FORMAL DEFINITION

• Formal definition, or definition by classification, is a way of defining a term by giving illustrative examples of its use.
• A definition by classification has three parts.
  1. The first part is the TERM to be defined:
      
     • TERM:  Trivia
        
  2. Next, to help the reader identify the TERM, place it in the general CLASS to which the TERM belongs:
      
     • TERM:    Trivia
     • CLASS:    Information
        
  3. Finally, you need to differentiate the TERM, "Trivia," from that very general CLASS, "information" to communicate a precise meaning of the TERM:
      

     TERM:	Trivia
     CLASS:	Information
     DIFFERENTIATION:	that is Unimportant, Inconsequential, or Inessential

      

  • It might be written this way:
    
    Trivia is information that is unimportant, inconsequential or inessential.
     
  • This definition by classification consists of three parts: 
    1. TERM
    2. CLASS
    3. DIFFERENTIATION.
        
• Let's look at another example:
   

  TERM:	a Charlatan
  CLASS:	a Person
  DIFFERENTIATION:	who Pretends to have Knowledge or Skill s/he does not possess

   

• Again, it might be written in this way:
  
          A charlatan is a person who pretends to have knowledge or skill she/he does not possess.
   
• Try one more:
   

  TERM:	Charisma
  CLASS:	a Special Quality
  DIFFERENTIATION:	which Gives an Individual Influence or Authority over large Groups of People

   

  • Charisma is a special quality which gives an individual influence or authority over large groups of people.
    
     
• In each case, the term to be defined is first identified by being included in a general class with which the reader is likely to be familiar.
• Then, the term is differentiated from other members of that class, thus specifying a particular meaning for the term in question.

3 Types of Definition:  (links)

1. By Classification (Formal Definition)
2. By Synonyms
3. By Enumeration

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