Lesson Three
Writing Definitions
Dr. Nancy Hoagland

Lesson Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

  1. identify the types of definitions used in technical writing
  2. write effective sentence definitions
  3. identify methods of writing an extended definition
  4. write and place definitions of technical terms in keeping with the audience and purpose of a document
  5. select a topic for your class project

 



(Transcript)

||  Readings/Tasks  ||
|| Focus Questions  || Lecture || 

 

Readings /Tasks

Readings

  • Markel, Chapter 9: Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions, pp. 193-204.
  • Course Guide, Unit 9: Defining Terms, Describing Objects, and Explaining Processes, pp. 9-1 - 9-14.

Tasks

  • Make 2 conference posts under the conference topics for Lesson 3: Writing Definitions:
    • Defining a Term for Two Different Audiences (counts 10% of the Course Participation Grade)
    • Compiling a Group Definition: e-Learning
  • Identify your tentative topic for the class project as a post under the conference:
    • Possible Topics for the Class Project

  • Respond to at least one other student's post by sharing your own insights and experience.

Focus Questions

  1. As a writer, how do you decide what terms to define and how to define them?
  2. What are the three basic types of definitions described by Markel in Technical Communication?
  3. What are some methods for writing an extended definition?
  4. How do you decide where to place a definition?

Lecture Notes

NOTE: Lecture notes are intended as a guide to each week's reading assignment from Markel's Technical Communication, 7th ed.. In the notes, I will identify the topics that I consider important in a reading assignment. I will also try to relate the reading assignment to the writing assignments for the course. Questions on the final exam will be based on the objectives, focus questions, lectures notes, and assigned reading for each lesson.

Introduction

In Lesson Three, you learn to write a definition, one of the most basic types of writing in technical communication. You will probably need to include definitions in most of the writing that you will do for the course. The reading assignment includes information about

In the conference topics for this week, you are asked to write an extended definition of a term for two different audiences. Most students usually define a term in their field for a general reader and then for an expert audience. This definition should be posted in response to the conference topic. You will receive a grade on the definition that will count 10% of the Course Participation Grade.

This week is also a good time to decide on the topic for your class project. The class project will be the basis for four important writing assignments for this course: an audience analysis, a proposal, a progress report, and a formal analytical report. These four assignments will count for 40% of your final course grade. See the Syllabus, Grading Information and Project Descriptions for more information. You will also find a special conference for posting your topic in order to get comments and suggestions from other participants in the course.


Chapter 9: Drafting and Revising Definitions and Descriptions, "Definitions"

Preparing to Write a Definition

Markel says that definitions are important in helping readers understand the words, phrases, and concepts that you use in technical communication. As in most types of technical communication, you need to analyze your audience and the writing situation to determine what kind of definition is needed and where to place the definition. For example, the general reader will need a simple and immediate definition of "XML (Extensible Markup Language)" while the expert probably will need a more detailed and complete definition that might be placed in a glossary of technical terms..

Types of Definitions

There are three basic types of definitions: parenthetical, sentence, and extended.

The parenthetical definition is a brief explanation of a word or phrase that is included in a sentence.

The sentence definition follows the format of the item or term, the basic category of the item, and the distinguishing characteristics of the item. For example, a "cookie" (item) is a file (basic category) that a Web site puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about you at a later time (distinguishing characteristics). To write an effective sentence definition, be specific in identifying the category and distinguishing characteristics. For example do not write a circular definition such as a laser printer is a printer that uses a laser to print. Also, do not use the phrases "is when," "is where," or "is what" to write a sentence definition. Instead use a noun in place of the phrase.

The extended definition is a detailed explanation of a an object, process, or idea. It often begins with a sentence definition and then is expanded by one or more methods. Here is an extended definition of "cookie" from Whatis.com:

A cookie is information that a Web site puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about you at a later time. (More technically, it is information for future use that is stored by the server on the client side of a client/server communication.) Typically, a cookie records your preferences when using a particular site. Using the Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), each request for a Web page is independent of all other requests. For this reason, the Web page server has no memory of what pages it has sent to a user previously or anything about your previous visits. A cookie is a mechanism that allows the server to store its own information about a user on the user's own computer. You can view the cookies that have been stored on your hard disk (although the content stored in each cookie may not make much sense to you). The location of the cookies depends on the browser. Internet Explorer stores each cookie as a separate file under a Windows subdirectory. Netscape stores all cookies in a single cookies.txt file. Opera stores them in a single cookies.dat file.


Cookies are commonly used to rotate the banner ads that a site sends so that it doesn't keep sending the same ad as it sends you a succession of requested pages. They can also be used to customize pages for you based on your browser type or other information you may have provided the Web site. Web users must agree to let cookies be saved for them, but, in general, it helps Web sites to serve users better.

I think this extended definition of "cookie" is meant for a general reader in a situation where the reader needs more than a sentence definition. The computer expert probably would want a definition with more technical details.

Methods of Writing an Extended Definition

According to Markel, methods of extending a definition include graphics, examples, partition, principle of operation, comparison and contrast, analogy, negation, etymology, or history of the term (198). The term "cookie" is extended above by the methods of principle of operation and example.

Placing a Definition

Markel identifies the following locations for placing a definition: in the text, a marginal gloss, a hyperlink, a footnote, a glossary, or an appendix (202-204). The placement of a definition depends on the audience and purpose of the communication.

REMINDER: Please post your topic for the class project in the conference Possible Topics for the Class Project. This conference topic has suggestions for topics you might want to consider. Four course assignments--Audience Analysis, Planning Proposal, Progress Report, and Analytical Report--are based on this topic. See the Syllabus, Grading Information, and Project Descriptions for more information.

For additional information on the basic concepts of technical communication, see Module 1: Understanding the Basic Concepts of Technical Writing.

 

Material for this course was originally written and developed by Michelle Didier, Edward Harris, James Gillin, Pat Kirby, Marj Crane,Danielle Bujosa, Andrew Joyce, Ed Brandmark, Traicy Garey, and Sharon Biederman.

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