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When your argument depends on the meaning of a key term, it makes sense to structure your essay as a definition argument. In this type of essay, you will argue that something fits (or does not fit) the definition of a particular class of items. For example, to argue that Wikipedia is a legitimate research source, you have to define legitimate research source and then show that Wikipedia fits this definition.

Many arguments focus on definition. In fact, you encounter them so often that you probably do not recognize them for what they are. For example, consider the following questions:

You cannot answer these questions without providing definitions. In fact, if you were writing an argumentative essay in response to one of these questions, much of your essay would be devoted to defining and discussing a key term.

Many contemporary social and legal disputes involve definition arguments. For example, did a coworker’s actions constitute sexual harassment? Is an individual trying to enter the United States an undocumented worker or an illegal alien? Is a person guilty of murder or of manslaughter? Did the CIA engage in torture or in aggressive questioning? Was the magazine cover satirical or racist? Is the punishment just, or is it cruel and unusual? The answers to these and many other questions hinge on definitions of key terms.

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Keep in mind, however, that definitions can change as our thinking about certain issues changes. For example, fifty years ago the word family generally referred to one or more children living with two heterosexual married parents. Now, the term can refer to a wide variety of situations—children living with single parents, gay and lesbian couples, and unmarried heterosexual couples, for example. Our definition of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment has also changed. Public hanging, a common method of execution for hundreds of years, is now considered barbaric.