The basic methods of defining terms are as follows:
1. EXAMPLE- Giving an example is often an effective method of defining terms. Giving your audience a specific example of the type of program you propose.
2. COMMAN USAGE- In the interest of accuracy and precision, debate propositions must sometimes contain technical terms. Often these terms can be defined effectively by referring to comman usage. Establish a definition clear to the audience. To qualify as common usage a term must be commonly understood across lines of gender, age, and culture.
3. AUTHORITY- Some terms may be defined most effectively by referring to an authority qualified to state the meaning and usage of the term. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and books or articles by recognized scholars are often used as authority for a particular definition.
4. OPERATION- Some terms are best defined if the advocate provides an operational definition and explains the function or special purpose represented by the terms in a specific context. The use of operation as a method of definition is often linked with the presentation of a plan and is a helpful way of explaining a complex matter.
5. NEGATION- Sometimes a term may be defined effectively by indicating what it does NOT mean.
[excerpted from Austin J. Freely's 9th Edition of "Argumentation and Debate."
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DEFINE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS AND TERMS, AND YOU CAN MIX AND MATCH THE ABOVE, BUT THESE WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU A STARTING POINT.
