Reference no: EM131429383

Markel provides an excellent distinction between writing instructions and describing a process. Please become familiar with that section of Markel's chapter as you consider your topic for this assignment.

Your descriptions should answer the following questions:

- What is the object or process? How is it defined?

- What does the object or process do?

- What does the object or process look like?

- What is the object made of? (if you are describing an object and not a process)

- How does the object or process work?

- Why should the reader be interested in your object or process?

Strategies to Consider for this Assignment:

Your description should follow one of these styles of organization

o Spatial -

This style might be used when you want readers to describe an object or process according to its physical layout. For example, in describing a flatscreen television set, you might start at the top and work your way to the bottom.

o Functions in order of importance -

This style would be used if you want to highlight the most important functions first, the next most important functions second, etc. For example, in describing a flatscreen television set, you might start with the pixels, which make up the picture, and then proceed to describe other functions.

o Chronological -

This style would be used if you want to describe the object or process according to time. For example, in describing a flatscreen television set, you might start with what happens first (the user turns the television on), what happens second (the pixels respond), what happens third, etc.

Helpful Resources

- "Writing Descriptions," chapter from M. Markel in eReserves

- David McMurrey's Technical Description: What does it look like?

- Scribd description of a computer mouse