20 Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions

Printed Page 533-534

Writing Definitions

ANALYZING THE WRITING SITUATION FOR DEFINITIONS

DETERMINING THE KIND OF DEFINITION TO WRITE

• GUIDELINES: Writing Effective Sentence Definitions

DECIDING WHERE TO PLACE THE DEFINITION

Writing Descriptions

ANALYZING THE WRITING SITUATION FOR DESCRIPTIONS

INDICATING CLEARLY THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCING THE DESCRIPTION CLEARLY

PROVIDING APPROPRIATE DETAIL

• GUIDELINES: Providing Appropriate Detail in Descriptions

ENDING THE DESCRIPTION WITH A BRIEF CONCLUSION

A LOOK AT SEVERAL SAMPLE DESCRIPTIONS

Writing Instructions

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS

DESIGNING A SET OF WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS

• GUIDELINES: Designing Clear, Attractive Pages

PLANNING FOR SAFETY

• ETHICS NOTE: Ensuring Your Readers’ Safety

DRAFTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONS

• GUIDELINES: Drafting Introductions for Instructions

• GUIDELINES: Drafting Steps in Instructions

REVISING, EDITING, AND PROOFREADING INSTRUCTIONS

A LOOK AT SEVERAL SAMPLE SETS OF INSTRUCTIONS

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Presenting Clear Instructions

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Mechanism Description Using Interactive Graphics and

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Process Description Using Video Animation and

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Instructions Using Video Demonstration and

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Instructions Using Video Screen Capture and

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Instructions Using a Combination of Video Demonstration and Screen Capture and

• DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVITY: Definition Using Video Animation and

Writing Manuals

WRITER’S CHECKLIST

EXERCISES

CASE 20: Choosing a Medium for Presenting Instructions and

This chapter discusses definitions, descriptions, and instructions. The first step is to define these three terms:

A definition is typically a brief explanation, using words and sometimes graphics, of what an item is or what a concept means. You could write a definition of file format or of regenerative braking.
A description is typically a longer explanation—usually accompanied by graphics—of the physical or operational features of an object, mechanism, or process. You could write a description of a wind turbine, of global warming, or of shale-oil extraction.
A set of instructions is a kind of process description, almost always accompanied by graphics, intended to enable a person to carry out a task. You could write a set of instructions for installing a new roof or for using an app on your tablet.

Although each can appear independently, definitions, descriptions, and instructions are often presented together in a set of product information. For instance, a store that sells building materials for homeowners might create a product-information set about how to lay a brick patio. In this set might be definitions of tools (such as a mason’s line), descriptions of objects (such as different types of edging materials, including plastic, metal, masonry, and wood), and step-by-step instructions for planning, laying, and maintaining the patio.

Regardless of your field, you will write definitions, descriptions, and instructions frequently. Whether you are communicating with other technical professionals, with managers, or with the public, you must be able to define key concepts, describe processes, and explain how to carry out tasks.