Write down an important directive in an equally important place. While dictionary definitions are precise and objective, extended definitions, as a form of expository writing, can be lengthy, personal and highly subjective. (Some works of extended definitions can consume entire books, not just a multipage essay.) Tape this directive to your research notebook to help you keep it top-of-mind, for it can be a liberating thought.
Write a provocative, compelling introduction that ends with your thesis statement -- in this case, your theoretical orientation and a summary as to how you formulated it.
Devote at least the next three paragraphs (a few more, if you need them) to defining your theoretical orientation and what it means to you. This is a key point, and the crux of your paper. While an argumentative paper requires you to size up and address opposing views, a definition paper does not. You are free to define your terms -- your orientation -- as you see fit, so make the most of it.
Begin these supporting paragraphs with solid topic sentences and then amplify your points accordingly. In other words, if four key principles helped you to formulate your theoretical orientation, devote one paragraph to each of the four principles. Introduce each principle in the topic sentence and then develop your thoughts with vivid description, research examples and, if appropriate, narrative from your own experience in the rest of the paragraph.
Strike the right balance with the tone of your paper. Your passion and emotion for your discipline should come through, but you also want to come across as sensible, reasonable and logical.
Conclude your essay -- always the trickiest section of any paper -- by leaving a lasting impression on your reader. By now, you should have impressed the reader with your knowledge and critical thinking skills. Now is the time to point forward, so consider striking an air of hope or promise for your theoretical orientation and the people you hope will benefit from it.