Are definitions inappropriate hub content?

1. 61

   Ari Skyposted 10 years ago

   I'd like to write about some educational subject topics, like those studied in college (e.g biology, criminology, psychology). Would it be inappropriate for there to be a list of definitions and examples related to the topic included? They would be in my own words of course and not copied out a textbook or other internet source. If not how many defined words is too many?
   I'm new here so I'm curious what you all think or know if it's allowed. The writings would be aimed for educational use, for those learning about the subject matter.

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   1. 61

      The Examiner-1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If you just make sure that the definition is in your own words and not quoted or copied - word for word -  then I do not see it being a problem. Perhaps if you make the definition briefer than it would be otherwise it might help also.

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   2. 92

      Christy Kirwanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Ari Sky,
      
      Educational subjects are a great choice! It's a good idea to include definitions for the benefit of your readers, though as The Examiner-1 mentioned, you should avoid copying those definitions word-for-word. A large amount of copied text (even for definitions) will give your Hub a higher duplicate content rating.

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2. 60

   Angie Martinposted 10 years ago

   Welcome to HP! I'm definitely not an expert here, and there are others that can probably answer your question a little better. That being said, when I read a hub with definitions, it's nice to have those in case they are needed. I don't think there's anything wrong with a side box of text that defines a word, especially if the hub is a basic introduction to a new topic. If you're writing a more advanced hub on the topic, it will probably only appeal to those with a working knowledge of those things, and therefore definitions may not be needed. Or, you could possibly link to a basic hub on the topic for people to visit that introduces them to that topic.
   
   You can also easily work in definitions into a sentence without the in-your-face "the definition of this word is...". I think that the limit of defined words is what would be needed to get the point across. If you're talking about organized vs. disorganized killers (regarding criminology), then it's likely you'll define those characteristics within the writing of your hub and not need a strict definition. But if you're going over the rules of the courtroom, and need to define everything from voir dire to stipulations, then you might want to consider using text for those definitions in a side box next to that paragraph with a few helpful definitions. I hope this helps! By the way, I'm a current criminal justice student, so when you said "criminology", you definitely grabbed my attention!

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3. 61

   Ari Skyposted 10 years ago

   Thanks to both of you that have helped me out so far. I think I'll go ahead and try it and see how good I can actually work definitions in without it looking like a dictionary. Sometimes I think I have a great idea and the final product isn't so hot. thanks guys!

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4. 86

   lovebuglenaposted 10 years ago

   Having definitions in your hubs is a great idea because that will make your hub even more educational. The problem is you can run into the duplicate content category for your hub. So, if you choose to include lots of definitions in your hub make sure that it is not word-for-word in the site where you get those definitions from... Try to change it up as much as you can without losing the meaning of the words/terms/phrases you plan to describe...

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