Description

WRTG 393 students,

The first writing assignment will be a technical description for two different audiences.

You will explain to both a non-technical audience and to a specialized audience how something

works.

You will choose an object or a process with which you are familiar. You will then describe this

object or process to an audience that with whom you share a degree of specialization. You will

also describe this object or process to an audience that has little or no background of the subject.

Your description will include pictures. The description will use visual detail in both words and

images.

Examples include the following:

· You are a member of a gaming community. You could write a description of how a

game operates to individuals in your gaming community. You will also describe how the

game operates to an audience of non-gamers.

· You are in a branch of the military. You could write a description of how a function of

your unit operates to an audience of colleagues who are also in your branch of the

military. You will also describe how this function works to a non-military audience.

· You work for a travel agency. You could write a description of a particular process in

searching for an international flight to colleagues at the agency. You could also write a

description of the process to an audience that does not work at the travel agency.

· You are an auto mechanic. You could write a description of how spark plugs work in a

four-cylinder engine to an audience of colleagues who work in your shop. You would

also write a description of how spark plugs work in a four-cylinder engine to an audience

of non-mechanics.

· You work in technical support at a computer store. You could write a description of how

a graphics card works to colleagues in your tech support unit. You would also write a

description of how a graphics card works to an audience that is not familiar with

computers.

· You work in a restaurant. You could write a description of how the serving process

works during a busy Friday night. You would write a description to fellow workers at the

restaurant. You would also write a description to an audience that does not work at the

restaurant.

Overall, chapter 20 from Markel, “Writing Descriptions,” should be read thoroughly as you

begin this assignment. Different types of descriptions call for different strategies. The chapter

from Markel is an excellent resource in guiding your approach. The chapter is available in

eReserves in our class.

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?