For this essay, you will practice this skill by picking a concept and explaining it. Your concept can come from almost any field; try to pick something that interests you. For instance, if you are interested in music, you might explain what a melody is; if you are engaged with politics, you might try to define human rights. You could also pick a more concrete concept, such as defining a traffic circle or describing the function of a transistor.

Purpose:
To clearly and concisely explain an idea, using at least one documented source.

Overview
Writing assignments frequently require you to explain some concept or idea before the reader
can understand your main point.

For this essay, you will practice this skill by picking a concept and explaining it. Your concept can come from almost any field; try to pick something that interests you. For instance, if you are interested in music, you might explain what a melody is; if you are engaged with politics, you might try to define human rights. You could also pick a more concrete concept, such as defining a traffic circle or describing the function of a transistor.

For this essay, you will need to use at least 1 source, documented in either APA or MLA format.

Please see Chapter 4 of your textbook for additional guidelines on writing a concept essay.

Guidelines and Requirements
Your essay should be between 800 and 1500 words; feel free to go longer if you need the space. Your essay should completely define the concept in question and provide the reader with a clear sense of what the concept means and why it is significant.

Use the following questions as guidelines for your writing:
 How common is knowledge of your concept? How much can you safely assume that your
reader knows?
 What does your reader need to know in order to understand your concept? What ideas or
facts are necessary to follow your explanation?
 Why is it important for your reader to know about your concept? Is it a topic of general
interest and curiosity, or is it a vital piece of information for an informed citizen of a
republic?