Now that you have your definitional claim established, your X and Y terms, and your research underway, this heuristic is intended to help you put pen to paper and to begin organizing and structuring your definitional argument. Note that it would be very helpful to review Chapter 10 (and especially pages 199-200) before starting this heuristic.

"Framing the Foundation - The Criteria Section"

1. Start by restating the claim of your definitional argument: for example, "Spanking (X) is not a form of child abuse (Y)." "Child abuse" is my definitional term that is under dispute in this example. Now, begin to formulate the frame or core of your argument by expanding your claim into a series of enthymemes. Remember, an enthymeme is the core of your argument and consists of your claim supported by reasons (attached to your claim with because clauses). An enthymeme is also an incomplete logical structure, but we'll deal with that a bit later.

For example, an enthymeme for the above claim might be, "Spanking is not a form of child abuse [claim] because spanking a child is a positive disciplinary action [reason]." Some additional enthymemes might be (all of these reasons I have brainstormed off the "top of my head"):

· "Spanking is not a form of child abuse because it is committed by an interested and empathetic authority figure;"
· "…because it is a positive disciplinary action intended to discourage negative behavior in children…behavior that often has emotional roots;"
· "…because it is a rational response and not an emotional behavior;"
· "…because it is meant to protect children from a greater harm;"

2. Now, looking at these initial enthymemes (or lines of reasoning), begin to think of your core argument in terms of the definitional criteria-match structure. Your "reasons" are your "definitional criteria" and your "evidence" (as you'll see later) is part of your "match" section.

Begin formulating your criteria section (your argument's core) by identifying how you have, perhaps unknowingly, defined your Y term within your enthymemes.

For example, my enthymemes from question #1 imply a certain definitional criteria for my Y term, "child abuse." Because I am arguing a negative ("spanking is not a form of child abuse"), my enthymemes imply that child abuse must not involve anything that falls into the category of a "positive disciplinary action" taken to "discourage negative behavior" etc. As a result, some definitional criteria for "child abuse" are:

· an action that is not positive or disciplinary in nature
· an action that lacks the rational intent of correcting negative behavior
· a behavior that is rooted in emotion and passion
· is often negative and irrational and results in violence
· acts as a hindrance to rational discipline.

Take your initial enthymeme and do the same. What definitional criteria have you established so far in your initial enthymemes? Make a list of at least 4-5 definitional criterions.

3. Now that you have some criteria for your Y term, expand that definitional criteria by seeking out various "reportive" definitions; look up your term in various reference sources such as general dictionaries, encyclopedias, legal dictionaries, medical dictionaries, etc. In addition, look to how others have defined your term (explicitly or implicitly) in the various articles you have reviewed. List all of these reportive definitions.

Take these reportive definitions and the criteria from the earlier heuristic and synthesize them, adding them to your initial enthymemes (as additional reasons) in order to construct a comprehensive set of criteria for your definitional argument. This is the "frame" or core of your argument - the very skeleton of your paper. Without a strong frame, the argument is ultimately untenable.

SOME NOTES ON YOUR ROUGH DRAFT

By Monday, I expect you to re-read Chapter 10 and specifically pages 199-200. These pages will refresh your memory on the organizational structure of definitional arguments (i.e. the "criteria-match" structure).

Also, take a close look at the student essay from Chapter 10 (page 220) entitled, "Oncore, Obscenity, and the Liquor Control Board." While not what I would consider the best definitional argument, it is a classic example of the "criteria-match" structure and might prove helpful in getting you started.

This part of the heuristic is due on Monday, 9/16 along with your rough draft. I realize that this draft may be fairly sketchy and will function primarily as a "discovery draft." In this draft, I am most concerned with the introduction and with the "criteria section" of your argument. We will work more closely next week with the "match" section, in which you will offer all of your supporting evidence.

In order to receive full credit (20 homework points), your draft must include the following:

· A thoughtful introduction that summarizes the underlying issue and controversy for your readers and attempts to "pull" them in and catch their interest;
· A clear statement of your claim (your position) and the direction your argument will take;
· A substantial "criteria section" in which you offer the definitional criteria you have compiled so far for your Y term.
· The draft should be legible prose; if you want, you can create an outline of how you will construct the match section and what evidence you will use to support your criteria. But, the introduction and criteria section should be in complete sentences, paragraph form, etc.