Lesson Eleven
Writing a Technical Description
Dr. Nancy Hoagland

Lecture Notes

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn more about writing a technical description of an object, mechanism, or process. You probably have included at least one technical description in the report of your class project. In Writing Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions, you are required to include a technical description as part of a set of instructions. Writing a set of instructions usually requires a technical description as well as definitions, two elements that are part of the requirements for Assignment 5. The focus is on the instructions, but you will need to include a technical description and definitions as part of the assignment. This assignment is due on January 29.

REMINDER: Assignment 4: Analytical Report of the Class Project is due this week. See the Syllabus, Course Projects for details.

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

The Role of Descriptions

We find descriptions of objects, mechanisms, and processes in almost every kind of technical communication. Markel points out that an object can be anything from a volcano to a tomato plant to a book (204). A mechanism is an object that consists of a number of parts that work together such as a DVD player or an automobile. A process is "an activity that takes place over time, " such as researching and writing a report or creating a Web site. The description of a process is different from a set of instructions. A reader uses a set of instructions to know how to create a Web page. A reader reads a process description to understand how an organization goes about creating a Web site.

The Writing Situation for a Description

The writer has to analyze the audience and the purpose before writing a description. You need to know the level of prior technical knowledge of your audience and the use that will be made of the description to help you determine the level technical detail to include. Sometimes, you need only a general description, and sometimes you need a detailed description with graphics that are carefully labeled to identify all of the elements of whatever you are describing.

Principles for Writing Descriptions

Markel offers four principles to use when writing a description.

• Provide a title or heading that indicates the nature and scope of the description. The reader should be able to tell at a glance whether the description is general or particular.
• Provide a clear introduction. In Table 9.1 Questions to Answer in Introducing a Description (206-207), Markel has developed a list of questions to answer in introducing a description. For objects and mechanisms, he suggests including a definition, function, appearance, operating principle, and a list of the main parts. For a process, he suggests including a definition, function, time and place, performer(s), theory or principal of operation, and main steps in the process. See the table on pages 206-207 for examples of each item.
• Include appropriate detail. The body of a description describes each part of the object or mechanism or each step of the process. Markel includes Guidelines for Providing Appropriate Detail in Descriptions (209-210). For objects and mechanisms, he suggests organizing by function or by physical structure and presenting a graphic for each major part (graphics of individual parts can be part of a single larger graphic). For a process, he suggests organizing chronologically, explaining any cause and effect relationships, and using the present tense in most cases. He also suggests using graphics for each step of the process.
• Provide a conclusion. Markel advises including a brief conclusion to shift the reader's attention from the last detail of the body to the description as a whole. In the conclusion, you can briefly summarize the whole description and focus on how the parts function as a whole.

If you would like help in analyzing the introduction for a process description, see the Interactive Sample documents for Chapter 9 from TechComm Web.

NOTE: Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions is due on January 29 . For more information, see the Assignment Sheet for Assignment 5: Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions and the Evaluation Sheet for Assignment 5:Instructions/Technical Description/Definitions.

For more information on writing a technical description, see Module 3: Designing Documents and Creating Graphics, Instructions, and Technical Descriptions.

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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