Task Overview
This task is meant to give you some practice writing definitions following the standard definition pattern. It’s also meant to be a little bit fun, so don’t stress out as you do this. Just follow the steps below:
- Start Microsoft Word.
- Type up definitions for the following 6 terms:
- a term for a process related to your major (like critiquing a novel for English majors or creating a database for computer science majors)
- a term for a common student activity (like studying)
- a term that someone who goes to IUP would be likely to know (like the Oak Grove)
- a term for a geographic place (like China or Pittsburgh)
- a term for a children’s toy (like a Hot Wheels car)
- any other term of your choice (But make it a hard one!)
- Put your definitions into the pattern:
X term is a category with properties A, B, and C.
- For 5 of your 6 terms, write definitions that are as clear as possible. For fun, though, choose one term for which you can write a more misleading/tricky definition (we’ll see if anyone can figure this tricky definition out).
- Now go back through your definitions and replace the real terms with blank lines like so:
______________ is a category with properties A, B, and C.
- Now, to make things really hard for your readers, go back through and change the order of the definitions in your list. Don’t just start with the process term from your major.
- Now comes the fun part, seeing if anyone else in the class can figure out the terms you were defining. Walk around the room, read your classmates’ definitions, and fill in the blanks. Do one or two at each computer, then move on to the next computer. As you walk around the room, read some of your classmates’ answers and, if you can think of a different answer, type that in as well.
Definition Examples
The Oak Grove
___________ is a campus location which is central to IUP. (still a bit too general)
___________ is a campus recreational area which is central to IUP, full of trees, and used for picnics in the summer time. (better; more specific)
A barbie
__________ is a child’s toy made of plastic. (still a bit too general)
__________ is a doll that usually has blond hair, is very thin, is made of cheap plastic, and is especially popular with young girls. (better; more specific)