For this essay, assume that your class is compiling its own anthology of essays defining humor, laughter, and comedy. Using some of these essays as models (think rhetorical strategies, organization, major claims, etc.), construct an argument, convincing your reader that your definition and its role in comedy is reasonable and convincing.
Try to find a unique perspective to argue for: what can you say about humor – how it is developed, how it affects a certain population, when your criteria are most effective – that will make your argument unique and focused? Your essay should:
Sometimes the definition paper is difficult to understand because you are used to arguing against or evaluating something. Here, you'll be taking something abstract (like "awkwardness") and placing it within a category (like "humor").
While most readers would have an idea what "awkward" means, you goal would be to have the readers see it from a humorous perspective. So you might try out a thesis like, "Awkward actions generally create humorous situations for spectators because..." Then the goal is to explain what "awkward" means and why it might be "humorous" instead of disheartening or sad or painful.
Doing research on one particular word or phrase can be difficult. Often it requires thinking beyond just the word you are trying to define.
When using databases, it is important to use keywords. Library databases are not answer machines. You cannot type your research question into a library search engine and get a bunch of articles that answer it. That is not how databases work.
Instead, you need to think like a computer. Whatever you type into the search box, the database is going to match it. You need to think strategically about your research question and what words might appear in articles that would be useful to you.
Here are some tips for coming up with keywords:
Need additional help with keywords? Contact a librarian or check out our Keyword Searching LibGuide.
Continuing with the above example of "awkward," we will look at some additional search terms. Note that most databases allow you to use multiple search boxes. If this is the case, separate words or phrases in each of the boxes.
For example, you might choose to search "awkward" AND "humor." Doing a simple search using these terms returns articles that mention "aggressive humor" and "harmless humor," as well as additional terms such as:
You could also try researching ethics in comedy, cultural humor, humor theory, irony and satire, political humor, disparagement humor, etc.
The key is to not give up! Keep trying different terms and keywords until you are finding information you want. If you need assistance, please contact a librarian.