IDEA ELABORATION

VOCABULARY OF THE DAY

1.demure(adj.) -quiet, modest, reserved

2.debase(v.) -to lower the quality or esteem of something
3.Coherent (adj.) -logically consistent, intelligible
4.Callous (adj.) -harsh, cold, unfeeling
5.aberration(n.) -something that differs from the norm
DEFINITION

• Elaboration is the development of an existing idea by incorporating new

information to augment the idea. It can be used as a method of memory retention
by making a memory or idea with greater detail in order to remember it accurately.
To tell the reader more
• By adding sentences with more explanation using a variety of specific strategies, e.g.,
anecdotes, examples, definitions, descriptions, details, dialogue, quotations, statistics
and facts, and specific details
• By adding explanation within sentences, e.g., appositives, phrases, and clauses
WHY DOES ELABORATION MATTER?

• Elaboration is part of fleshing out the ideas in

a group of collaborators, carrying an idea to
fruition, and adding the details to make
something real, understandable, or
aesthetically pleasing. Elaboration takes an
inspiring or original idea and completes it.
Sometimes "the devil is in the details" to
accomplish a creative task.
LET’S THINK

• When we are writing, ideas come to our mind but

they are just ideas until elaborated with details.
For Example:
The idea of an umbrella to use on a rainy day is good,
but the idea is of no use until we open the umbrella.
When the umbrella is FULLY OPENED and used on a
rainy day, only then the idea is appreciative.
SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DEVELOP AN
IDEA?

• You develop an idea by supporting it, discussing its significance, and

showing how it connects to the rest of your writing. If you can do all three of
these things consistently, you will find yourself writing strong, well-
developed paragraphs and papers.
 POLL QUESTION

• Elaboration of an idea does not  require the following:

• 1.       Evidence
• 2.       Imagination
• 3.       Indignation
• 4.       Coherence
• Answer - c
LET’S LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH. “
Growing up poor has made me a stronger person .”
POORLY DEVELOPED
• Because we didn’t have much money, we didn’t always have a lot of food.
Sometimes all we had were sandwiches. I remember being hungry a lot.
There isn’t much to the above paragraph, is there? The author doesn’t show
the significance of the examples or how they support the thesis of the essay.
Below is a different version of the same paragraph.
WELL DEVELOPED

• Because we didn’t have much money, we didn’t always have a lot of food. Sometimes
all we had were sandwiches. I remember being hungry a lot. This made me appreciate
the value of money. Today, I always make sure to save and budget enough money for
food, because I never want to go hungry again. I have also learned to be smart about
how I spend money on food. I’m always looking for good bargains and creative ways to
use my leftovers so that I do not waste anything. This paragraph does a much better job
of developing how the examples relate to the main idea and thesis statement. It is longer
because the author is making the significance of the ideas in the paragraph clear.
IDEA ELABORATION STRATEGIES

• Elaboration means to “say more” about

an idea using specific words, onion-like
layering of detail, and specific
strategies such as definitions,
descriptions, examples, facts, quotes,
dialogue, reasons, and/or statistics.
POLL QUESTION

• Which of the following can not be used while elaborating an idea?

A. Illustrations
B. Anecdote
C. too much statistics
D. quotations
ANSWER

Answer- C
EXAMPLES

• To provide specific information about something. This sounds like. . .

The cats were all acting like

they were crazy. For We had a barrage of different
example, one jumped at me weather last week: hail, rain,
snow, and sunshine…
with all …

My brothers always seem to pick on

me. For instance, they may hide my
soccer shoes, not answer the phone..
ANECDOTES

• An anecdote is a small piece of a story inserted into an essay that helps make
the point. This sounds like. . .

Once when I was in kindergarten, the Hey, I remember the time when I had to carry
kids would always. . . my . . .

• Not elaborated: You should try your hardest and never give up.
ELABORATED WITH AN ANECDOTE

• You should try your hardest and never give up. One time when I was playing
football our team was losing and starting to get discouraged. Then, our
captain called a time out. “Okay team, we can do this,” he said. “Let’s
change our attitudes and think about winning and play our best. Come on,
let’s do it,” he encouraged us. That day, we did not give up.
POLL QUESTION

Can examples be used as a strategy for

idea elaboration?
• Yes
• No
DEFINITIONS

Restatements of an unfamiliar word or phrase…

Giraffes have very long Max is a labradoodle,

tongues. Their tongues are
prehensile. That means that the
tongue is able to grab and hold
onto objects.
which means he’s a half
Labrador retriever and
half standard poodle.
DEVELOP YOUR POINT WITH A DEFINITION

People flock to the Imagination Zone. The Imagination

Zone is a wacky place where kids can make their own
weird creations. They can build their own inventions
using computerized bricks. When I went to the
Imagination Zone, I built a LEGO robot with movable
arms and legs.
DEFINITION ALLOWS US TO RESTATE AN
UNFAMILIAR WORD OR PHRASE.

• True
• False
STATISTICS AND FACTS

• Numbers (data) and information that supports your idea or argument.

The humming bird can
fly up to 50 miles per
hour.
The Titanic sank beneath the water on
the clear, cold night of April 14, 1912.
At least 1,523 of its roughly 2,228
passengers and crew were dead or
dying.
DEVELOP YOUR POINT WITH FACTS AND
STATISTICS

In 1999, the third LEGOLAND Park in the

world opened in southern California. Thirty
million bricks have been used to make the
more than 1,000 LEGO models that appear in
the park. It takes real talent and skill to be a
professional LEGO model maker.
QUOTATIONS

• Words someone says that can help support your idea or argument.

“Spaying or neutering
Dr. Stein, the veterinarian dogs and cats is the
from the animal shelter, single best gift a pet
owner can give.”
agreed when she said,
QUOTATIONS

• Use as few words as possible. Remember, your paper should primarily

contain your own words, so quote only the most pithy and memorable parts
of sources.

“There is nothing either good or bad,”
Hamlet argues, “but thinking makes it so”
(Hamlet 2.2).
Dividing the quote may highlight a particular nuance of
the quote’s meaning. In the first example, the division
calls attention to the two parts of Hamlet’s claim. The first
phrase states that nothing is inherently good or bad; the
second phrase suggests that our perspective causes things
to become good or bad.
DEVELOP YOUR POINT WITH QUOTATIONS

The Titanic second-class rooms were just as good as first-

class on other ships. Most second-class passengers were
professionals. Their rooms were simple but attractive.
Survivor Ruth Becker, 12-year-old second class passenger,
said, “Everything was new. New! Our cabin was just like a
big hotel room. The dining room was beautiful-the linens,
all the bright polished silver you can imagine.”
 DESCRIPTIONS

• Ways to create vivid images for the reader

Telling sentence: The house was haunted.

Showing sentence: The old house stood eerily abandoned on the hill,
scaring everyone in the neighborhood with creaking, breathing noises.

Telling sentence: Eating healthy is good for your body.

Showing sentence: The calcium in milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products, the vitamins
in vegetables, and the protein in meal all help to keep our bodies strong and healthy.
DEVELOP YOUR POINT WITH DESCRIPTION

“My last reason why it is important to have rules

is because you need to listen. If a teacher is talking
and you are not listening you will not know what
you are supposed to be doing. Normally if the
teacher thinks you are not listening they will ask
you what they said. Most of the time you will say
what. Not often do you know what they were
saying but sometimes you get lucky. You also need
to listen if it is an emergency because a tornado
could be coming towards you.”
POLL QUESTION

With the help of description, one can…….

A. .Create vivid images for the reader
B. Spoil the writing
C. It has no specific use
SPECIFIC DETAILS

• Adding CONCRETE details like exact names of things.

• Using CONCRETE details will make your paper stronger, just like CONCRETE makes a
building stronger.
POLL QUESTION

Q. Fill in the blank with appropriate option.

_________ is the main strategy of idea elaboration.
a. Definition
b. Quotations
c. Specific details
d. All of the above
ADDING SPECIFIC DETAILS

• General: The boy disrupted the class.

• Specific: Shortly after the class started, Miguel started talking and laughing
with Humberto in the back of the class. The teacher’s face turned red and
angry. She shouted, “That’s it, Miguel. Go see Ms. Sikes.” Miguel kicked a
desk and slammed the classroom door as he left the room. We all looked
down at our books and listened to the teacher.
POLL QUESTION

Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and destructive. For example, in
December 2004, an underwater earthquake triggered a massive tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean. The tsunami
killed more than 200,000 people and caused billions of dollars of damage to the coasts of numerous Southeast Asian
countries. 
• The stated main idea sentence is

A.Tsunamis
B. Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and destructive.
C.The tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and caused billions of dollars of damage to the coasts of numerous
Southeast Asian countries.
ANSWER

•B
TRY ELABORATING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS BY
ADDING AN ANECDOTE.

• Making fun of people is wrong. You should never make fun of someone.
• Getting to class on time is important.
• You should always follow directions.
• “Always laugh when you can, it’s cheap medicine”.
• Cheating is a form of lying that stops people from trusting you.
TRY ELABORATING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
TOPICS BY ADDING A DESCRIPTION

• The weather was bad.

• Jim was so angry that Blair was afraid.
• Lisa is a spoiled child.
• My mother/father is a wonderful person.
• School is boring.
• The loss was devastating.
THANK YOU