1. Writing Reader-Focused Definitions and Descriptions
C H A P T E R

2. Presentation Overview
What Are Definitions Versus Descriptions?
How Do You Prepare to Write a Definition or Description?
What Are the Types of Definitions?
How Do You Write an Extended Definition?
What Are the Types of Descriptions?
How Do You Write Descriptions for Technical Marketing Materials?
Where Are Technical Definitions and Descriptions Commonly Found?

3. What Are Definitions Versus Descriptions?
Definitions tell readers what something is; it can be as simple as a word or sentence or as complex as several paragraphs.
Descriptions create a picture using words and graphics. Descriptions in technical communication provide information on a product or a process for readers who need to know about it or to use, produce, or possibly purchase it.

4. What Are Definitions Versus Descriptions?
Definition: what something is
Description: what something is like

5. What Are Definitions Versus Descriptions?
Definition of the Global Positioning System
Description of the Global Positioning System
“The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S. space-based radionavigation system that provides reliable positioning, navigation, and timing services to civilian users on a continuous worldwide basis” (The National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Office).
Free to all—it only requires a GPS receiver to be used
Accurate because it pinpoints the exact latitude, longitude, and altitude of a GPS receiver
Reliable because it works anytime, anywhere, as long as the GPS receiver has a clear view of the sky

6. How Do You Prepare to Write a Definition or Description?
Find out about your readers.
Anticipate and answer their questions.
Plan for precise language.
Design the visual information.

7. Find Out about Your Readers
Their present knowledge of what you are defining or describing
Their purpose and the context in which they will be reading your definition or description
Their place inside or outside of your organization
The different groups reading your definition or description
The level of technical terminology they will understand or expect

8. Anticipate and Answer Their Questions
Reader Considerations
General Approach to Anticipating and Answering Their Questions
Their present knowledge of what you are defining or describing
Focus on what they don’t know rather than on what they do.
Their purpose and the context in which they will be reading your definition or description
Provide the appropriate type of information (theoretical versus practical) and level of detail according to their purpose.

9. Anticipate and Answer Their Questions
Reader Considerations
General Approach to Anticipating and Answering Their Questions
Their place inside or outside of your organization
Provide more background information and less technical information to those external to your organization or to those in administrative versus technical positions.
The different groups reading your definition or description
Write to the readers with the lowest level of technical knowledge, or compartmentalize the document containing your definition or description for different groups.

10. Anticipate and Answer Their Questions
Reader Considerations
General Approach to Anticipating and Answering Their Questions
The level of technical terminology they will understand or expect
Freely use technical terminology they have come to understand and expect. Either define or avoid technical terminology they will not understand or expect.

11. Plan for Precise Language
Use precise
Measurements, weights, and dimensions
Locations and spatial relationships
Positions

12. Plan for Precise Language
Not Precise
Our pool tables are built to last.
Precise
Our pool tables are constructed with
Solid hardwood
Oversized, 1” thick Italian slate
Durable leather pockets
Top-of-the-line Simonis cloth

13. Design the Visual Information
Plan the visual information you want to use early in the process.
Consider using
Line drawings
Diagrams
Flowcharts
Photographs

14. What Are the Types of Definitions?
Parenthetical definitions
Sentence definitions
Extended definitions

15. Parenthetical Definitions
A brief definition appearing in parenthesis immediately following the word being defined
Example
A double hit (hitting the cue ball twice during a shot) is an illegal stroke.

16. Sentence Definitions
A definition that is the length of a sentence and contains these formal elements:
Term
Class or genus
Differentia
Term
Class or Genus
Differentia
The break is
the shot
that opens a game of pool.
Diamonds are
markers
atop the table rails that can be used as reference points for aiming shots.

17. Extended Definitions
An explanation of a term, concept, or process, usually one or more paragraphs in length.
Example
Eight-ball is a game played with a cue ball and 15 object balls. Balls 1-7 are solids; balls 9-15 are stripes. The first of two players breaks to begin play. If one or more object balls goes in on the break, he or she continues play by choosing a solid or striped object ball and calling the pocket that the ball will go in after the shot. Play alternates when a player fails to pocket a called ball. Once a player pockets either all solids or all stripes, he or she must pocket the 8-ball to win. Pocketing the 8-ball before this point (except for on the break) results in a loss.

18. How Do You Write an Extended Definition?
Start with the basic definition.
Extend using one or more of the techniques on the following slides.

19. How Do You Write an Extended Definition?
Example
An illustrative item or case
Partition
The division of an item into its individual parts
Principle of Operation
An explanation of how something works
Comparison and Contrast
A comparison between something familiar and something unfamiliar
Negation
A description about what something is not

20. How Do You Write an Extended Definition?
History
Historical or background information
Etymology
The derivation of a word
Stipulation
The restriction of the meaning of a word for a particular situation
Graphics
A visualization

21. What Are the Types of Descriptions?
Descriptions of a process, or an action that brings about a result
Descriptions of a mechanism, or a machine—with parts that work together
Descriptions of an object, or a single item

22. Accurate, Honest Information
How Do You Write Descriptions for Technical Marketing Materials?
Persuasive Language
Accurate, Honest Information

23. Where Are Technical Definitions and Descriptions Commonly Found?
Textbooks
Instructions and manuals
Reports
Specification sheets
Instructions and manuals
Proposals
Reports
Web pages
Brochures
Specification sheets
Technical marketing materials

24. Questions?