The Concept Paper as Extended Definition

To ensure that your reader understands the concept that you’re defining, a combination of several rhetorical
strategies is used to extend a definition. You can give examples of the term. This is a fitting strategy especially
if the term you’re defining is abstract. For example, to clarify the meaning of integrity, you can give examples
of behaviours and situations that demonstrate it.
A comparison and contrastcan also be done. This is advisable when the term is not too familiar or popular
with the audience. What you can do is compare and contrast it with something more popular and familiar to
your audience. For instance, the concept of imperialism may not be known to many and therefore, difficult to
explain, but if you use a parallel situation of a landowner being driven out of his land and the intruder
attempting to steal the property from the owner, you might find some success in your effort.
Giving detailsthrough description is another strategy: you can physically describe something by giving its
dimensions (shape, size, color, texture), parts and functions, as in defining what an ATM is. Nonphysical
description can be done by giving characteristics to define something. For example, to define malicious intent,
you can use synonyms like malevolent and spiteful.
Giving historicalbackground may also enlighten the audience about the meaning of a concept. This strategy is
particularly useful when a concept’s has gone through changes in time.A good example is the meaning of
femininity. Certainly the concept’s meaning has changed given the socio-cultural changes that every community
goes through. You can do research to improve the content of your definition.
Analysisto extenda definitioncan be done by discussing the idea’s components and/or its implication.
Implications are the far-reaching consequences of a concept. For example, in defining globalization you can
explain one of its consequences: the homogenization of cultures (or cultures losing their uniqueness and
becoming very similar) as a result of frequent exchanges and intentions between and among countries becoming
very easy.
In terms of style, a definition may be formal or informal, or technical or popular. In a formal definition, a
concept is defined by first giving the class to which the term belongs and then proceeding to a discussion of the
characteristics that make the term different from other related terms. In science, this approach is called genus et
differentia. For example, if you’re defining the concept sole proprietorship, you start by saying that it’s a
business (class) that is owned and operated by one person (distinguishing characteristics). Then you can extend
the definition by perhaps comparing it with a company. A formal definition is often what is required in the
academe. It uses research-based information. In contrast, an informal definition may be just based on a person’s
personal views.
A technical definition, as the term says, makes use of technical language or specialized vocabulary of a field,
which is why it is not easily understood by a person who lacks the necessary background or training. A popular
definition, in contrast, makes use of layman’s language and is thus easy to understand. A technical definition is
often a formal definition. To cite an example:
Technical Definition: A set is a group whose members are called element of the set. A member of a set is said
to belong to the set. If one set contains every element of another set, then the second set is a subset of the first.
Popular Definition: A set is a group of things that belong together. Often the group members can be
subdivided into subgroups. For example, a family is a group of people who are related by blood. One subgroup
of the family is the parents; another subgroup is the children.
 The Sections of a Project Concept Paper
The project concept paper is a summary of your proposed project and writing it entails not only information but
also persuasions to convince the reader- a representative of the funding agency-to see the value of supporting
your proposal. It serves as the initial outline of your proposed project and may be from 1 to 3 pages.
To serve the twin purposes of informing and persuading, the project concept paper can have the following
sections, although some agencies may prefer a modified format.
Introduction: Arouse the interest of the readers/target sponsor by showing your understanding of their mission.
Identify your (organization’s) mission and show how your mission dovetails with the readers priorities.
Purpose: Identify a problem or need of the reader that you wish to address and justify the need for your
proposed project.
Project Description: Describe the activities that your project will undertake to address the problem/need. Point
out the strengths of your approach. Discuss the general impact of your proposed project: what will be the
outcome, who will be affected?
Objectives: State the specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and the time-bound (SMART) objectives of the
project.
Methodology/Project Design: Enumerate the steps/procedures to implement the project.
Project Needs: Make a list of materials, personnel, equipment, and space that will be needed to carry out the
project. Include a cost estimate.
Timetable: Make an estimate of the time it will take for the completion of the project.

The Nature of a Position Paper

A position paper, also called an Argumentative or manifesto, is an essay that presents a person’s position or
stand on a particular issue. Its goal is to convince the reader of the acceptability of the writer’s position and it
does so by:
 Presenting rational support to a writer’s position, through the use of evidence,
 Presenting counter-evidence to or flaws in the arguments of the opposing position.
 Using emotional appeal.

Parts of a Position Paper

According to McWhorter(2001) a position paper contains the following elements:
1. Issue
An issue is an idea or question over which people are divided; it’s also called controversy. That means
people have different points of view on the matter.

2. Thesis
 It is also called claim, is a statement that expresses your stand or position on an issue. This expresses
how you feel about an issue.

3. Reasons
It seeks to persuade readers to have the same position on an issue as the writers does. Thus, it’s
important for a writer to state the reasons in order to explain to the reader why his/her position is logical,
acceptable and believable. Another term for reasons is arguments.

4. Support
It refers to the evidence or ideas to substantiate the reasons. Support may be classified into the following
types:
a. Facts- figures and the writers’ own observations or reports from the scholarly studies.
b. Comparisons- similarities and differentiation between two ideas, concepts and situations.
c. Examples- real-life demonstrations of an idea.
d.Opinions- the authors’ feelings or generalization.

5. Opposing viewpoints or counterarguments

It is also known as counterarguments, give the arguments opposing your stand. Your goal in presenting
these is to refute or discredit them, so that any opposition in the readers mind is dealt with.

2 Major types of Appeal

1. Logical Appeal- This is the use of facts inorder to support a position; it persuades the audience by targeting
their thinking. There are different types of arguments according to reasoning based on evidence. The are:
a. Argument from transitivity
This involves three terms associated through the process of classification. In this type of argument, two
classification statement serve as premises which then serve as the basic for the argument, presented in the form
of a conclusion as in A is B;B is C;thus,A is C
b. Argument from incompatibility
It presents two contradictory choices, such that the choice of one means the exclusion of the other. Thus, A
cannot be B; if it is B, it cannot be A, for A and B cannot be combined.
c. Argument from reciprocity
This argument says that individuals and situations that can be put together under the same category should be
treated the same way.
d. Argument from Comparison
This argues that the two situations will have the same outcome because of the similarities between these
situations.
e. Argument from generalization
We use one member of a population to make a conclusion about the entire population. We encounter this
argument all the time.
f. Argument from Examples
It is similar to argument from generalization in that conclusion are made about an entire population.
Thedifference is that, instead of using only one member as basis, in argument from examples you use a group of
examples from the population to serve as your basis.
g. Argument from Cause
An argument from cause posits A is cause by B, which means that the presence of A(cause) will mean the
presence of B (effect).
h. Argument from sign
It uses a sign or indicator X to argue for the existence of condition Y.

2. Emotional Appeal- This is the use of the audience’s feelings for the subject of the paper- such as anger, pity
and aversion- in order to persuade.
a. Bandwagon or join-the-crowd appeal
In this type of appeal, the writer uses people’s tendency to conform with the majority, pointing out that his/her
position enjoys support from many people.

b. Appeal to common folk

The persuasion is done by pointing out that a person is no different from ordinary people. Or, that a product or
idea is something that ordinary people would purchase or support.

c. False Authority
A type of false reasoning in which a person speaks as an expert on something on which she/he has no expertise.

d. Name calling or ad hominem

Uses labels with negative meanings to cast one’s opponent in a bad light, as when a politician calls her
opponents idiots.

e. Association
This is done by creating a link between one thing or idea and another one that people have a positive or negative
for.