition to this, when exploring the term, make sure to check the termâs origin. The history of the word can make you discuss it in a better way.

Coming up with an exciting title for your essay is important. The essay topic will be the first thing that your readers will witness, so it should be catchy.

Creatively draft an essay topic that reflects meaning. In addition to this, the usage of the term in the title should be correctly done. The readers should get an idea of what the essay is about and what to expect from the document.

Now that you have a topic in hand, it is time to gather some relevant information. A definition essay is more than a mere explanation of the term. It represents the writerâs perception of the chosen term and the topic.

So having only personal opinions will not be enough to defend your point. Deeply research and gather information by consulting credible sources.

The gathered information needs to be organized to be understandable. The raw data needs to be arranged to give a structure to the content.

Here's a generic outline for a definition essay:

Provide an that grabs the reader's attention and introduces the term or concept you will be defining.

of why this term or concept is important and relevant.
that clearly defines the term or concept and previews the main points of the essay.

, , or that will help the reader better understand the term or concept.
to clarify the scope of your definition.

or of the term or concept you are defining in detail.
to illustrate your points.

by differentiating your term or concept from similar terms or concepts.
to illustrate the differences.

of the term or concept.
between the types, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points.

, or to support your points.

VII. Conclusion

you have defined.
that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Are you searching for an in-depth guide on crafting a well-structured definition essay?Check out this definition essay outline blog!

6. Write the First Draft

Drafting each section correctly is a daunting task. Understanding what or what not to include in these sections requires a writer to choose wisely.

The start of your essay matters a lot. If it is on point and attractive, the readers will want to read the text. As the first part of the essay is the introduction , it is considered the first impression of your essay.

To write your definition essay introduction effectively, include the following information:

Start your essay with a catchy hook statement that is related to the topic and the term chosen.
State the generally known definition of the term. If the word chosen has multiple interpretations, select the most common one.
Provide background information precisely. Determine the origin of the term and other relevant information.
Shed light on the other unconventional concepts and definitions related to the term.
Decide on the side or stance you want to pick in your essay and develop a thesis statement .

After briefly introducing the topic, fully explain the concept in the body section . Provide all the details and evidence that will support the thesis statement. To draft this section professionally, add the following information:

A detailed explanation of the history of the term.
Analysis of the dictionary meaning and usage of the term.
A comparison and reflection of personal understanding and the researched data on the concept.

Once all the details are shared, give closure to your discussion. The last paragraph of the definition essay is the conclusion . The writer provides insight into the topic as a conclusion.

The concluding paragraphs include the following material:

Summary of the important points.
Restated thesis statement.
A final verdict on the topic.

7. Proofread and Edit

Although the writing process ends with the concluding paragraph, there is an additional step. It is important to proofread the essay once you are done writing. Proofread and revise your document a couple of times to make sure everything is perfect.

Before submitting your assignment, make edits, and fix all mistakes and errors.

If you want to learn more about how to write a definition essay, here is a video guide for you!

Definition Essay Structure

The structure of a definition essay is similar to that of any other academic essay. It should consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

However, the focus of a definition essay is on defining and explaining a particular term or concept.

In this section, we will discuss the structure of a definition essay in detail.

Introduction

Get the idea of writing an introduction for a definition essay with this example:

"Have you ever wondered what it truly means to be a hero?"
Heroes have been celebrated in literature, mythology, and pop culture throughout history.
"In this essay, we will define the term hero, explore the key features that define heroism, and examine real-life examples of heroism in action."

Body Paragraphs

Here is an example of how to craft your definition essay body paragraph:

Heroes are individuals who demonstrate courage, selflessness, and a commitment to helping others. They often risk their own safety to protect others or achieve a noble goal.
Heroes are often confused with protagonists or role models, but they differ in that heroism involves action and sacrifice.
This could include stories of firefighters rescuing people from burning buildings, soldiers risking their lives in battle, or ordinary citizens performing acts of bravery during natural disasters.

Types of the Term/Concept

If applicable, the writer may want to include a section that discusses the different types or categories of the term or concept being defined.

This section should explain the similarities and differences between the types, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate the points.

This section could explore the different categories of heroes, such as those who are recognized for their bravery in the face of danger, those who inspire others through their deeds, or those who make a difference in their communities through volunteering.

Examples of the Term/Concept in Action

The writer should also include real-life examples of the term or concept being defined in action.

This will help the reader better understand the term or concept in context and how it is used in everyday life.

This could include stories of individuals who risked their lives to save others, such as firefighters who rushed into the Twin Towers on 9/11 or civilians who pulled people from a burning car.
This could include stories of individuals who performed small acts of kindness, such as a stranger who paid for someone's groceries or a teacher who went above and beyond to help a struggling student.

Conclusion

This example will help you writing a conclusion fo you essay:

Heroes are defined by their courage, selflessness, and commitment to helping others. There are many different types of heroes, but they all share these key features.
Heroism is an important concept because it inspires us to be better people and reminds us of the importance of selflessness and compassion.
"In a world where it's easy to feel cynical and disillusioned, heroes remind us that there is still goodness and bravery in the world."

Definition Essay Examples

It is important to go through some examples and samples before writing an essay. This is to understand the writing process and structure of the assigned task well.

Following are some examples of definition essays to give our students a better idea of the concept.

Understanding the Definition Essay

Definition Essay Example

Definition Essay About Friendship

Definition Essay About Love

Family Definition Essay

Success Definition Essay

Beauty Definition Essay

Definition Essay Topics

Selecting the right topic is challenging for other essay types. However, picking a suitable theme for a definition essay is equally tricky yet important. Pick an interesting subject to ensure maximum readership.

If you are facing writerâs block, here is a list of some great definition essay topics for your help. Choose from the list below and draft a compelling essay.

Authenticity
Sustainability
Mindfulness

Here are some more extended definition essay topics:

Social media addiction
Ethical implications of gene editing
Personalized learning in the digital age
Ecosystem services
Cultural assimilation versus cultural preservation
Sustainable fashion
Gender equality in the workplace
Financial literacy and its impact on personal finance
Ethical considerations in artificial intelligence
Welfare state and social safety nets

Need more topics? Check out this definition essay topics blog!

Definition Essay Writing Tips

Knowing the correct writing procedure is not enough if you are not aware of the essayâs small technicalities. To help students write a definition essay effortlessly, expert writers of CollegeEssay.org have gathered some simple tips.

These easy tips will make your assignment writing phase easy.

Choose an exciting yet informative topic for your essay.
When selecting the word, concept, or term for your essay, make sure you have the knowledge.
When consulting a dictionary for the definition, provide proper referencing as there are many choices available.
To make the essay informative and credible, always provide the origin and history of the term.
Highlight different meanings and interpretations of the term.
Discuss the transitions and evolution in the meaning of the term in any.
Provide your perspective and point of view on the chosen term.

Following these tips will guarantee you better grades in your academics.

By following the step-by-step approach explained in this guide, you will acquire the skills to craft an outstanding essay.

Struggling with the thought, " write my college essay for m e"? Look no further.

Our dedicated definition essay writing service is here to craft the perfect essay that meets your academic needs.

For an extra edge, explore our AI essay writer , a tool designed to refine your essays to perfection.

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Meaning of essay in English

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I want to finish off this essay before I go to bed .
His essay was full of spelling errors .
Have you given that essay in yet ?
Have you handed in your history essay yet ?
I'd like to discuss the first point in your essay.
boilerplate
composition
corresponding author
dissertation
essay question
peer review
go all out idiom
go down swinging/fighting idiom
go for it idiom
go for someone
go out of your way idiom
smarten (someone/something) up
smarten up your act idiom
square the circle idiom
step on the gas idiom
stick at something

essay | Intermediate English

Examples of essay, collocations with essay.

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compassionate grounds

a reason, especially in law, to allow someone to do something out of sympathy for their suffering

Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught

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10.6 Definition

Learning objectives.

Determine the purpose and structure of the definition essay.
Understand how to write a definition essay.

The Purpose of Definition in Writing

The purpose of a definition essay may seem self-explanatory: the purpose of the definition essay is to simply define something. But defining terms in writing is often more complicated than just consulting a dictionary. In fact, the way we define terms can have far-reaching consequences for individuals as well as collective groups.

Take, for example, a word like alcoholism . The way in which one defines alcoholism depends on its legal, moral, and medical contexts. Lawyers may define alcoholism in terms of its legality; parents may define alcoholism in terms of its morality; and doctors will define alcoholism in terms of symptoms and diagnostic criteria. Think also of terms that people tend to debate in our broader culture. How we define words, such as marriage and climate change , has enormous impact on policy decisions and even on daily decisions. Think about conversations couples may have in which words like commitment , respect , or love need clarification.

Defining terms within a relationship, or any other context, can at first be difficult, but once a definition is established between two people or a group of people, it is easier to have productive dialogues. Definitions, then, establish the way in which people communicate ideas. They set parameters for a given discourse, which is why they are so important.

When writing definition essays, avoid terms that are too simple, that lack complexity. Think in terms of concepts, such as hero , immigration , or loyalty , rather than physical objects. Definitions of concepts, rather than objects, are often fluid and contentious, making for a more effective definition essay.

Writing at Work

Definitions play a critical role in all workplace environments. Take the term sexual harassment , for example. Sexual harassment is broadly defined on the federal level, but each company may have additional criteria that define it further. Knowing how your workplace defines and treats all sexual harassment allegations is important. Think, too, about how your company defines lateness , productivity , or contributions .

On a separate sheet of paper, write about a time in your own life in which the definition of a word, or the lack of a definition, caused an argument. Your term could be something as simple as the category of an all-star in sports or how to define a good movie. Or it could be something with higher stakes and wider impact, such as a political argument. Explain how the conversation began, how the argument hinged on the definition of the word, and how the incident was finally resolved.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your responses.

The Structure of a Definition Essay

The definition essay opens with a general discussion of the term to be defined. You then state as your thesis your definition of the term.

The rest of the essay should explain the rationale for your definition. Remember that a dictionary’s definition is limiting, and you should not rely strictly on the dictionary entry. Instead, consider the context in which you are using the word. Context identifies the circumstances, conditions, or setting in which something exists or occurs. Often words take on different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the ideal leader in a battlefield setting could likely be very different than a leader in an elementary school setting. If a context is missing from the essay, the essay may be too short or the main points could be confusing or misunderstood.

The remainder of the essay should explain different aspects of the term’s definition. For example, if you were defining a good leader in an elementary classroom setting, you might define such a leader according to personality traits: patience, consistency, and flexibility. Each attribute would be explained in its own paragraph.

For definition essays, try to think of concepts that you have a personal stake in. You are more likely to write a more engaging definition essay if you are writing about an idea that has personal value and importance.

It is a good idea to occasionally assess your role in the workplace. You can do this through the process of definition. Identify your role at work by defining not only the routine tasks but also those gray areas where your responsibilities might overlap with those of others. Coming up with a clear definition of roles and responsibilities can add value to your résumé and even increase productivity in the workplace.

On a separate sheet of paper, define each of the following items in your own terms. If you can, establish a context for your definition.

Consumer culture

Writing a Definition Essay

Choose a topic that will be complex enough to be discussed at length. Choosing a word or phrase of personal relevance often leads to a more interesting and engaging essay.

After you have chosen your word or phrase, start your essay with an introduction that establishes the relevancy of the term in the chosen specific context. Your thesis comes at the end of the introduction, and it should clearly state your definition of the term in the specific context. Establishing a functional context from the beginning will orient readers and minimize misunderstandings.

The body paragraphs should each be dedicated to explaining a different facet of your definition. Make sure to use clear examples and strong details to illustrate your points. Your concluding paragraph should pull together all the different elements of your definition to ultimately reinforce your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample definition essay.

Create a full definition essay from one of the items you already defined in Note 10.64 “Exercise 2” . Be sure to include an interesting introduction, a clear thesis, a well-explained context, distinct body paragraphs, and a conclusion that pulls everything together.

Key Takeaways

Definitions establish the way in which people communicate ideas. They set parameters for a given discourse.
Context affects the meaning and usage of words.
The thesis of a definition essay should clearly state the writer’s definition of the term in the specific context.
Body paragraphs should explain the various facets of the definition stated in the thesis.
The conclusion should pull all the elements of the definition together at the end and reinforce the thesis.

How to Write a Definition Essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated May 4, 2022.

Definition Essay Definition

A definition essay defines a term or concept but goes beyond the basic definition of a word.

Overview of a Definition Essay

A definition is often used in various essay types to explain a concept. Definition essays can discuss a word’s significance, correct misconceptions, argue for a preferred definition, or argue for a new understanding of the word. Definitions provide readers a deep understanding of not only a word’s meaning but also its significance. Furthermore, definitions help to correct misconceptions about a word.

Definition essays may review different parts of the word’s meaning, including its connotation, denotation, extended definition, and stipulative definition. Always consider the audience for a definition essay to ensure that the argument is relevant and meaningful to readers.

This page will cover the following points:

Key Takeaways

Why write a definition essay, types of definitions.

Developing your Definition Essay
Definition essays can discuss a word’s significance, correct misconceptions, argue for a preferred definition, or argue for a new understanding of the word.
The essay may cover different parts of the word’s meaning, including its denotation, connotation, extended definition, and stipulative definition.
Regardless of the approach taken, your essay should contain a thesis statement in the introduction that lays out the claim you will be making about the word and its meaning.
It is important to consider the audience for your definition essay to ensure that your argument is relevant and meaningful to them.

A definition is often used as a tool in various essay types when you need to explain a key term or concept. However, a definition can itself be the main focus of an essay. At first, this might seem limited. After all, when you want to know what a word means, you just look it up and read a brief definition. How do you turn something like that into an entire essay?

A definition essay goes beyond the basic definition of a word. It can:

Provide readers a deep understanding of not only a word’s meaning but also its significance.
Try to correct misconceptions about a word.
Argue for a preferred definition.
Argue for a new understanding of a word or concept.

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

There are different types of definitions and different parts of a word or term’s meaning. These can all have a role in a definition essay, although they might not all be emphasized to the same degree. Below, we’ll cover:

Connotation

Stipulative.

The denotation is a word’s dictionary definition. Denotation is the straightforward meaning of a word that you can look up. Words can have multiple denotations and even different parts of speech.

The word “fast” has numerous denotations. “Fast” can mean not eating for a period of time; in this case, “to fast” is a verb, but “fast” is also a noun. “Fast” can also mean swift or speedy; in this case, “fast” is an adjective. It has many other denotations too.

A word’s connotation is its emotional resonance . Associations and usage create emotional resonance. Some words have a neutral connotation, but others have a more distinct connotation. The connotation adds a richness that goes beyond the denotation.

The denotation of “mother” is simply a female parent. However, the word has positive connotations of warmth, love, and care.

Connotation is responsive to how society uses a word. This can sometimes change quite quickly.

The word “pirate” has an appealing connotation of adventure and excitement that probably wasn’t as strong before the extremely popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise.

Connotation vs. Denotation

Denotations can change, but they are generally more stable than connotations. Connotations are strongly connected to culture, so a word might have a certain connotation in one country or with one group of people but have a different connotation with another. While connotation relates to denotation, we recognize connotation more because of how a word is used.

We don’t often refer to children as “progeny” or “offspring,” so if your parents were to start calling you this, it might seem odd, but no one thinks it’s strange to call children “kids.” All of these words—children, progeny, offspring, kids—have the same denotation but different connotations.

An extended definition goes beyond a word’s denotation(s) to give a more thorough understanding . It might go into such things as:

an expanded description of the word or concept
comparisons
etymology (the study of words’ origins and histories of development)
examples of usage

The Oxford English Dictionary is an especially good resource for this. The dictionary is subscription-based, but schools and libraries often subscribe, so students can access it.

A stipulative definition argues for a particular interpretation of a word or term . This is more about how the writer sees the word or term. Your goal would be to convince your readers that your way of understanding the term is ideal. You may also want to argue about why a proper understanding of the term is important. You could support this by considering the negative consequences of misunderstanding the term.

This type of definition focus works well with abstract terms that can be understood in different ways, such as feminism , education , success , and happiness . Stipulative definitions also work well if you’re creating and explaining your own term or concept.

After choosing the word or term you want to define, think about what your purpose will be. Why are you defining it? Your assignment prompt may give you some direction here, but if not, you’ll still need a purpose. The purpose coordinates with your audience and provides guidance as you write. Here are some general purposes you might consider.

In a sense, all essays are meant to inform. If informing is the primary purpose of your definition essay, you might be working with a word, term, or denotation that you know is unfamiliar to your readers. You would probably present an extended definition to teach the readers about the word’s:

historical context of when it was in peak use (for archaic or rarely used words)

Presenting a New View

You can use a definition essay to present a new view of a word or term. A new view could help you show the concept in a different light.

Defining “fail” or “failure.” This word has a negative denotation and most often a negative connotation as well. However, you could define the term in a more positive context, arguing that failure is a necessary step in understanding ourselves better, refining our goals, and ultimately achieving success.

Clearing Up Misconceptions

Addressing misconceptions is your purpose if you are trying to correct a misunderstanding or misconception about a word. It’s similar to presenting a new view, but the argumentative component is stronger. You’re not only showing readers something new but also persuading readers to change their minds about something.

Some terms are often debated, such as the concept of freedom. We use this word a lot, but what does it mean to be free? Do any laws we dislike and don’t want to follow keep us from being free? Do some laws or regulations inhibit freedom while others don’t? Can some laws and restrictions actually support freedom? You could develop a definition of freedom while arguing against alternative definitions.

Having an audience in mind will help you shape and focus your material. The audience and purpose should coordinate. Ask yourself:

What about this definition is meaningful to the audience?
What tone (academic, casual, etc.) is appropriate to use?
How much information does the audience already know?
Would the audience have questions, concerns, or objections?

All of these factors influence what information you present and how you present it. You must approach the purpose in a way that would be meaningful and convincing to the target audience.

Developing Your Definition Essay

Once you have a word or concept you want to define and a sense of your audience and purpose, you can start developing your essay. Let’s look at tips for each section.

Introduction + Thesis Statement

Your introduction presents the topic in a way that is engaging for the target audience. Since most topics start off pretty broad, an introduction also starts by guiding readers to your specific focus. Like everything in an essay, choose an introduction for its connection to the purpose and audience. Here are some possible strategies:

Tell a brief anecdote related to the topic.
Present the debate relevant to the topic. This would be especially useful if your goal is to clarify misconceptions about a word or if your word connects to a contentious issue.
Describe a scene or situation relevant to the topic.
Ask a relevant question to encourage curiosity about the topic.
Narrate a brief situation or conversation relevant to the topic.
Give a significant quotation related to the topic.

In general, a thesis presents your topic and the claim you are making about the topic. The denotation might be your starting point, and your thesis explains how your essay will go beyond the denotation. The thesis should let the reader know what insight you’ll be presenting or what claim you’ll be making about the word.

Think about what you’ll need to do to develop a well-rounded, thorough definition that addresses your thesis and purpose. Some means of developing your definition include:

Exploring denotations and connotations
Situating your term in its cultural and/or historical context
Discussing how it is used and citing examples
Comparing words or usage

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

The purpose of a conclusion is to signal closure. Here are some ways you might do that:

Reinforce the central message of the thesis.
Briefly summarize key takeaways of the essay. (This is more useful in longer or more complicated essays.)
Give a call to action. What should the reader do now that they know the information you’ve given them? This might be especially good if the term you’ve defined relates to a social issue or debate.
Reinforce the significance of your definition or provide some final wisdom relating to it.
Return to the introduction in some way to create a “frame” for the essay. This works especially well if your introduction is an anecdote or refers to an event or situation. Returning to the introduction might mean adding to the anecdote or referencing the event, considering the information and insight in the essay.

As you write, always keep your audience and purpose in mind. Don’t be afraid to change or refine your focus as you go. This is often part of working through your ideas and developing a strong essay.

Example Definition Essay on Defining Tragedy as a Form of Drama

By Ericka Scott Nelson. Ericka earned a MA in English from the University of California, Riverside. She teaches composition at a community college.

Common Writing Assignments, Apps & Tests

Analytical Essay
AP synthesis Essay
Argumentative Essay
Book Report
Compare and Contrast Essay
Cause and Effect Essay
College Admissions Essay
Critical Analysis Essay
Definition Essay
Descriptive Essay
Dissertation
Explanatory Essay
Expository Essay
Informative Essay
Narrative Essay
Opinion Essay
Personal Essay
Persuasive Essay
Reflective Essay
Research Paper
Rhetorical Analysis
Scholarship Essay
Short Essay
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Definition Essay

Definition of definition essay, writing an effective thesis statement for a definition essay, difference between a definition and a definition essay, examples of definition essays in literature, example #1: an argument against happiness (by marc gellman for newsweek ).

“Why is it that bad people can be happy? The reason is that happiness as defined by our culture has become just a synonym for pleasure, and anyone can feel pleasure. A good meal, a winning team, a fabulous vacation can make even the biggest criminal feel just as happy as the most noble hero . The problem is the linkage between happiness and pleasure. Feeling good has no natural connection to doing good. But it does in the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as well as in the good and decent lives of those who do not find their life’s guidance from ancient-wisdom traditions. For all these people, happiness is linked to goodness, not pleasure.”

Example #2: Beliefs about Families (by Mary Pipher)

“Families are the people for whom it matters if you have a cold, are feuding with your mate or training a new puppy. Family members use magnets to fasten newspaper clippings about your bowling team on the refrigerator door. They save your drawings and homemade pottery. They like to hear stories about when you were young. They’ll help you can tomatoes or change the oil in your car. They’re the people who will come visit you in the hospital, will talk to you when you call with ‘a dark night of the soul’ and will loan you money to pay the rent if you lose your job. Whether or not, they are biologically related to each other, the people who do these things are family.”

Example #3: The Barrio (by Robert Ramirez)

“The barrio is closeness. From the family living unit, familial relationships stretch out to immediate neighbors, down the block, around the corner, and to all parts of barrio. The feeling of family, rare and treasurable sentiment, pervades and accounts for the inability of the people to leave. The barrio is this attitude manifested on the countenances of the people, on the faces of their homes, and in the gaiety of their gardens.”

Function of Definition Essay

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Right Word

1: choose an abstract word with a complex meaning. [1].

A simple word that refers to a concrete word will not give you much to write about, but a complex word that refers to an abstract concept provides more material to explore.

Typically, nouns that refer to a person, place, or thing are too simple for a definition essay. Nouns that refer to an idea work better, however, as do most adjectives.
For example, the word “house” is fairly simple and an essay written around it may be dull. By switching to something slightly more abstract like “home,” however, you can play around with the definition more. A “home” is a concept, and there are many elements involved in the creation of a “home.” In comparison, a “house” is merely a structure.

2: Make sure that the word is disputable.

Aside from being complex, the word should also refer to something that can mean different things to different people.

A definition essay is somewhat subjective by nature since it requires you to analyze and define a word from your own perspective. If the answer you come up with after analyzing a word is the same answer anyone else would come up with, your essay may appear to lack depth.

3: Choose a word you have some familiarity with.

Dictionary definitions can only tell you so much. Since you need to elaborate on the word you choose to define, you will need to have your own base of knowledge or experience with the concept you choose.

For instance, if you have never heard the term “pedantic,” your understanding of the word will be limited. You can introduce yourself to the word for your essay, but without previous understanding of the concept, you will not know if the definition you describe is truly fitting.

4: Read the dictionary definition.

While you will not be relying completely on the dictionary definition for your essay, familiarizing yourself with the official definition will allow you to compare your own understanding of the concept with the simplest, most academic explanation of it.

As an example, one definition of “friend” is “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” [2] Your own ideas or beliefs about what a “friend” really is likely include much more information, but this basic definition can present you with a good starting point in forming your own.

5: Research the word’s origins.

Look up your chosen word in the Oxford English Dictionary or in another etymology dictionary. [3]

These sources can tell you the history behind a word, which can provide further insight on a general definition as well as information about how a word came to mean what it means today.

Part 2 of 3: Potential Elements of an Effective Definition

1: write an analysis. [4].

Separate a word into various parts. Analyze and define each part in its own paragraph.

You can separate “return” into “re-” and “turn.” The word “friendship” can be separated into “friend” and “ship.”
In order to analyze each portion of a word, you will still need to use additional defining tactics like negation and classification.
Note that this tactic only works for words that contain multiple parts. The word “love,” for instance, cannot be broken down any further. If defining “platonic love,” though, you could define both “platonic” and “love” separately within your essay.

2: Classify the term.

Specify what classes and parts of speech a word belongs to according to a standard dictionary definition.

While this information is very basic and dry, it can provide helpful context about the way that a given word is used.

3: Compare an unfamiliar term to something familiar.

An unfamiliar or uncommon concept can be explained using concepts that are more accessible to the average person.

Many people have never heard of the term “confrere,” for instance. One basic definition is “a fellow member of a profession, fraternity, etc.” As such, you could compare “confrere” with “colleague,” which is a similar yet more familiar concept. [5]

4: Provide traditional details about the term.

Explain any physical characteristics or traditional thoughts used to describe your term of choice.

The term “home” is often visualized physically as a house or apartment. In more abstract terms, “home” is traditionally thought to be a warm, cozy, and safe environment. You can include all of these features in a definition essay on “home.”

5: Use examples to illustrate the meaning.

People often relate to stories and vivid images, so using a fitting story or image that relates to the term can be used in clarifying an abstract, formless concept.

In a definition essay about “kindness,” for example, you could write about an act of kindness you recently witnessed. Someone who mows the lawn of an elderly neighbor is a valid example, just as someone who gave you an encouraging word when you were feeling down might be.

6: Use negation to explain what the term does not mean.

If a term is often misused or misunderstood, mentioning what it is not is an effective way to bring the concept into focus.

A common example would be the term “courage.” The term is often associated with a lack of fear, but many will argue that “courage” is more accurately described as acting in spite of fear.

7: Provide background information.

This is when your research about the etymology of a word will come in handy. Explain where the term originated and how it came to mean what it currently means.

Part 3 of 3: Definition Essay Structure

1: introduce the standard definition..

You need to clearly state what your word is along with its traditional or dictionary definition in your introductory paragraph.

By opening with the dictionary definition of your term, you create context and a basic level of knowledge about the word. This will allow you to introduce and elaborate on your own definition.
This is especially significant when the traditional definition of your term varies from your own definition in notable ways.

2: Define the term in your own words in your thesis.

Your actual thesis statement should define the term in your own words.

Keep the definition in your thesis brief and basic. You will elaborate on it more in the body of your paper.
Avoid using passive phrases involving the word “is” when defining your term. The phrases “is where” and “is when” are especially clunky. [6]
Do not repeat part of the defined term in your definition.

3: Separate different parts of the definition into separate paragraphs.

Each tactic or method used to define your term should be explored in a separate paragraph.

Note that you do not need to use all the possible methods of defining a term in your essay. You should use a variety of different methods in order to create a full, well-rounded picture of the term, but some tactics will work great with some terms but not with others.

4: Conclude with a summary of your main points.

Briefly summarize your main points around the start of your concluding paragraph.

This summary does not need to be elaborate. Usually, looking at the topic sentence of each body paragraph is a good way to form a simple list of your main points.
You can also draw the essay to a close by referring to phrases or images evoked in your introduction.

5: Mention how the definition has affected you, if desired.

If the term you define plays a part in your own life and experiences, your final concluding remarks are a good place to briefly mention the role it plays.

Relate your experience with the term to the definition you created for it in your thesis. Avoid sharing experiences that relate to the term but contradict everything you wrote in your essay.

Sources and Citations

http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Definition.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend?s=t
http://www.etymonline.com/
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/definition.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/confrere?s=t
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm
How to Write a Definition Essay. Provided by : WikiHow. Located at : http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Definition-Essay . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

Introduction to the Writing Process
Introduction to Writing
Your Role as a Learner
What is an Essay?
Reading to Write
Defining the Writing Process
Videos: Prewriting Techniques
Thesis Statements
Organizing an Essay
Creating Paragraphs
Conclusions
Editing and Proofreading
Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
Peer Review Checklist
Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

Definitional Argument Essay
Critical Thinking
Video: Thesis Explained
Effective Thesis Statements
Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

Introduction to Narrative Essay
Student Sample: Narrative Essay
"Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
"Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
Video: The Danger of a Single Story
How to Write an Annotation
How to Write a Summary
Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
"She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
"April & Paris" by David Sedaris
Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
"Disability" by Nancy Mairs
"Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
"A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
"Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
"Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

Introduction to Argument Essay
Rogerian Argument
"The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
"The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
Writing for Success: Argument
Student Sample: Argument Essay
Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
Mini-lesson: Fragments I
Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
Mini-lesson: Parallelism
Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
Style Exercise: Voice

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[ noun es -ey es -ey , e- sey verb e- sey ]

a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

a picture essay.

an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.
Philately. a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.
Obsolete. a tentative effort; trial; assay.

verb (used with object)

to try; attempt.
to put to the test; make trial of.
a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively
an attempt or endeavour; effort
a test or trial
to attempt or endeavour; try
to test or try out
A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne , Francis Bacon (see also Bacon ), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

Other Words From

es·sayer noun
prees·say verb (used without object)
unes·sayed adjective
well-es·sayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of essay 1

Example Sentences

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay, technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay, “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay.

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

Related Words

dissertation

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Academic Writing

How to Write a Definition Essay

Last Updated: January 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 454,527 times.

A definition essay requires you to write your own definition of a word. The definition must be thorough and well supported by research and evidence. You may have to write a definition essay for a class or try it as a writing challenge to help improve your English skills. Start by selecting and defining the word. Then, create a draft that presents a detailed definition using references and sources. Polish the essay when you are done so it flows well and does not contain any grammatical errors.

Selecting the Word

You can also pick a concept like “Success,” “Friendship,” or “Faith.”
Concepts like “Pain,” “Loss,” or “Death” are also good options.

Step 2 Avoid concrete objects or things.

You can try taking a concrete object and using a similar word to make it more open-ended. For example, the word “house” is concrete and obvious. But the word “home” is more open-ended and allows you to create your own definition of the word.

Step 3 Select a word you are familiar with.

For example, you may choose a word like “success” because you are familiar with the word and feel you may have a lot to say about what it means to be successful or to feel success in your life.

Step 4 Go for a word that can have a variety of meanings.

For example, you may choose a word like “pain” because you feel there are a variety of meanings for the word based on who you talk to and how they experience “pain” in their lives.

Defining the Word

Step 1 Look up the word in the dictionary.

For example, if you look up the word “justice” in the dictionary, you may get this definition: “noun, the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.”
You can then determine that “justice” is a noun and can be compared to other terms like “righteousness” and “moral rightness.”

Step 2 Research the origin of the word in encyclopedias.

For example, you may look up the word “justice” in an online encyclopedia that focuses on philosophy or law. You may then find information on Western theories of justice and how it became an important concept in Western history and the legal system.

Step 3 Search online for articles, websites, and videos that discuss the word.

Look on academic search engines like Google Scholar, JSTOR, and ProQuest for scholarly articles.
You can also look for educational videos that have been made about the word on YouTube and other video websites.

Step 4 Interview peers, family, and friends about the word.

“What comes to mind when you think of the word?”
“How do you feel about the word on a personal level?”
“How do you interact or deal with the word?”
“What does the word mean to you?”
Take notes or record the interviews so you can use them as sources in your essay.

Step 5 Create your own definition of the word.

For example, you may write: “Justice, a quality or trait where you act in a morally right way.” Or you may write: “Justice, a concept in the legal system where the fair or equitable thing is done, as in ‘justice has been served.’”
It's important to have tact and tread carefully here. It's important to preface your own definition of the word, making it clear that's a personal opinion. Make sure not to create the misconception that your own definition is the accepted or official one.
At the end of the day, your objective should be to write the actual definition, and not an opinion essay.

Creating an Essay Draft

Your thesis statement should appear in the introduction and conclusion section of your essay.

Step 2 Introduce the term and the standard definition.

For example, you may write, “According to the Oxford Dictionary, justice is a noun, and it means: the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness.”

Step 3 Include a thesis statement with your own definition.

For example, you may have a thesis statement like, “According to my research and my personal experiences, justice is a quality or trait where you act in a morally correct way.”

Step 4 Discuss the history and origin of the word.

For example, you may write, “Justice comes from the Latin jus , which means right or law. It is a commonly used concept in politics, in the legal system, and in philosophy.”

Step 5 Analyze the dictionary definition of the word.

For example, you may discuss how justice works as a noun or an idea in politics, the legal system, and in philosophy. You may also discuss what the “quality of being just” means in our society.

Step 6 Compare and contrast the term with other terms.

For example, you may talk about how justice is similar and also not quite the same as words like “righteousness” and “equitableness.”
You can also discuss words that mean the opposite of the term you are defining. For example, you may contrast the word “justice” with the word “injustice” or “inequality.”

Step 7 Discuss your personal definition.

For example, you may write, “On a personal level, I view justice as an essential concept” or “Based on my own experiences, I think justice is blind and often does not serve those who need it the most.”
You can also include personal experiences of the word based on interviews you conducted with others.

Step 8 Support your points with evidence and references.

Make sure you follow your instructor’s preferred citation style, such as MLA , APA , or Chicago Style .

Step 9 Conclude by restating your main points.

Look at the first sentence in each section of the paragraph to help you gather your main points.
Include a last sentence that has a strong image or that describes a key phrase in your essay.

Polishing the Essay

You should also check for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in the essay.

Step 2 Show the essay to others for feedback.

Be open to constructive criticism from others and take their feedback to heart. It will only make your essay better.

If there is a word count or a page count for the definition essay, make sure you meet it.
Include a reference page at the end of the essay and a cover page at the beginning of the essay, if required.

Expert Q&A

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing essays, check out our in-depth interview with Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. .

↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/definition-essay/
↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/10-6-definition/
↑ https://quillbot.com/courses/introduction-to-college-level-academic-writing/chapter/how-to-write-a-definition-essay/
↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/definition-essay-examples-and-topic-ideas.html
↑ https://owlcation.com/humanities/How-to-Write-a-Definition-Essay-from-Multiple-Sources
↑ https://academichelp.net/academic-assignments/essay/write-definition-essay.html
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/definitions.html
↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/definition-essay/definition-essay-techniques/
↑ https://quillbot.com/courses/rhetorical-methods-based-essay-writing/chapter/how-to-write-a-definition-essay/
↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/using-evidence.html
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html

About This Article

To write a definition essay, choose a word that describes a concept or idea. Look up the dictionary definition, the origin of the word, and any scholarly essays or articles that discuss the word in detail, then use this information to create your own definition. When you write your paper, introduce the term and the standard dictionary definition of the word, followed by a thesis stating your own definition. Use the body of the paper to include historical information and explain what the word means to you, then conclude by restating your thesis. For tips on picking your word, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Definition Essay Guide

Definition Essay Writing

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

How to Write A Definition Essay - Topics and Samples

By: Leanne R.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Apr 27, 2021

The definition essay is a difficult task for high school and college students. To write one well, you need to use examples or facts supporting the meaning that defines your word.

The following blog post will tell you exactly how to do it! So read on and learn everything about it.

On this Page

What is a Definition Essay?

As the name suggests, a definition essay is the kind of writing that explains a word. It requires you to come up with your academic definition of a specific word. The definition can be concrete or abstract, depending on the word.

For instance, you can provide an exact definition for a “table” but for the term “love,” it isn’t possible to do so. Such terms will rely on your point of view.

Your definition must be detailed and well researched with supporting evidence. When choosing a word, make sure you have plenty to write about and give the audience some additional information from a different perspective.

Writing a definition essay is a simple three-step process. First, present the term that you want to define. Second, provide the necessary information so the reader can understand it easily. Lastly, use facts or anecdotes to increase understanding further.

To further explain what is a definition essay, take a look at its basic elements.

How to Write a Definition Essay?

This section will teach you how to write a definition essay and cover the steps that must be followed when writing a great essay.

1. Choose a Word

The first step, of course, is picking the right word. Now, how do you know what makes a topic good?

The perfect topic for a definition essay is an abstract concept that people can’t find when reading an English dictionary. You must have a complete understanding of the term you have chosen.

2. Don’t Pick Objects to be Your Topic

Also, stay away from choosing different objects as your topic; for example, writing about objects such as “table,” “glass,” “door” can be difficult.

Since there isn’t much to write about such topics, you won’t be able to come up with a meaningful piece of writing.

3. Pick a Word with Multiple Meanings

Try finding a word with more than one meaning to different people, a term that would mean something else.

This will give you the opportunity of writing more while including your personal experience and interpreting others.

4. Check its Literal Definition

Take help from dictionaries and encyclopedias, find the official definition of a word’s origin and any theories regarding it.

Along with that, you can find useful information on the internet. You can find several scholarly articles, academic essays, blogs, informative videos, etc.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

5. Look for Different Perspectives

After you have established what a concept or idea means to you, it is now time to look at things from a different point of view.

You can talk to your friends and family about what a word means to them or what is the first thing that comes to their mind upon hearing this word, their feelings when hearing it, etc.

6. Create a Definition

The next step is using the research to come up with your own definition. To write an effective definition, consider the following pointers.

You can define a term by explaining what it does and its mechanism.

Define a term by its structure and how it is organized.

Define a term using analysis. Compare the term you are writing about with other members of its category. The differences are important as they make your term stand out from the rest.

For a misunderstood term or isn’t used in the right context, it is good practice to explain what it does not mean.

Use examples such as facts, anecdotes, images, and stories to help your reader better understand the term.Note: don’t use examples that are against your definition.

Definition Essay Outline

An outline is a draft of your essay, which includes the significant components of the essay. Sticking to an outline helps you stay on track and complete your essay logically.

A definition essay outline consists of three main parts:

1. Definition Essay Introduction

You should state your own definition of the term, which may be different from its actual meaning. This allows readers to understand what you are going on in-depth and gives them context for why certain terms exist as they do within society today.

But you must open the essay using an interesting piece of information relevant to the term being defined. For instance, you can use an anecdotal hook sentence and tell an interesting story. To make sure your essay can grab the reader’s attention. You can learn the art of opening your essay with catchy sentences from this detailed article on hook examples.

A definition essay doesn’t have a typical thesis statement. Instead, it requires you to define the term in your own words without giving away the whole definition.

2. Definition Essay Main Body

Here you will fully explain the definition of the word with supporting facts and examples. The number of body paragraphs depends upon the complexity of your topic; it could be three or more.

Utilize these paragraphs to investigate and present important information about the word, its history, usage, origin, context, etc.

3. Definition Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is the part of your essay where you sum up the entire essay. No additional or new information should be introduced at this point.

Leave the audience with some final thoughts explaining how the definition affected you and played a part in your life.

Don’t mention a story or experience that contradicts what you have written in the essay.

Definition Essay Format

DEFINITION ESSAY FORMAT

Definition Essay Examples

Writing a definition essay can be tricky, but before you dive into the writing stage, make sure to read some professionally written examples. Check out this example and get an idea from them.

Definition Essay Sample

DEFINITION ESSAY SAMPLES

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Definition Essay Topics

You can’t write a good essay without an interesting topic, can you?

Choosing an interesting topic is no doubt a challenging task.

To make this process a little less time-consuming and burdensome for you, here is a list of top definition essay topics.

Why are the terms money and happiness interlinked for some people?
What does love mean for different people?
How do people around you describe love?
What does love mean for young adults?
is happiness for different people?
The philosophical meaning of happiness.
How does one feel happiness?
What does true love mean?
Is happiness a myth?
What is platonic love?

We hope that this complete guide on how to write a definition essay was helpful and solved all of your queries. If you don't have the time or lack skills, there are always 5StarEssays.com available for your help.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a definition essay.

Its main purpose is to give a complete definition for certain words or notions.

What are the 3 ways in giving definition?

The three main ways of giving definition are:

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Interesting Definition Essay Topics for Academic Essay

The Definition Essay

A definition essay should include, where to start, writing process.

A definition essay is one that explains a term, either by defining what it means or by clarifying which meaning is intended when a word has several meanings. For instance, a writer might need to define slicing to someone unfamiliar with golf or the term koi to someone unfamiliar with tropical fish. If the writer calls a friend a nonconformist, he or she might ask the writer for the definition of that word. A writer may disagree with his or her peers over the meaning of the word feminism even though they share similar politics. Clearly, definitions are an important party of daily communication. Definition Essays are meant to help the reader to see beyond the basic, dictionary definition of a word, that he or she might fully grasp the term or concept discussed.

It is useful to include a brief explanation, so readers can begin to grasp the concept. This includes the term itself, the class to which the term belongs, and the distinguishing characteristics that differentiate this item from all others in its class.

Trypophobia is a medically recognized fear that is an aversion to the sight of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes or bumps.

This type of essay focuses on a specific term and discusses it in detail. In order to help readers better understand a term, the author may describe a philosophy behind a movement, the uses of a specific item, or the different types of a specific emotion.

Trypophobia is based on a deep-seated disgust that most humans have toward certain plants and medical conditions that cause patterns of holes, but these emotions have been allowed to be taken to an extreme.

The thesis of an extended-definition essay tells why the term is worth reading about. Some writers choose to separate the brief definition from their thesis, so it is important to look for both parts while reading and to be sure to include them in the paper.

Narration, description, illustration, process analysis, comparison and contrast, classification and division, cause and effect, and argumentative styles are all used to develop definition essays. To explain a term, more than one pattern of development can be used. For example, if defining a home run, an author may include his or her favorite baseball player’s best jogs around the bases in a narrative style. But if defining a style of art, a descriptive style may be more appropriate.

When the term being defined is so similar to another term that it can be confused with it, a writer may use negation to explain how that term is different from the others. This involves telling what the term is NOT in addition to what it is.

Trypophobia is not recognized as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. It is not believed to be a learned cultural fear.

Make sure you feel familiar with the topic or that it can be easily learned. Narrow this topic to a specific term. For example, instead of writing about the term celebrity, focus on a political or Hollywood celebrity type.

Brainstorm a list of words that describe the term, such as people or actions that may be examples of it. Try describing the object to a friend and write down the words used. Write down everything a person would need to know to understand it. Try observing a person associated with the term. Look up the definition and etymology in the dictionary. Think of situations that reveal the meaning or similar terms. Do a search for the term on the internet.

Look over the brainstormed list, and organize the ideas based on the pattern of development chosen. If using narration (refer to narration essay handout for more details), then organize the ideas in chronological order. If using characteristics, a most-to-least or least-to-most order (see the descriptive essay handout for clarification and other examples) may be best.

Describe the term as specifically as possible. If describing Dalmatians, do not simply say they are a breed of dog. Describe the colors, behaviors, history, and benefits of this breed. DO NOT include the term as part of the definition. Look up synonyms to use if a similar word is needed. Include enough distinguishing characteristics so that readers will not mistake the term for something else in its class. Do not limit the definition so much that it becomes inaccurate. Use multiple transitions, and consider including the etymology of the term.

After completing the writing phase of an essay, make sure to proofread and go over everything again. When rereading an essay, we can spot grammar errors and consider ways to improve writing. Aside from improving spelling, grammar, and punctuation, you can expand on and explain your ideas more effectively. This stage can be completed effectively by slowly reviewing your writing, looking for specific errors you may struggle with, and double-checking everything.

This paragraph presents the term, provides background information, and includes the thesis statement. This paragraph may also suggest the importance or value of understanding the term. It might be helpful to use negation, what it is and is not. The introduction should include a brief standard definition of the term as well as a perspective or point of view about the term. Here is a good thesis statement:

The future of wireless cable, a method of transmitting television signals through the air using microwaves, is uncertain.

These 2-3 paragraphs will explain the term's class and present characteristics that distinguish the term from others in the class. These paragraphs can also introduce facts, examples, descriptions, and so forth to make the term understandable. It should be organized using one or more development patterns (narration, cause, and effect, illustration, etc.). Each paragraph should include sufficient information for readers to understand each characteristic.

This paragraph references the thesis and draws the essay to a close. It will also leave the reader with a final impression of the term.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Definition & Examples
When & How to Write an Essay

I. What is an Essay?

An essay is a form of writing in paragraph form that uses informal language, although it can be written formally. Essays may be written in first-person point of view (I, ours, mine), but third-person (people, he, she) is preferable in most academic essays. Essays do not require research as most academic reports and papers do; however, they should cite any literary works that are used within the paper.

When thinking of essays, we normally think of the five-paragraph essay: Paragraph 1 is the introduction, paragraphs 2-4 are the body covering three main ideas, and paragraph 5 is the conclusion. Sixth and seventh graders may start out with three paragraph essays in order to learn the concepts. However, essays may be longer than five paragraphs. Essays are easier and quicker to read than books, so are a preferred way to express ideas and concepts when bringing them to public attention.

II. Examples of Essays

Many of our most famous Americans have written essays. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson wrote essays about being good citizens and concepts to build the new United States. In the pre-Civil War days of the 1800s, people such as:

Ralph Waldo Emerson (an author) wrote essays on self-improvement
Susan B. Anthony wrote on women’s right to vote
Frederick Douglass wrote on the issue of African Americans’ future in the U.S.

Through each era of American history, well-known figures in areas such as politics, literature, the arts, business, etc., voiced their opinions through short and long essays.

The ultimate persuasive essay that most students learn about and read in social studies is the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Other founding fathers edited and critiqued it, but he drafted the first version. He builds a strong argument by stating his premise (claim) then proceeds to give the evidence in a straightforward manner before coming to his logical conclusion.

III. Types of Essays

A. expository.

Essays written to explore and explain ideas are called expository essays (they expose truths). These will be more formal types of essays usually written in third person, to be more objective. There are many forms, each one having its own organizational pattern. Cause/Effect essays explain the reason (cause) for something that happens after (effect). Definition essays define an idea or concept. Compare/ Contrast essays will look at two items and show how they are similar (compare) and different (contrast).

b. Persuasive

An argumentative paper presents an idea or concept with the intention of attempting to change a reader’s mind or actions . These may be written in second person, using “you” in order to speak to the reader. This is called a persuasive essay. There will be a premise (claim) followed by evidence to show why you should believe the claim.

c. Narrative

Narrative means story, so narrative essays will illustrate and describe an event of some kind to tell a story. Most times, they will be written in first person. The writer will use descriptive terms, and may have paragraphs that tell a beginning, middle, and end in place of the five paragraphs with introduction, body, and conclusion. However, if there is a lesson to be learned, a five-paragraph may be used to ensure the lesson is shown.

d. Descriptive

The goal of a descriptive essay is to vividly describe an event, item, place, memory, etc. This essay may be written in any point of view, depending on what’s being described. There is a lot of freedom of language in descriptive essays, which can include figurative language, as well.

IV. The Importance of Essays

Essays are an important piece of literature that can be used in a variety of situations. They’re a flexible type of writing, which makes them useful in many settings . History can be traced and understood through essays from theorists, leaders, artists of various arts, and regular citizens of countries throughout the world and time. For students, learning to write essays is also important because as they leave school and enter college and/or the work force, it is vital for them to be able to express themselves well.

V. Examples of Essays in Literature

Sir Francis Bacon was a leading philosopher who influenced the colonies in the 1600s. Many of America’s founding fathers also favored his philosophies toward government. Bacon wrote an essay titled “Of Nobility” in 1601 , in which he defines the concept of nobility in relation to people and government. The following is the introduction of his definition essay. Note the use of “we” for his point of view, which includes his readers while still sounding rather formal.

“We will speak of nobility, first as a portion of an estate, then as a condition of particular persons. A monarchy, where there is no nobility at all, is ever a pure and absolute tyranny; as that of the Turks. For nobility attempers sovereignty, and draws the eyes of the people, somewhat aside from the line royal. But for democracies, they need it not; and they are commonly more quiet, and less subject to sedition, than where there are stirps of nobles. For men’s eyes are upon the business, and not upon the persons; or if upon the persons, it is for the business’ sake, as fittest, and not for flags and pedigree. We see the Switzers last well, notwithstanding their diversity of religion, and of cantons. For utility is their bond, and not respects. The united provinces of the Low Countries, in their government, excel; for where there is an equality, the consultations are more indifferent, and the payments and tributes, more cheerful. A great and potent nobility, addeth majesty to a monarch, but diminisheth power; and putteth life and spirit into the people, but presseth their fortune. It is well, when nobles are not too great for sovereignty nor for justice; and yet maintained in that height, as the insolency of inferiors may be broken upon them, before it come on too fast upon the majesty of kings. A numerous nobility causeth poverty, and inconvenience in a state; for it is a surcharge of expense; and besides, it being of necessity, that many of the nobility fall, in time, to be weak in fortune, it maketh a kind of disproportion, between honor and means.”

A popular modern day essayist is Barbara Kingsolver. Her book, “Small Wonders,” is full of essays describing her thoughts and experiences both at home and around the world. Her intention with her essays is to make her readers think about various social issues, mainly concerning the environment and how people treat each other. The link below is to an essay in which a child in an Iranian village she visited had disappeared. The boy was found three days later in a bear’s cave, alive and well, protected by a mother bear. She uses a narrative essay to tell her story.

VI. Examples of Essays in Pop Culture

Many rap songs are basically mini essays, expressing outrage and sorrow over social issues today, just as the 1960s had a lot of anti-war and peace songs that told stories and described social problems of that time. Any good song writer will pay attention to current events and express ideas in a creative way.

A well-known essay written in 1997 by Mary Schmich, a columnist with the Chicago Tribune, was made into a popular video on MTV by Baz Luhrmann. Schmich’s thesis is to wear sunscreen, but she adds strong advice with supporting details throughout the body of her essay, reverting to her thesis in the conclusion.

Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen

VII. Related Terms

Research paper.

Research papers follow the same basic format of an essay. They have an introductory paragraph, the body, and a conclusion. However, research papers have strict guidelines regarding a title page, header, sub-headers within the paper, citations throughout and in a bibliography page, the size and type of font, and margins. The purpose of a research paper is to explore an area by looking at previous research. Some research papers may include additional studies by the author, which would then be compared to previous research. The point of view is an objective third-person. No opinion is allowed. Any claims must be backed up with research.

VIII. Conclusion

Students dread hearing that they are going to write an essay, but essays are one of the easiest and most relaxed types of writing they will learn. Mastering the essay will make research papers much easier, since they have the same basic structure. Many historical events can be better understood through essays written by people involved in those times. The continuation of essays in today’s times will allow future historians to understand how our new world of technology and information impacted us.

List of Terms

Alliteration
Amplification
Anachronism
Anthropomorphism
Antonomasia
APA Citation
Aposiopesis
Autobiography
Bildungsroman
Characterization
Circumlocution
Cliffhanger
Comic Relief
Connotation
Deus ex machina
Deuteragonist
Doppelganger
Double Entendre
Dramatic irony
Equivocation
Extended Metaphor
Figures of Speech
Flash-forward
Foreshadowing
Intertextuality
Juxtaposition
Literary Device
Malapropism
Onomatopoeia
Parallelism
Pathetic Fallacy
Personification
Point of View
Polysyndeton
Protagonist
Red Herring
Rhetorical Device
Rhetorical Question
Science Fiction
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Synesthesia
Turning Point
Understatement
Urban Legend
Verisimilitude
Essay Guide
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Other forms: essays; essayed; essaying

A composition that is usually short and has a literary theme is called an essay . You should probably start writing your essay on "To Kill a Mockingbird" sometime before the bus ride to school the day it is due.

As a noun, an essay is also an attempt, especially a tentative initial one. Your essay to make friends at your new school would probably work better if you actually spoke to other students. As a verb, to essay is to make an attempt. If you essay to run for student council, you might lose to the girl who promises more recess, longer lunches, and less homework.

noun an analytic or interpretive literary composition see more see less types: show 5 types... hide 5 types... composition , paper , report , theme an essay (especially one written as an assignment) disquisition an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion memoir an essay on a scientific or scholarly topic thanatopsis an essay expressing a view on the subject of death term paper a composition intended to indicate a student's progress during a school term type of: piece of writing , writing , written material the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect)
verb make an effort or attempt “The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps” synonyms: assay , attempt , seek , try see more see less types: show 17 types... hide 17 types... pick up the gauntlet , take a dare be dared to do something and attempt it fight , struggle make a strenuous or labored effort give it a try , have a go make an attempt at something grope search blindly or uncertainly endeavor , endeavour , strive attempt by employing effort give it a try , give it a whirl try adventure , chance , gamble , hazard , risk , run a risk , take a chance , take chances take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome lay on the line , put on the line , risk expose to a chance of loss or damage strive , struggle exert strenuous effort against opposition drive , labor , labour , push , tug strive and make an effort to reach a goal flounder behave awkwardly; have difficulties be at pains , take pains try very hard to do something buck to strive with determination go for broke risk everything in one big effort luck it , luck through act by relying on one's luck adventure , hazard , jeopardize , stake , venture put at risk bell the cat take a risk; perform a daring act type of: act , move perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
noun a tentative attempt see more see less type of: attempt , effort , endeavor , endeavour , try earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
verb put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to synonyms: examine , prove , test , try , try out see more see less types: control , verify check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard float circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with field-test test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used type of: evaluate , judge , pass judgment form a critical opinion of

Vocabulary lists containing essay

Before you can answer a question on the PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy section, you first need to know what the question is asking. Learn this list of 45 words that we extracted from a PARCC practice test's directions, question stems, and answer options.

A thorough survey of various textbooks, assignments, content area standards, and examinations yields the following list of words compiled by Jim Burke . You cannot expect to succeed on assignments if you do not understand the directions.

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What an Essay Is and How to Write One

M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Essays are brief, non-fiction compositions that describe, clarify, argue, or analyze a subject. Students might encounter essay assignments in any school subject and at any level of school, from a personal experience "vacation" essay in middle school to a complex analysis of a scientific process in graduate school. Components of an essay include an introduction , thesis statement , body, and conclusion.

Writing an Introduction

The beginning of an essay can seem daunting. Sometimes, writers can start their essay in the middle or at the end, rather than at the beginning, and work backward. The process depends on each individual and takes practice to figure out what works best for them. Regardless of where students start, it is recommended that the introduction begins with an attention grabber or an example that hooks the reader in within the very first sentence.

The introduction should accomplish a few written sentences that leads the reader into the main point or argument of the essay, also known as a thesis statement. Typically, the thesis statement is the very last sentence of an introduction, but this is not a rule set in stone, despite it wrapping things up nicely. Before moving on from the introduction, readers should have a good idea of what is to follow in the essay, and they should not be confused as to what the essay is about. Finally, the length of an introduction varies and can be anywhere from one to several paragraphs depending on the size of the essay as a whole.

Creating a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a sentence that states the main idea of the essay. The function of a thesis statement is to help manage the ideas within the essay. Different from a mere topic, the thesis statement is an argument, option, or judgment that the author of the essay makes about the topic of the essay.

A good thesis statement combines several ideas into just one or two sentences. It also includes the topic of the essay and makes clear what the author's position is in regard to the topic. Typically found at the beginning of a paper, the thesis statement is often placed in the introduction, toward the end of the first paragraph or so.

Developing a thesis statement means deciding on the point of view within the topic, and stating this argument clearly becomes part of the sentence which forms it. Writing a strong thesis statement should summarize the topic and bring clarity to the reader.

For informative essays, an informative thesis should be declared. In an argumentative or narrative essay, a persuasive thesis, or opinion, should be determined. For instance, the difference looks like this:

Informative Thesis Example: To create a great essay, the writer must form a solid introduction, thesis statement, body, and conclusion.
Persuasive Thesis Example: Essays surrounded around opinions and arguments are so much more fun than informative essays because they are more dynamic, fluid, and teach you a lot about the author.

Developing Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an essay include a group of sentences that relate to a specific topic or idea around the main point of the essay. It is important to write and organize two to three full body paragraphs to properly develop it.

Before writing, authors may choose to outline the two to three main arguments that will support their thesis statement. For each of those main ideas, there will be supporting points to drive them home. Elaborating on the ideas and supporting specific points will develop a full body paragraph. A good paragraph describes the main point, is full of meaning, and has crystal clear sentences that avoid universal statements.

Ending an Essay With a Conclusion

A conclusion is an end or finish of an essay. Often, the conclusion includes a judgment or decision that is reached through the reasoning described throughout the essay. The conclusion is an opportunity to wrap up the essay by reviewing the main points discussed that drives home the point or argument stated in the thesis statement.

The conclusion may also include a takeaway for the reader, such as a question or thought to take with them after reading. A good conclusion may also invoke a vivid image, include a quotation, or have a call to action for readers.

What Is Expository Writing?
Writing an Opinion Essay
How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech (With Topic Ideas)
How to Use Anecdotes to Nail Your Next Speech
Understanding What an Expository Essay Is
The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
Topical Organization Essay
Write a Compare and Contrast Essay
List of Topics for How-to Essays
How to Write a Great Process Essay
100 Persuasive Essay Topics
How to Write a Response Paper
Essay Writing Contests for Students
Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details
Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing

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Definition of essay noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

I have to write an essay this weekend.
essay on something an essay on the causes of the First World War
essay about somebody/something Have you done your essay about Napoleon yet?
in an essay He made some very good points in his essay.
Essays handed in late will not be accepted.
Have you done your essay yet?
He concludes the essay by calling for a corrective.
I finished my essay about 10 o'clock last night!
Lunch was the only time she could finish her essay assignment.
We have to write an essay on the environment.
You have to answer 3 out of 8 essay questions in the exam.
the teenage winner of an essay contest
We have to write an essay on the causes of the First World War.
be entitled something
be titled something
address something
in an/the essay
essay about

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

essay (by somebody) a collection of essays by prominent African American writers
essay on somebody/something The book contains a number of interesting essays on women in society.
essay about somebody/something Pierce contributes a long essay about John F. Kennedy.
in an essay I discuss this in a forthcoming essay.
A version of this essay was presented at the Astronomical Society.
In 2001 she published a collection of essays.
The essays explore Einstein's personal development.
the fifteen essays collected in this volume
‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’ by Thomas Malthus
an essay entitled ‘Memory’
This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the subject.
His first essay in politics was a complete disaster.

Other results

Nearby words.

Frequently asked questions

What is an essay.

An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

Frequently asked questions: Writing an essay

For a stronger conclusion paragraph, avoid including:

Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

Your essay’s conclusion should contain:

A rephrased version of your overall thesis
A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
An indication of why your argument matters

The conclusion may also reflect on the broader implications of your argument, showing how your ideas could applied to other contexts or debates.

The conclusion paragraph of an essay is usually shorter than the introduction . As a rule, it shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the text.

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

Let’s say you’re writing a five-paragraph essay about the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Here are three examples of topic sentences you could use for each of the three body paragraphs :

Research has shown that the meat industry has severe environmental impacts.
However, many plant-based foods are also produced in environmentally damaging ways.
It’s important to consider not only what type of diet we eat, but where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Each of these sentences expresses one main idea – by listing them in order, we can see the overall structure of the essay at a glance. Each paragraph will expand on the topic sentence with relevant detail, evidence, and arguments.

The topic sentence usually comes at the very start of the paragraph .

However, sometimes you might start with a transition sentence to summarize what was discussed in previous paragraphs, followed by the topic sentence that expresses the focus of the current paragraph.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

Ask a question about your topic .
Write your initial answer.
Develop your answer by including reasons.
Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

If you’re not given a specific prompt for your descriptive essay , think about places and objects you know well, that you can think of interesting ways to describe, or that have strong personal significance for you.

The best kind of object for a descriptive essay is one specific enough that you can describe its particular features in detail—don’t choose something too vague or general.

If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

An expository essay is a common assignment in high-school and university composition classes. It might be assigned as coursework, in class, or as part of an exam.

Sometimes you might not be told explicitly to write an expository essay. Look out for prompts containing keywords like “explain” and “define.” An expository essay is usually the right response to these prompts.

An expository essay is a broad form that varies in length according to the scope of the assignment.

Expository essays are often assigned as a writing exercise or as part of an exam, in which case a five-paragraph essay of around 800 words may be appropriate.

You’ll usually be given guidelines regarding length; if you’re not sure, ask.

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True Friendship Definition Essay

Communications

What No One Tells You About Matrescence

Hospital with 4 cribs in a room without baby in detail no one

Before I had my daughter, I knew that motherhood would change things. I knew it would change the amount of time I had available for myself in the day. I knew it would change my body. I knew it would change the trajectory of my career . But I didn't realize how deeply it would change me.

New motherhood involves a seismic shift, not just physically, but in your hormones, in your day-to-day activities, in the way you think, and in the trajectory of your life.

I have been feeling around for a metaphor to describe this process. The closest I've been able to land on is kintsugi : the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The pot may have been broken apart and rebuilt — it may even look and act almost the same as it did before — but it is forever changed, now imbued with precious metal.

There is a word for this unraveling and remaking: matrescence. First coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in the 1970s, matrescence is a period of transformation, much like adolescence, that takes place during early motherhood.

"The scope of the changes encompasses multiple domains — bio, psycho, social, political, spiritual — and can be likened to the developmental push of adolescence," explains clinical psychologist Aurélie Athan, PhD.

While matrescence is being spoken about more in spaces for new mothers, there is scant discussion outside of these spaces. For those considering motherhood, and for those surrounding and supporting new mothers, more education is needed on what to expect during and after matrescence. "We've come a long way in sex ed. Now we need the same progress for repro ed," Dr. Athan says. "This is not just for girls to consider."

Experts Featured in This Article

Aurélie Athan , PhD, is a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Lucy Jones is a journalist and author of the book "Matrescence: On Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood."

Nicky Elliott is the founder of The Wilder Collective and host of the "Women's Business" podcast.

Susannah Dale is a matrescence educator and the founder of The Maternity Pledge.

Know That Motherhood Does Change People

The biggest change a lot of us consider before pregnancy is the physical change our bodies go through. It seems laughable, looking back, that I worried my belly would be softer than it was before (it is), my hips permanently made wider (they are), and my skin etched with stretch marks (it is). For me, those changes pale in comparison to the psychological shift: the loss — and rebuilding — of identity brought on by motherhood.

Reflecting on her experience with the period, "Matrescence" author Lucy Jones says, "I had felt that something really significant was happening to me — physically, yes, as I carried my baby, but also psychologically, neurobiologically, socially, existentially, emotionally — and how seismic it felt compared with how minimized becoming a mother is in our culture."

This, I think, gets to the crux of the issue: while this earth-shattering transformation is happening inside, mothers are expected to just get up and carry on as though nothing has changed.

"In the lead-up to having a baby, and even when she joined us earthside, I was arrogantly opposed to the notion that I was ever going to change," writes journalist Ella Delancey Jones in her newsletter about motherhood, So Basically, Like .

This insistence that motherhood won't change us is laced with covert misogyny . While, on the surface, we may be railing against harmful stereotypes that mothers are dull, that mothers only want to talk about their kids, and that mothers lose their ambition, what we are actually doing is perpetuating them.

Motherhood has changed me, yes. I have never felt more creative or more capable than I have as a mother. My priorities and motivations have shifted and solidified around my daughter. My politics (particularly around gender equity and reproductive rights) have become more clear and urgent. And that creativity and capability, that renewed drive, has only broadened my ambitions and outlook, not narrowed them.

Know That You Are Not Alone in Matrescence

That said, matrecsence can be an incredibly lonely time.

In the midst of postpartum, armed with reams of information about caring for our baby and, if we're lucky, some information about our physical recovery and temporary hormone surges, a mother's psychological state can be overlooked .

I was awake in the depths of postpartum, like centuries of new mothers before me, when I stumbled on the word matrescence. My newborn was asleep on my chest as I opened Instagram on my phone. Incidentally, I am so glad that I live in a time when I can hold the love and solidarity of other mothers in the palm of my hand.

The algorithm had quickly realized that I was in the early stages of motherhood, and it filled my feed with parenting advice, memes about breastfeeding, and pithy, emotion-laced quotes. In all honesty, I don't recall the exact wording of the post. I do recall how much it stood out to me though, on those nights of endless scrolling — how I gasped as I read it, how I felt opened up, as though someone finally understood the way I had been feeling.

So many of the mothers I speak to (both in person and online) stumbled on the word matrescence much the same way I did: when we were already going through it, or even later. "I didn't know anything about matrescence before I had my kids," says "Women's Business" podcast host Nicky Elliott, who is also a mom of two. "I'd never even heard the term until well after I'd had both of them, but hearing about it was a lightbulb moment where things started to make sense."

"Having an explanation of not just what had happened to me but that something real had actually happened at all through that process was so enlightening, and freeing, but it was also sad," Elliott says, "sad for old me who didn't know at the time."

Matrescence educator Susannah Dale had a similar experience: "I had never heard of matrescence before I went through it," she says. "I just wish I'd known about it. I wish I'd had the language to be able to talk to other moms about it so I'd feel less alone."

"Mothers tell me it connects them to the larger lineage of mothering."

Through motherhood, I was able to foster the kind of friendships I hadn't experienced since school, the kind of intense friendship that blooms between teenagers in the classroom and on the playground. Except this time, these friendships were primarily fueled by our shared experience of matrescence and the pressures of early motherhood. "It also can connect you not only with other mothers you know, but across time and space, geography and history," Dr. Athan says. "Mothers tell me it connects them to the larger lineage of mothering."

Know That We Need More Education Around Matrescence

Matrescence, like adolescence, is a huge, largely permanent change. But, unlike adolescents, new mothers are granted very little space or grace for those changes to manifest. To suggest that a person should remain fundamentally the same after having a child is akin to expecting a 16-year-old to have the same priorities, motivations, and opinions as their 10-year-old self.

"The metamorphosis of matrescence is a given, and of course all matrescences, like adolescences, will be unique," Jones says. "When women become mothers, we expect them to breeze into it with ease and delight, when actually for some it can be a complicated, risky, and vulnerable time which is absurdly undersupported in dominant cultures in the Global North."

Being able to name and speak about the process of matrescence is just the first step in normalizing the enormity of change that many people go through in early motherhood. We also need to educate partners and employers about the kind of shift they might see in new mothers and how they can best offer support. And from there, hopefully, we can stop seeing change as a negative side effect of motherhood and start seeing it as the powerful, necessary transformation it is.

Zoe Pickburn is a writer, journalist, and essayist exploring topics around motherhood and domestic gender equity. She lives in Yorkshire, UK, with her husband and daughter.

Personal Essay

Open access
Published: 20 August 2024

Impact of a game-based interprofessional education program on medical students’ perceptions: a text network analysis using essays

Young Gyu Kwon 1 ,
Myeong Namgung 2 ,
Song Hee Park 3 ,
Mi Kyung Kim 3 , 4 ,
Sun Jung Myung 5 ,
Eun Kyung Eo 6 &
Chan Woong Kim 1 , 2

BMC Medical Education volume 24 , Article number: 898 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

The increasing complexity of the healthcare environment and the necessity of multidisciplinary teamwork have highlighted the importance of interprofessional education (IPE). IPE aims to enhance the quality of patient care through collaborative education involving various healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. This study sought to analyze how game-based IPE activities influence students’ perceptions and reflective thinking. It also aimed to identify the shifts in perception and effectiveness caused by this educational approach.

The study is based on a game-based IPE program conducted at University A, involving medical and nursing students in structured learning and team-based activities. Data were collected using essays written by the students after they had participated in IPE activities. Text network analysis was conducted by extracting key terms, performing centrality analysis, and visualizing topic modeling to identify changes in students’ perceptions and reflective thinking.

Keywords such as “patient,” “thought,” “group,” “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication” played a crucial role in the network, indicating that students prioritized enhancing their communication and problem-solving skills within the educational environment. The topic modeling results identified three main topics, each demonstrating the positive influence of game-based collaborative activities, interprofessional perspectives, and interdisciplinary educational experiences on students. Topic 3 (interdisciplinary educational experience) acted as a significant mediator connecting Topic 1 (game-based collaborative activity experience) and Topic 2 (interprofessional perspectives).

This study demonstrates that game-based IPE activities are an effective educational approach for enhancing students’ team building skills, particularly communication and interprofessional perspectives. Based on these findings, future IPE programs should focus on creating collaborative learning environments, strengthening communication skills, and promoting interdisciplinary education. The findings provide essential insights for educational designers and medical educators to enhance the effectiveness of IPE programs. Future research should assess the long-term impacts of game-based IPE on clinical practice, patient outcomes, and participants’ professional development.

Peer Review reports

With rapid changes in the healthcare environment and the advancement of systems, effective collaboration among various healthcare professionals is crucial to meet patients’ high expectations [ 1 ]. This underscores the growing importance of interprofessional education (IPE), which aims to develop the ability to collaborate efficiently as multidisciplinary teams [ 2 , 3 ]. IPE involves students from two or more healthcare professions learning about, from, and with each other through collaborative education. The primary objective of IPE is to assist healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, in developing the competence to collaborate more effectively in multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient care [ 4 ]. Its history began in the early twentieth century and has evolved to include numerous healthcare professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, and dentists [ 5 ]. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that IPE provides highly collaborative teamwork experiences that improve job satisfaction and enhance access to and safety in patient care [ 6 ]. Recent studies have also shown that IPE is pivotal not only in promoting professional autonomy, understanding of professional roles, teamwork, and collaboration, but also in providing essential knowledge and skills for improving healthcare services [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].

One innovative approach to enhancing IPE involves game-based learning, which integrates educational content with interactive gaming elements to create engaging and effective learning experiences. Game-based learning has been shown to enhance students’ motivation, participation, and retention of knowledge by providing a dynamic and immersive learning environment [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. In the context of IPE, these activities can simulate real-life clinical scenarios that require collaboration, communication, and problem-solving among diverse healthcare professionals [ 17 ]. This method allows students to practice and develop these critical skills in a safe and controlled setting, thereby preparing them for actual clinical practice [ 18 ].

Previous IPE studies involving students primarily used surveys, interviews, and participant observations to assess changes in students’ knowledge acquisition, collaboration, teamwork skills, and attitudes [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. While these approaches have provided valuable information for evaluating the effectiveness of IPE programs, they have limitations in terms of exploring students’ direct expressions and deep thinking. Recent research has started exploring game-based learning in IPE, emphasizing its potential to enhance collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills among healthcare students [ 24 , 25 ]. Game-based learning activities, such as serious games and simulations, offer engaging experiences that promote interprofessional collaboration and reflective thinking [ 17 ]. However, there is still a scarcity of research on students’ personal experiences, changing perceptions, and in-depth understanding of interprofessional collaboration through game-based learning. Addressing this gap can provide better relevance and context to the study of IPE.

Medical education literature has highlighted the importance of various educational strategies in enhancing reflective thinking skills [ 26 , 27 ]. Dewey defines reflective thinking as conscious thought in the problem-solving process, which can be considered as the active utilization of knowledge gained through experience [ 28 ]. Narrative materials, such as essays, are useful tools for gaining an in-depth understanding of students’ experiences and perceptions. Thus, analyzing reflective thinking through essays can help students better understand their learning experiences and improve their problem-solving abilities through effective collaboration across different disciplines [ 29 , 30 ].

This study aimed to analyze students’ perceptions of collaboration by examining essays they wrote after participating in game-based IPE activities, thereby providing evidence for the effectiveness of such education. The results of this study are expected to serve as foundational data to help design and implement more effective collaborative learning strategies for IPE programs.

Course design

The IPE program at a South Korean university targeted fifth-year medical and fourth-year nursing students to prepare them for clinical training. The course was divided into two phases: a six-day shadowing period and a four-day IPE activity period.

During the shadowing period, students observed various healthcare professionals in different clinical settings, including emergency rooms (ERs), ambulatory care, critical care, and outpatient environments. This phase emphasized understanding interprofessional roles and the importance of collaborative practice skills.

In the subsequent IPE activity period, students were grouped into teams of five or six, consisting of both medical and nursing students, to engage in team building exercises. These activities aimed to promote students’ collaboration, communication skills, mutual understanding in clinical settings. The activities during this phase were meticulously designed to develop essential soft skills through structured game-based exercises. These included the Marshmallow Challenge, which aimed to enhance understanding of team building dynamics; the Puzzle Game, which focused on defining roles and fostering teamwork to achieve a common objective; and the Message Game, which underscored the importance of clear and effective communication. Additional activities, such as the Drawing Shapes Game and the Drawing the Story Game, were designed to improve skills in accurate verbal description and to enhance understanding of the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication protocol, respectively. Finally, the Board Game was specifically developed to reinforce systems thinking and to illustrate the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex issues in a hospital. Table 1 outlines the key activities included in this period.

This study aimed to analyze essays written by students after participating in the IPE activities to assess their reflections and learning outcomes.

Research procedure

The fundamental premise of text network analysis is to extract keywords representing the core content from the literature [ 31 ]. This study focused on understanding students’ thoughts and perceptions by analyzing their essays. The research process comprised (1) data collection, (2) keyword selection and data processing, (3) core keyword extraction and network construction, (4) network connectivity and centrality analysis, and (5) topic modeling. This approach facilitated a nuanced understanding of the conceptual relationships within the text, yielding deeper insights into students’ reflective thinking and experiences with interprofessional collaboration, thereby aligning with the objectives of this study.

Data collection

Data were collected in 2021 after the IPE program. Of the 82 medical students who participated in the program, 77 voluntarily submitted essays, representing a 93.9% response rate from the entire cohort enrolled in the IPE program. The essays were collected after the completion of the entire program, capturing students’ reflections and feelings about the course. These essays were not intended for assessment or evaluation purposes but were written freely by students to express their thoughts and experiences regarding the program. The primary aim was to gather qualitative insights into how students perceived and internalized the IPE activities, which aligns with the study’s objective to understand the impact of game-based learning on developing interprofessional collaboration, communication, and team building skills. We focused on medical students’ essays to explore their specific perspectives and experiences within the IPE program, as these students often play crucial roles in multidisciplinary teams. Therefore, understanding their views can provide valuable insights for improving IPE programs and enhancing interprofessional collaboration in clinical practice [ 32 ].

Keyword selection and data pre-processing

The student essays were collected using MS Office Excel. Pre-processing involved an initial review using Excel’s Spell Check, followed by manual corrections to fix typographical errors. Morphological analysis was performed using Netminer 4.5.1.c (CYRAM), which automatically removed pronouns and adverbs, leaving only nouns. To extract the words, 25 designated words, 40 synonyms, and 321 excluded words were pre-registered. Designated words are terms that convey specific meanings when grouped [ 33 ]. In this study, terms such as “interprofessional education” and “Friday Night at the ER” were classified as such. Synonyms, a group of words that have similar meanings, were processed as a single term that can represent the common meaning of those words [ 34 ]. For instance, “Friday night ER,” “FNER,” and “Friday night in the ER” were extracted as “Friday Night at ER.” Words considered irrelevant to the current research focus or general words that did not contribute to meaningful analysis were excluded (e.g., “and,” “or,” “front,” “inside,” “during”). Three professors specializing in emergency medicine and one medical educator handled word extraction and refinement, and the final selection was reviewed by the entire research team.

The data analysis utilized was qualitative content analysis, focusing on both the identification and contextual usage of keywords. This approach involved the descriptive counting of keywords as well as an in-depth analysis of their usage within the essays. This rigorous process ensured that the keywords selected were relevant to the study’s focus on IPE and collaboration, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights into the students’ reflections and experiences.

Extraction of core keywords and network construction

Core keyword extraction was based on the term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) method. The frequency of word occurrences is expressed as “term frequency (TF),” which indicates how often a word appears within a document [ 35 ]. By contrast, “inverse document frequency (IDF)” is calculated using the logarithmic value of the inverse of document frequency [ 36 ]. The TF-IDF value is computed by multiplying TF by IDF. A high value indicates that a word is important in a specific document but rarely appears in others [ 37 ]. This method allows the assessment of the importance of words in documents. For network analysis, the 2-mode word-document network was converted into a 1-mode word-word network. The co-occurrence frequency was set to occur at least twice, and the word proximity (window size) was set to two, following previous studies on text network analysis [ 38 ].

Network connectivity and centrality analysis

Network size and density, as well as the average degree and distance at the node level, were identified to understand the overall characteristics of the network. Network size denotes the total number of nodes (keywords). Density measures the ratio of actual connections to possible connections, indicating network cohesion. The average degree reflects the average number of connections per node, while the average distance shows the typical number of steps between nodes, revealing the network’s connectivity and compactness [ 35 , 38 ]. Centrality analysis included degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centrality, whereas closeness centrality was excluded due to poor performance in lengthy texts [ 39 ]. Degree centrality measures how well a node is connected within a network, helping to identify keywords that play a central role in the network [ 40 ]. Betweenness centrality measures how frequently a node appears on the shortest path between other nodes, indicating how well it acts as an intermediary between two nodes [ 41 ]. Eigenvector centrality assesses the influence of a node by considering the importance of its neighboring nodes beyond the degree of connection [ 42 ]. This study extracted the top 30 words for each degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centrality. Finally, a spring map was used to visualize the keywords and their connection structures in the network.

Text network analysis was chosen because it provides a detailed understanding of relationships between concepts, unlike traditional methods that focus on theme frequency. It visualizes keyword interactions, highlighting central themes and their connections, offering insights into students’ reflections on IPE and their thought patterns.

Topic modeling

Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) is a statistical text-processing technique that clusters keywords based on their probabilities and distributions to infer topics [ 43 ]. In this study, keywords extracted from essays were compiled into a matrix for LDA. To determine the optimal number of topics, combinations of α = 0.01–0.03, β = 0.01–0.03, topic model = 3–8, and 1,000 iterations were tested. The optimal model was selected based on the coherence score (c_v), with the highest coherence score ensuring the validity and reliability of the inferred topics [ 44 , 45 , 46 ].

Key keywords

Table 2 presents the keywords derived from analyzing medical students’ essays selected through the TF and TF-IDF analyses. In the TF analysis, “thought” appeared most frequently (365 times), followed by “group” 359 times, “class” 322 times, and “game” 278 times. The top 20 keywords in TF-IDF included “patient,” “game,” “group,” and “person.” Keywords that appeared in both TF and TF-IDF analyses included “nursing school,” “nurse,” “game,” “hospital,” “person,” “mutual,” “communication,” “time,” “group,” “important,” “progress,” “puzzle,” “patient,” and “activity.” Comparing the keywords between TF and TF-IDF, new terms that emerged in TF-IDF included “IPE,” “room,” and “clinical practice.”

Text network analysis

Network structure

In this study, a network was constructed based on a co-occurrence frequency of at least two words with word proximity (window size) set to two words. The resulting network comprised 1,218 nodes and 627 links. The network density was 0.012, with an average degree and distance of 3.919 and 3.447, respectively.

Centrality analysis

Table 3 lists the top 30 keywords according to degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centralities, providing insight into the overall network characteristics. The top three keywords across all three centrality analyses included “patient,” “thought,” “group,” “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication.” The ranking and composition of the keywords were similar in both degree and betweenness centrality analyses. In the eigenvector results, “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication” were ranked highest. When comparing the top 30 keywords from eigenvector centrality with those from degree and betweenness centrality, new terms such as “future,” “society,” and “need” emerged. These findings are presented in Fig. 1 , which illustrates the spring network map of centrality.

Spring network map of centrality. a Degree centrality. b Betweenness centrality. c Eigenvector centrality

Topic modeling: selection of the number of topics

To determine the optimal number of topics, 54 combinations of options were tested, including α = 0.01–0.03, β = 0.01–0.03, topic models = 3–8, and 1,000 iterations. Three topics were identified.

In the topic modeling process, after reviewing the keywords and contents of the assigned original documents, the research team convened and named each topic to reflect the trend of the subject matter, as shown in Fig. 2 . Following prior research, the final topic model was visualized using a topic-keyword map displaying the top eight to thirteen words [ 44 ]. Topic 1, accounting for 17% of the total topics, includes keywords such as “group,” “game,” “puzzle,” “delivery,” and “activity.” This reflects the inclusion of group-based, game-centric activities in the IPE classes; hence, it was named “game-based collaborative activity experience.” Topic 2 comprises 23% of the topics centered around the thoughts of doctors and nurses about patients in clinical settings, with keywords including “doctor,” “thought,” “patient,” “hospital,” and “nurse.” It was thus named “interprofessional perspectives.” Topic 3, with the largest share at 60%, incorporates keywords such as “class,” “nursing school,” “thought,” “activity,” and “student.” It primarily addresses class activities involving nursing students, thus the term “interdisciplinary educational experience.” Visually examining the entire network of topic modeling indicates that Topic 1, “game-based collaborative activity experience,” and Topic 3, “interdisciplinary educational experience,” are connected through the keywords “person” and “activity.” Topic 2, “Interprofessional Perspectives,” and Topic 3, are linked by “thought” and “class.” In the network, Topic 3 plays a vital role in connecting Topics 1 and 2, as illustrated in Fig. 2 .

Semantic keywords of topic modeling

This study is the first attempt to demonstrate the educational impact of game-based IPE activities on fostering an interprofessional perspective, communication skills, and team building skills among healthcare professionals through a text network analysis of student essays. This distinguishes this study from previous studies. This approach can help students develop collaborative skills, thereby effectively addressing various challenges in clinical settings. The primary findings and implications of this study are as follows:

First, the keywords with the highest degree of centrality were “patient,” “thought,” and “group.” High-degree-centrality keywords play a central role in the entire network, suggesting that the overall program should be designed around these keywords. The keywords with high betweenness centrality were also “patient,” “thought,” and “group.” These keywords act as necessary connectors within the network, indicating that they are crucial for establishing communication channels between different professions and ensuring a smooth flow of information in medical education. Keywords with high eigenvector centrality included “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication.” The prominence of keywords such as “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication” in centrality measures signifies their strong connections to other important terms in the network. This highlights the pivotal role of doctors and nurses in collaborative practices and underscores the importance of communication skills in IPE programs. The central positioning of these keywords within the network emphasizes the need to prioritize interprofessional roles and communication competencies to enhance collaborative practices in clinical settings. These results align with previous findings emphasizing the importance of education in promoting effective collaboration and communication among healthcare professionals [ 47 ]. The centralities thus provide quantitative evidence supporting the critical roles and interactions that are essential for successful IPE.

The relevance of these keywords can be understood within the framework of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies, which emphasize patient-centered care, reflective thinking, and effective communication. The central keywords align with IPEC’s domains: values/ethics for interprofessional practice, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams/teamwork [ 4 , 48 ]. For instance, “patient” and “group” correspond to the emphasis on patient-centered care and teamwork, while “thought” and “communication” are essential for reflective practice and effective interprofessional communication. Integrating IPE into medical education strengthens transparent and efficient teamwork across different specialties, minimizes errors in clinical decision-making, and improves patient outcomes. Consequently, medical schools should develop curricula that provide students with ample opportunities to collaborate with team members from various specialties [ 49 ].

Second, the topic modeling analysis indicated that Topic 1 provides a collaborative experience through group-based gaming activities in an IPE course. This aligns with previous research, indicating that game-based learning can enhance participants’ socialization and communication skills. Thornton Bacon et al. [ 50 ] and Sanko et al. [ 51 ] reported that students who participated in the Friday Night at Emergency Room (FNER) game demonstrated a statistically significant increase in systems thinking scores. In addition, Fusco et al. [ 52 ] confirmed that gameplay positively affected students’ systematic thinking, effective collaboration, and socialization skills. This suggests that game-based learning is useful for developing collaborative problem-solving skills and can be effectively integrated into various educational designs of IPE programs. Topic 2 highlights the significant focus on the perspectives of healthcare professionals in clinical environments. According to Bridges et al. [ 53 ] and Prentice et al. [ 54 ], IPE provides opportunities to develop a better understanding of roles and improve communication among healthcare team members. In this process, improving knowledge about one’s own roles and responsibilities as well as those of other professions can enhance teamwork between professionals [ 55 ]. This finding suggests that IPE programs can improve the quality of healthcare delivery by fostering mutual respect and understanding among different healthcare professionals. Topic 3 primarily addressed class activities for nursing students and included interdisciplinary educational experiences. These results show that game-based IPE activities are an effective educational method for enhancing interprofessional perspectives and communication skills, going beyond traditional lectures that simply deliver knowledge to students.

Additionally, Bjerkvik and Hilli [ 56 ] stated that expressing thoughts through writing facilitates the understanding of personal experiences. This enables learners to explore their emotions and attitudes, ultimately leading them to deeper self-understanding and professional growth. Consequently, this study analyzed students’ reflective thinking through topic modeling and presented evidence that game-based IPE activities are crucial in promoting learners’ reflective thinking and professional growth.

This study has several limitations. First, a limited group of students from a specific university participated in this study, which may have restricted the generalizability of the findings. Additional research is required to verify the results of this study across multiple student groups from various backgrounds and environments. Second, the research methodology relied on text analysis of student essays, focusing only on students’ subjective experiences and perceptions. To address this limitation, we used a rigorous coding scheme, inter-rater reliability checks, and TF-IDF for keyword extraction. Our methodology included keyword selection, data pre-processing, network construction, and LDA-based topic modeling, optimized with the coherence score (c_v). These steps ensured that the data analysis was both robust and reliable. Additionally, incorporating multiple methods for data analysis allowed us to cross-verify the findings and enhance the overall rigor of the study. Future research should integrate a range of methods, including interviews and surveys, to achieve a more comprehensive evaluation. Third, the effects of IPE programs on students’ collaborative competencies in clinical practice and healthcare settings is limited. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of game-based IPE on clinical practice, patient outcomes, and students’ readiness for clinical environments. Additionally, tracking the career progression and professional development of participants will help assess the sustained benefits of these educational interventions.

Conclusions

This study is the first to explore changes in reflective thinking and perceptions among students who participated in IPE programs. This demonstrates the positive effects of IPE on professional healthcare students. Specifically, through the analysis of degree, betweenness, and eigenvector centrality, we identified keywords such as “patient,” “thought,” “group,” “doctor,” “nurse,” and “communication” as crucial to interprofessional perspectives and communication among healthcare professionals. Topic modeling further underscores the importance of game-based learning, interprofessional perspectives, and interdisciplinary educational experiences.

These findings emphasize the need for innovative teaching methods in medical education and reaffirm the importance of promoting effective inter-professional perspective, communication skills and team building skills. Medical schools should strive to improve the design and implementation of their IPE program by incorporating students’ experiences and reflective insights. This will ultimately improve the quality of medical education. This study can serve as valuable foundational data for future research. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of game-based IPE on clinical practice and patient outcomes. Research should also explore the impact of game-based IPE on participants’ career progression and professional development to assess sustained benefits. Additionally, future research could examine how different game-based learning activities influence specific interprofessional competencies, such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, to identify the most effective approaches for IPE programs.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical constraints but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Interprofessional education

Friday night at emergency room

Latent Dirichlet allocation

Term frequency

Term frequency-inverse document frequency

Inverse document frequency

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Study conception and design: YK, MN, CK. Data collection: YK, MN, CK. Data analysis and interpretation: YK, MN, SM, EE, CK. Drafting of the article: YK, MN, SP, MK. Critical revision of the article: YK, MN, SP, SM, EE, CK.

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Kwon, Y.G., Namgung, M., Park, S.H. et al. Impact of a game-based interprofessional education program on medical students’ perceptions: a text network analysis using essays. BMC Med Educ 24 , 898 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05893-2

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