How to Write Better Essays

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2 A practical example

In this chapter you will learn:

• the difference between closed and open concepts: those that can be
  left to a dictionary, and those that need to be analysed;


• how to prise open the structure of a concept by looking at the way
  we use it in everyday language and examples;


• how to capture your ideas and follow your train of thoughts in a clear
  structure of notes, while you analyse a concept.

Despite what we said in the previous chapter, there will still be those

who ask, ‘But why can’t we just look up the meaning of these words

in a dictionary, rather than go through the process of analysis?’ And,

of course, they’re right: with some words this is all you need to do.

Open and closed concepts

What you might describe as ‘closed concepts’ usually have an unchang-

ing, unambiguous meaning. Words like ‘bicycle’, ‘bachelor ’ and ‘trian-

gle’ each have a structure to their meaning, which is bound by logical

necessity. We all agree to abide by certain conventions that rule the

meaning of these words. So, if you were to say ‘this is a bicycle with

one wheel’, or ‘this triangle has four sides’, no-one would be in any

doubt that you had made a logical mistake. When we use these words

according to their conventions we are, in effect, allowing our under-

standing of the world to be structured in a particular way.

But with ‘open concepts’ it tends to be the reverse: our experience of

the world shapes our concepts. As a result, such words cannot be pinned

down just by looking them up in a dictionary. Their meaning responds

to and reflects our changing experience: they change through time and

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