Chapter 18 Technical Definitions

1. Chapter 18Technical Definitions

2. Learning Objectives • Appreciate the role of definition in technical communication • Know how audience and purpose indicate the need for definition • Consider the role of definitions within and beyond the workplace • Differentiate among levels of detail in a definition

3. Learning Objectives (continued) • Select the right level of detail as your situation requires • Write an expanded definition • Place definitions effectively in your document

4. Definitions • Definitions explain terms or concepts that are specialized and may be unfamiliar to people who lack expertise in a particular field. • Precision is particularly important in specialized fields, in which field-specific terminology is common and undefined terms may prevent the overall document from making sense.

5. Considering Audience and Purpose • The audience for a definition can be anyone who may not understand a particular term, usually a nontechnical or semitechnical audience. • The purpose of a definition is to answer one of two questions: “What, exactly, is it?” or “What, exactly, does it entail?”

6. Legal, Ethical, Societal, and Global Implications Keep the following implications in mind: • Legal: An inaccurate or misleading definition could lead to legal problems if it causes injury or harm. • Ethical: An intentionally faulty or self-serving definition may damage a company’s ethical image. • Societal: Poorly considered definitions may mislead the public and have societal ramifications. • Global: Definitions that fail to consider a global audience can appear self-serving and damage a company’s global image.

7. Types of Definitions Definitions fall into three categories: • Parenthetical definitions: Provide a definition within parentheses immediately after a term: • Sentence definitions: State the term, indicate the broader class to which this item belongs, and describe the features that distinguish it, all in the form of a single sentence:

8. Types of Definitions (continued) • Expanded definitions: Use a variety of techniques to provide a detailed definition in the form of a paragraph or several pages:

9. Methods for Expanding Definitions Following are the most common techniques for expanding definitions: • Etymology: Providing the origin of the term. • History: Explaining the history of the term. • Negation: Showing what a term does not mean. • Operating Principle: Describing how the item works. • Analysis of Parts: Breaking the item down into its individual parts. • Visuals: Showing what the item looks like. • Comparison and Contrast: Describing what the item is similar to and/or different from.

10. Methods for Expanding Definitions(continued) • Required Conditions: Explaining the conditions that make the item work or not work. • Examples: Showing situations in which the item is used.

11. Placing Definitions in a Document • Brief definitions should be placed in parentheses or in the document’s margin. • Sentence definitions should be part of the running text or, if they are numerous, listed in a glossary. • Expanded definitions should be placed either near the beginning of a long document or in an appendix.

12. Guidelines for Definitions Follow these guidelines when writing and placing definitions: • Decide on the level of detail you need. • Classify the item precisely. • Differentiate the item accurately. • Avoid circular definitions. • Expand your definition selectively. • Use visuals to clarify your meaning. • Know “how much is enough.” • Consider the legal implications of your definition.

13. Guidelines for Definitions (continued) • Consider the ethical implications of your definition. • Place your definition in an appropriate location. • Cite your sources as needed.

14. Review Questions 1. What is a definition? 2. What is the most important aspect of a definition? 3. What two questions does a definition answer? 4. What is a parenthetical definition? 5. What is a sentence definition? 6. What is an expanded definition? 7. What are the nine most common ways to expand a definition?

15. Review Questions (continued) 8. Where should you place brief definitions in a document? 9. Where should you place sentence definitions in a document? 10. Where should you place expanded definitions in a document?