TC 4

What should you avoid with definitions?

1. Circular definitions- using the word in the definition 2. Spelling out the obvious

What are the different way to construct an extended definition?

1. Etymology- Origin, development, and changing meanings 2. History 3. Negation- What the term does not mean 4. Operating principle- How it works 5. Analysis of parts 6. Visuals 7. Comparison and Contrast 8. Required conditions- What makes it work 9. Examples

How do you remain objective?

1. Provide details that are visual rather than emotional 2. Use precise and informative language

What are the main parts of a description?

1. Title 2. Introduction- No need for thesis statement, what to look for 3. Sequence of topics- for longer description use spatial, functional, or chronological 4. Visuals 5. Conclusion- short, direct, brief summary

What is the minimum number of subtopics a level of division can yield?

2

What do most support paragraphs start with?

A clear topic sentence

How long can an expanded definition be?

A short paragraph or several pages

What type of sequencing does a progress report or a set of instructions follow?

Chronological sequence- In what order have things happened/ should things happen

What are the 3 types of analysis that a formal report could follow?

Comparative, casual, and feasibility

Who is always part of the audience for formal reports?

Decision-makers

What is a product description?

Describes the parts of a particular device

What is a process description?

Describes the steps or stages of a complex event

How should a paragraph display unity?

Each sentence in the paragraph must relate to and expand upon the topic sentence

What does the body do?

Explains and supports the writer's viewpoint, achieving unity and coherence

What is the purpose of definitions?

Explains terms or concepts that are specialized and may be unfamiliar to people who don't have expertise in a particular field

What is casual analysis?

Explains the causes or the effects of an event, a problem, or a decision

What do good conclusions do?

Give readers a clear perspective on what they have just read

What is the purpose of transitional paragraphs?

Help hold the discussion together and are usually brief

What is the organization of subtopics after the Roman numerals?

Indented capital letters, indented again Arabic numerals, indented again lowercase letters

What is an advantage of the decimal notation?

Makes it easier to refer readers to various sections in the final document

What elements should be included in specifications?

Methods for manufacturing, building or installing a product, materials and equipment used, and shape, size, and weight

Where is the best place to put definitions?

Near the unfamiliar term

Does information and thinking materialize and occurs in neat, predictable sequences?

No

Is pure objectivity possible?

No, because everyone filters the facts and meaning through their own perspective and therefore chooses what to include or omit

What are the three types of definitions?

Parenthetical, sentence, and expanded

What is the last step in structuring information?

Provide an overview

What do subjective descriptions do?

Use sensory and judgmental ideas to convey factual information

What is a sentence definition?

Using the "term-class-features" method to define a term in a sentence

What other elements could help a paper use a nonstandard structure?

Visuals, color, and columns

What questions does a description answer?

What does it look like?, What are its parts?, What does it do?, How does it work, How does it happen?

When should you use an extended definitions?

When it's a document that requires more detail or a highly complex term

What is the purpose of concluding paragraphs?

Wraps up the discussion

Can you combine sequencing in descriptions?

Yes

Do all documents need an outline?

Yes

Does the type of document determine the type of sequencing?

Yes

Should the definitions reflect the the level of technicality of the audience?

Yes

Should you include a summary or an overview before the specifications?

Yes

Should you edit your outline as you write your paper if so why?

Yes because then you can base your table of contents off of it

Can an ethical communicator use subjective language?

Yes, to express their opinions as long as they are based in objectivity and research

Why does technical material rely on headings?

A way to break up long passages of text and give readers guideposts throughout the document

Why are precise definitions essential?

Because you or the organization you write for can be legally responsible for the document

How does the body achieve unity?

By remaining focused on the viewpoint

What is sequencing?

Ordering information to follow a logical progression

What do objective descriptions do?

Present an impartial view by filtering out personal impressions and focusing on details any viewer can observe

What do you do if you can't divide it into at least 2 subtopics?

Retain the larger topic

What elements do formal reports include?

1. Title page 2. Table of contents 3. System of headings 4. List of references

What are specifications?

A type of description used by professionals to build on definitions and descriptions; they identify the minimum standards and then the specific methods or materials are proposed, reviewed, and revised

What is the purpose of support paragraphs?

Advances one aspect of the main point made in the document's introduction, usually stand alone in meaning, and typically found in the body section

What is the organization of topics and subtopics known as?

Alphanumeric notation

What are long formal reports?

Analytical reports that often lead to recommendations

What is feasibility analysis?

Assess the practicality of an idea or plan

What does the introduction do?

Attracts the reader's attention, announces the writer's viewpoint, and previews what will follow

What is chunking?

Breaking information down into discrete, digestible units, based on the readers' needs and the document's purpose

How does the body achieve coherence?

By carrying a line of thought from sentence to sentence in a logical order

What type of sequencing does an analytical report follow?

Cause and effect sequence- What caused something to happen or what were the effects of something

How do you determine the purpose of a formal report?

Consider what question(s) it will ultimately answer and why this particular topic is timely and useful for the intended audience

What are the three key words that specifications address?

Consistency, quality, and safety

What is the alternate organization system?

Decimal notation: 2.0, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2

How should you start an outline?

Go through your data and list the key points and then organize into a standard structure

Why are description essential in the workplace?

Help ensure that readers understand the full meaning of an technical document

How does chunking help the reader?

Helps the readers see which pieces of information belong together and how the various pieces are connected

What are two important considerations when chunking?

How much information is enough for each portion and what constitutes sensible proportions among the parts

Where should you place definitions in a Web site?

Hyperlinks

How should you structure your information for the reader?

In a way that the readers can easily grasp

What is the standard structure of a technical document?

Introduction, body, and conclusion

What should a topic sentence include?

Key words that will signal the paragraph's next sentences

Is chunking the same on the Web as it is on the printed page?

No

Should you introduce new data in the conclusion?

No

Are overviews necessary for all documents?

No, short documents and reports don't need them

About how long is an overview?

Paragraph length

Where should you place definitions in a printed text?

Parenthetical- In parentheses, in the document's margins (aligned with the term being defined, sentence definition- should be part of the running text Extended- Near the beginning of a long document or in an appendix

What type of sequencing does a feasibility, recommendation, or justification report follow?

Problem-solution sequence- What was/ is the problem or goal and how was it/ can it be fixed or achieved

What are the two categories of descriptions?

Product and process

What is the only exception to use subjective descriptions?

Promotional writing

What is the number one concern of specifications?

Public safety

What is comparative analysis?

Rates similar items on the basis of specific criteria such as costs, uses, benefits/drawbacks, appearance, and results

How is chunking done on the printed page?

Readers expected longer passages because it is easier on the eyes and because a printed page is read sequentially there is no jumping from section to section

What does the conclusion do?

Reemphasize key point to, take a position, predict an outcome, offer a solution, or suggest further study

What things indicate the three main sections?

Roman numerals

What do chunking, sequencing, and outlining enable the readers to do?

See the "big picture" of the document

What could disrupt a paragraph's coherence?

Sentences in the wrong order, insufficient transitions and connectors for linking related ideas, and an inaccessible line of reasoning and lack of conclusion

What is the purpose of introductory paragraphs?

Set the stage for the discussion that follows

What can you use as headings?

Single words, phrases, brief statement or questions

What type of sequencing does a mechanism description follow?

Spatial sequence- what are the parts and how do they fit together

What is a topic sentence?

States a generalization about what will appear later in the paragraph

What are the two types of descriptions?

Subjective- based on feeling Objective- based on fact

What should a definition do?

Tell audience members how they are affected by the item defined and what makes an item, concept, or process unique

What are some common errors that writers make with causal analysis?

The cause doesn't fit the effects, ignore other possible causes, or confuse coincidence with causation

What is paragraphing?

The process of shaping information within paragraphs

What is chronological sequencing for descriptions?

To describe how something is assembled, parallel in stages

What is spatial sequencing for descriptions?

To describe how something looks, follow how the readers would view the item

What is functional sequencing for descriptions?

To describe how something works, in the order in which the parts function

How is chunking done on Web sites?

Use very short chunks because readers don't like reading large portions of text on the computer screen and they want the option of zeroing in on various parts of the page and moving from link to link

What is a parenthetical definition?

Using a familiar synonym or a clarifying phrase in parentheses right after the word

When should you use a sentence definition?

When a concept requires further elaboration than a parenthetical definition could offer

When do you use a parenthetical definition?

When the definition is relatively simple and doesn't need detailed elaboration

When are specifications important?

When the members of your audience need to understand and agree on what needs to be done and how it is to be done; ensure consistency and help prevent misunderstandings

When does the formal report replace the informal memo format?

When the topic requires lengthy discussion

When are sentence definitions especially useful?

When you plant to use the term frequently and need to establish a working definition that you will not need to repeat

What helps to write a description?

Writing out a purpose statement first