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9 . Definition Paragraph and Plan In the definition paragraph , a…
9 . Definition Paragraph and Plan
In the definition paragraph, a writer develops the meaning of a word or term through examples, descriptions, comparisons, or contrasts in the body sentences. Each of the body sentences should clearly relate to the definition provided in the topic sentence. Although there are no transitional expressions used specifically for definition paragraphs, phrases such as can be defined as, can be considered, or means that signal to the reader that a definition is about to be presented. Also, repeating the word being defined (or a form of it) reminds the reader of what is being explained.
Select Topic Sentence or Body Sentence in the left-hand column of the following table to see an explanation of each sentence’s function within the example paragraph.
Example Paragraph
Topic Sentence: A career is not just a job that pays the bills but a chosen field of work that offers challenges and growth.
Body Sentence: For example, a career as a research professor demands an intense curiosity and commitment to a particular field of study.
Body Sentence: Research professors don’t punch in to work and hope that their shift goes by quickly as many people just working for a paycheck do.
Body Sentence: Rather, they must put in countless hours in the lab or the library archives until they have collected sufficient information; they also engage in intellectual discussions with their colleagues about their shared field of study.
Body Sentence: In conclusion, a person must want more than a job to be a research professor; he or she must want to contribute to a body of knowledge, no matter how many hours of intellectual labor it might take.
Directions: Read the following definition paragraph and then answer the questions that follow. (Hint: As you read, try to spot the sentence that has an irrelevant detail.)
(1) Do you want to be a doctor but have reservations about the enormous debt and years of commitment that come with medical school? (2) A career as a physician assistant (PA) might be the perfect compromise. (3) Physician assistants are members of a health-care team who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician or surgeon. (4) A physician spends four to five years in medical school, but most physician assistant schools take only two years to complete. (5) After passing a national exam to obtain a license, physician assistants perform many of the same on-the-job activities as a doctor does, including taking medical histories, examining and treating patients, ordering and analyzing lab tests and x-rays, making diagnoses, and counseling patients. (6) Some patients have chronic health issues, such as diabetes or hypertension. (7) Another positive element of a career as a physician assistant is the reasonable hours. (8) As the nine-to-five workday becomes increasingly obsolete, most physician assistants still work an average of 40 hours per week. (9) Finally, the career of a physician assistant is defined by its excellent pay and job security. (10) Unlike many recent college graduates who are forced to take low-level and poor-paying positions, most certified physician assistants immediately find work in their fields and are well compensated for it. (11) Employment in this field is expected to grow by 30% between 2014 and 2024, much faster than the average for all other occupations. (12) In addition, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ Census Report, physician assistants have a median income of $98,180. (13) Therefore, being a physician assistant means having a secure and high-paying career that offers daily challenges in the medical field without as many years of schooling or the astronomical student loans that come with being a doctor.
Source: “Physician Assistants.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 17 November 2016.
What is the topic sentence of this definition paragraph?
1- (11) Employment in this field is expected to grow by 30% between 2014 and 2024, much faster than the average for all other occupations.
2- (3) Physician assistants are members of a health-care team who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician or surgeon.
3- (1) Do you want to be a doctor but have reservations about the enormous debt and years of commitment that come with medical school?
What kind of definition appears in the topic sentence?
1- Definition by negation
2- Definition by synonym
3- Definition by class
Which sentence does not clearly relate to and support the topic sentence? (Hint: Select the sentence that does not help the reader understand what it means to be a physician assistant.)
1- (7) Another positive element of a career as a physician assistant is the reasonable hours.
2- (12) In addition, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ Census Report, physician assistants have a median income of $98,180.
3- (6) Some patients have chronic health issues, such as diabetes or hypertension.
What specific examples or informative details support the paragraph’s definition of what it means to have a career as a physician assistant? Check all that apply.
1- The pay of a physician assistant
2- The typical car owned by a physician assistant
3- The on-the-job duties of a physician assistant
4- The years of education required for a physician assistant
4- The workweek hours for a physician assistant
