Define and use concepts in your

writing

Being able to define and use concepts, principles, instruments and

theories is an important part of practising academic integrity in Academic Skills
Quick Guide
assignments and demonstrating your understanding to your marker.
This guide explains when, why and how to define concepts in your
assessment tasks.

What is a concept?
A concept is an abstract idea. We use concepts in our everyday lives to make sense of ourselves, others, and
the world around us. All of the units you study at university will teach you disciplinary concepts that are part of
wider theoretical approaches.

Two important things students need to know about theoretical

concepts at university:
1. Each discipline or field of study at university teaches its own theoretical concepts
These concepts are used to:

• describe, explain, and analyse phenomena

• investigate contexts, issues, and problems
• generate responses or solutions.

This means that each area of study at university has its own disciplinary language (specialist terms). Learning the
concepts taught in your course can be challenging at first, but is essential to study success.

2. Studying at university is about more than learning ‘information’ and ‘skills’

Your course is teaching you a new way to think that includes how to makes sense of issues, respond to
problems effectively, and continually reflect upon experiences in order to improve.

The first step towards learning new disciplinary ways of thinking involves learning the theoretical concepts
taught in your course. Introductory units tend to focus on teaching new students the most important
disciplinary concepts to get them started. However, all units teach students concepts and ways of thinking.

When and where to define concepts in assignments

• Concepts should be defined BEFORE you use them. Doing this demonstrates to the marker that you
understand the unit/disciplinary meaning of the concept, helps ‘set up’ your discussion, and makes
your work easier or the reader to understand.
• The short definition of simple concept may be included in the introduction of case studies, book reviews,
research papers, and reports.
• In essays it is often OK to provide a short referenced definition of a simple concept (e.g. is not contested
and does not require detailed explanation) in the introduction. Often, key concept definitions are presented
in the first paragraph(s) of the essay body.
• It is common in theoretical essays to use the first few paragraphs of the essay body to introduce
your theoretical approach by defining key concepts, and then use the rest of the essay to apply these
concepts to make sense of historical events, explain social issues, evaluate political processes, reflect
upon professional practice, analyse texts, solve problems, generate responses, or offer potential solutions.
• In some theoretical essays and literature reviews written in advanced units, much of the assignment
involves comparing, contrasting, and judging the ways disciplinary experts define and use theoretical
concepts.
• Less important concepts (e.g. not identified in the assignment topic/question and not crucial to your
argument) can be defined as you use them (they don’t need to defined early on).

Always ask teachers about how they expect you to define and use concepts in your assignments.

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 Quick Guide

How to define concepts effectively in assignments

The following guidance offers general rules about defining concepts effectively in university assignments, and
draws upon APA 6th edition referencing style.

General writing rules can be useful, but it is important to always read the assignment marking criteria and
ask your teacher about disciplinary writing conventions in your course. For example, in some types of
scientific writing concepts are defined by using paraphrases (not direct quotations as suggested below).
Always ask your teachers if you need clarification.

There are five key steps to follow when defining concepts in your assignments:

1. Always use disciplinary experts when defining concepts in assignments. Remember the same concept/
word can be defined differently depending on the discipline. Often this means using unit sources.
2. Use a direct quotation to provide a precise and exact statement about the nature and limits of the concept.
3. Always accurately reference direct quotations to acknowledge you are using others’ words and ideas.
4. If using a quote to define a concept try to introduce the quote (e.g. name the author, use a reporting verb
such as ‘defines’) and unpack the quote (e.g. explain the definition in your own words).
5. If there is more than one definition for the concept, or disagreement about the definition, note this, and then
offer the definition you will use in the assignment. If you are studying an advanced unit, you will likely need
to also identify similarities/differences between the different definitions, and justify the definition you have
chosen to use (e.g. give reasons for why). Doing this helps demonstrate your understanding to the marker.

Using direct quotations from disciplinary experts to define concepts shows the reader (marker) that you are
using relevant and credible sources. Explaining quoted concept definitions in your own words demonstrates
your understanding of complex disciplinary ideas, and it will help you better apply the concept later in your
essay (e.g. because you understand it better). This in turn should improve the quality of your writing.

Examples
Example one

Bhopal (2002) defines epidemiology as “the science and craft that studies the pattern of diseases … in
populations to help understand both their causes and the burden they impose” (p. xxii).

Example two

Sociological theorists, Jureidini and Poole (2003, p. 33) define social integration as “the extent to which
individuals have a sense of belonging to the collective”.

Example three
Human communication is defined by Pierce (2003, p. 10) as “a process wherein one or more humans create
a message (or messages) allowing meaning to be evoked and understood by one or more other humans”.

These three examples (above) all use direct quotations to provide precise definitions of disciplinary concepts.
Referencing acknowledges the use of others’ ideas. Using direct quotations to define concepts is an important
way to blend ideas and words found in credible disciplinary sources with your own ideas and words.

How do I know which concepts to define in assignments?

It is important to define and use relevant concepts in assignments. There are three key places you can look
to find out which concepts need to be defined in your assignments:

1. The assignment topic or question. See examples below.

2. The concepts taught in unit topics, and discussed in unit materials.
3. Concepts found while researching the assignment.

If in doubt, check with your teacher.

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Example assignment questions: Identifying key concepts you need to

define
Example one
Select one Australian risk population and explain how social inequalities impact on the health outcomes
of this social group.

Four concepts are included in this essay question. These concepts are: Australian risk population, social
inequalities, health outcomes, and social group.

Example two
Explain how the novel is a post colonial text. Identify two post colonial strategies used in the novel.
Discuss identity, characterisation, and reader position.

Six concepts are used in this assignment question. These concepts are novel, post colonial text, post colonial
strategies, identity, characterisation, and reader position.

Example three
Explain what client confidentiality is. As a health professional, what are your responsibilities in relation to
client health rights?

Three concepts are used in this assignment question. These concepts are: client confidentiality, health
professional responsibilities, and client health rights.

The highlighted words in the example assignment questions are disciplinary concepts and need to be defined
in the assignment. You will be familiar with these concepts from your unit. Always go to unit materials first
when clarifying concepts in assignment topics/questions.

Examples from across the disciplines: Some assignments where

students need to define and use concepts
Across all areas of study at university assignments require students to define and use concepts. The following
section lists a few examples.

• It is common for media students to use (apply) concepts to analyse media texts including newspapers,
films, advertisements, TV programs, radio shows, and websites.
• In a Law and Justice Studies assignment students might draw upon the concept of ‘contract’ to explain a
legal judgement to a (hypothetical) client.
• In an Engineering assignment students apply scientific principles and mathematical equations, as well as
engineering concepts to solve engineering problems and make recommendations.
• In Creative Writing assignments it is common for students to apply literary theory concepts to analyse
short stories, novels, and poems.
• In some Education assignments students apply concepts about inclusive teaching to critically reflect upon
their own teaching practice.

Tips for using concepts effectively in assignments

1. Defining and using concepts is an important part of practising academic integrity because it is one way to
acknowledge sources, and blend their ideas into your writing.
2. Keep a concept journal during session. Concept journals can be used to deepen learning during session and
save time when writing assignments. Access the Quick Guide to keeping a concept journal.
3. Always define concepts using experts from your discipline or area of study. Remember, the same concept/
word will be defined differently depending on the discipline.
4. Define concepts before you use them in your assignment.
5. Always reference concept definitions (you are using ideas and words from sources).

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6. Check the assignment question/topic to find the key concepts you need to define. During research you
might also find extra concepts relevant to the topic.
7. Demonstrate your understanding by defining concepts using disciplinary experts.
8. Use concepts properly to show the marker you have learnt new ways of thinking (disciplinary learning)
relevant to your future profession.

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