It is often useful to illustrate the different usage of terms or definitions and to justify your own choice. Refer to the scientific literature when doing so. Less important terms might only be explained in parentheses, a footnote, or a brief clause. Other, central terms of your paper, however, are often discussed in several sentences or even a separate section.

You should avoid a dictionary-like chapter on “definition of terms.” Introduce the main terms at the points where you deal with them in detail for the first time.

Technical terms that are common in Social Sciences do not need to be explained.

Example of term explanation

The term “atypical employment” eludes a precise definition. Rather, the idea of what is “atypical” arises in contrast to “typical” employment. Keller and Seifert define the standard employment relationship as “full-time work with corresponding income, permanent employment, integration into social security systems (i.e., unemployment, health, and pension insurance), identity of employment and work relationship, and subordination of the employee to the employer” (Keller; Seifert 2009: 40). Atypical employment deviates in at least one of these conditions (ibid. : 41). The term “precarious” is generally used according to Lehmann, Dörre, and Scherschel, who describe any employment relationship that is insecure and therefore leads to equally insecure living conditions as precarious (Lehmann, Dörre, Scherschel: 2009). Wölfle argues for restricting the term “precarious” employment to above-average insecure employment relationships (Wölfle 2013: 38), although he does not clarify what counts as average.

Source: Slightly modified from a student paper in the module “Politics and Social Policy” by Stefanie Zeitz

The definition of terms is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently asked questions

Der Beitrag Explaining Terms erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.