III. Project #3–Technical Definitions
- Read: Lannon, Ch. 19, “Technical Definitions” and Ch. 14, “Designing and Testing Documents…”:
- Read pages from OWL on how to quote, summarize, paraphrase and use sources generally.
Project #3–Assignment Details
As we’ve discussed already, technical communication is (1) Action-oriented; and (2) Reader-oriented. Both facets come together in preparing an expanded technical definition. Your reader needs to understand a concept in order to act on it. To make a concept understandable, you will need to prepare a definition with knowledge of your reader, how much background she/he has on the concept, the setting in which he/she encounters or will be using the concept and other factors. You, who might have specialized technical knowledge, need to put yourself in your reader’s shoes in order to convey just what is needed.
For this project Write an expanded definition for an item, procedure or concept. Ideally, this will be something with which you are already very familiar through your profession or major, hobby or skills. Consult at least one source to prepare your expanded definition. Everything in the expanded definition should be in your own words, NOT a straight copy from a source. However, make sure you reference your sources by including an APA-formatted References page and cite your sources in-text, using APA in-text citation style. Your extended definition should be:
- Aimed at a non-technical reader
- Include at least four of the following sections (you may also find the questions in Fig. 19.2, p. 437 of Lannon useful):
- Etymology
- History
- Operating Principles
- Analysis of Parts
- Comparison and Contrast
- Required Conditions
- Example
- Include a visual. The visual may NOT be copied from the Internet. You might draw the visual , create it using graphic design software or take a photograph. The visual does not have to be sophisticated or artistic, however, it should be adequately labelled.
- Write a memo to me discussing your process in preparing this technical definition (why you chose it, the research you did, how you came up with your visual, and anything else you would like me to know about this project).
Format and Length:
In general, the technical definition should not be less than one page.
Your memo to me should be about one double-spaced page or a bit less, using standard memo format.
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