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033- Advanced Technical Communication

Week-5. Learning Resources and Assessments- Prelim

Methods of Definition
Lesson Proper :

What enters your mind the moment you hear the word definition?

What is definition?

Definition is a way of giving or explaining the meaning of an abstract term or a concept. It is derived from the Latin word finire (to limit); and de(from), the
explanation it gives is limited onl

y to what the reader need to know about the term to avoid confusion with other word belonging to the same class to where the target word belongs.

When we define then, we are narrowing or limiting down the area of meaning of the word which prevents you to attach other meaning to the other term. As
Burnett says: “definition that fits only the word; the word only fits the definition.”

Technical writing uses many scientific, technical or abstract terms and symbols that appear complex and ambiguous. Unless you know who your readers will
be and how much they know about the subject, you cannot determine which terms to define or what kind of definition to write. Physicists wouldn’t need a
definition of entropy, but lawyers might. Builders know what a molly bolt is, but many insurance agents don’t. When you write for people whose first language
is not English, definitions are particularly important. So, the extent of explanations given to a word greatly depends on the audience’s or reader’s background
knowledge of the term or on their familiarity with the word being defined.

Importance of Definition 

1. It gives the reader a clearer and easier understanding of the concept or idea enough to encourage him to read continuously till the end of the text.

2. It explains ideas or concepts behind various innovations, methods, and techniques in the field of technology.
3. It lessens the gap between technologically expert or “high-tech’ people and “low-tech” people.
4. It frees a person from any confusing, or wrong understanding of a term.
5. It helps a company member do his job more efficiently towards a certain goal.
6. It makes many technical written work readable to all kinds of audience of readers.
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7.

Placement of Definition in the Text

If you are writing a sentence definition or an extended definition, you need to decide where to put it. The location of definition in a Technical Report is based
on the following:

  1.
   The nature of the audience or the readers;
  2.
   The length of the definition;
  3.
   The purpose and lay out;
  4.
   The agreed rules and practices in an area of discipline.

Where in your technical report should you specifically place your definition of terms? A definition is typically placed in one of these six locations:

1. In the text. The text is an appropriate place for sentence definitions that many or most of your readers will need and for extended definitions of
important terms.
  2.
    In a marginal gloss. Sentence definitions placed in the margin are easy to see, and they don’t interrupt readers who don’t need them.
  3.
    In a hyperlink. In a web page, definitions can be put in a separate file and displayed.
  4.
    In a footnote. If definition is short, it should be put in the A footnote is a logical place for an occasional sentence definition or extended definition. The
reader who doesn’t need it will ignore it. However, footnotes can slow readers down by interrupting the flow of the discussion. If you think you will need
more than one footnote for a definition on every two to three pages, consider including a glossary.
  5.
   In a glossary. A glossary — an alphabetized list of definitions — can accommodate sentence definitions and extended definitions of fewer than three
or four paragraphs in one convenient location. A glossary can be placed at the beginning of a document (for example, after the executive summary in a
report) or at the end, preceding the appendixes.
  6.
   In an appendix. An appendix is appropriate for an extended definition of a page or more, which would be cumbersome in a glossary or footnote.

Types of Definition

Your audience and purpose will also determine the length and formality of your definitions. There are three basic types of definitions: parenthetical (Informal),
one sentence logical or Aristotelian (formal), and extended (Expanded or Amplified).

1. Informal Definition

A parenthetical definition is a brief clarification within an existing sentence. Sometimes, a parenthetical definition is simply a word or phrase that is enclosed
in parentheses or commas or introduced by a colon or a dash. It is a sentence following another sentence.

This type of definition applies to general readers and it is also called a dictionary definition because the meanings coming in the forms of individual words or
phrases written after the term look like list of words in the dictionary sequentially arranged opposite in the target term.

In the following examples, the term being defined is shown in italics, and the definition is underscored:

The computers were infected by a Trojan horse (a destructive program that appears to be benign).

Before the metal is plated, it is immersed in the pickle: an acid bath that removes scales and oxides from the surface.

Parenthetical definitions are not meant to be comprehensive; rather, they serve as quick and convenient ways of introducing terms. But make sure your
definition is clear. You have gained nothing if readers don’t understand it:

Next, check for blight on the epicotyl, the stem portion above the cotyledons.

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Readers who need a definition of epicotyl are unlikely to know the meaning of cotyledons. To solve this problem, think carefully about your readers’
understanding of your subject before including technical terms specific to that subject.

2. Formal Definition

A sentence definition — Aristotelian and a one-sentence logical definition — is more formal than a parenthetical definition.

Defining a term in a formal manner requires you to:

  1.
   Mention the term or species to be defined.
  2.
   Name the genus, group or class where such term belongs;
  3.
   Give the differentia to indicate its difference from other members belonging to the class.

All these 3 elements – term, genus and differentia should be contained in one complete sentence, not just in a phrase or a clause.

The term to be defined has to fall under a genus or class to exclude explicitly other meanings that anyone may attach to the term. You need to determine and
exactly name the context or class to which the term belongs. This is because some words are ambiguous or have multiple meanings.

A sentence definition usually follows a standard pattern: the item to be defined is placed in a category of similar items and then distinguished from them.

ITEM                                      =                             CATEGORY          +             DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Crippleware                is                      shareware                                    in which some features of the  

                                                                                                                program is disabled until the user
                                                                                                                buys a license to use the program.

            Hypnoanalysis            is                     psychoanalytical                        in which hypnosis is used to elicit

                                                                       technique                                   information from a patient’s

                                                                                                                         unconscious mind.

In many cases, a sentence definition also includes a graphic. For example, a definition of an electron microscope would probably include a photograph,
diagram, or drawing. Writers often use sentence definitions to present a working definition for a particular document: “In this report, electron microscope
refers to any microscope that uses electrons rather than visible light to produce magnified images.” Such definitions are sometimes called stipulative
definitions because the writer is stipulating how the term will be used in the context of the document rather than offering a general definition of the term.

Guidelines in giving a formal or one-sentence logical definition

1.  Give one and only meaning to the term.

  2.
   Put them in a genus or class that is familiar to your audience or readers.
  3.
   Prevent the reader from thinking of many comparable and containing features of the term in relation to others by using a specific class rather than a
general class.
  4.
   Use positive words in stating the differentia
  5.
   Avoid giving a bias or subjective definition by basing your explanation on facts or universal truths rather than on your viewpoints or opinions.
  6.
   See to it that you do not commit any of the following errors in defining.

Erroneous ways of Defining a Term through the Formal Method

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  1.
   Tautology or Circular definition

Definitions that merely repeat the key words or the distinguishing characteristics of the item being defined in the category. The definition “A
required course is a course that is required” is useless: required of whom, by whom?

  2.
   Analogy or Figurative definition

This erroneous definition just compares the word being define to other term instead of giving additional information about the word.

  3.
   Negative or no-not definition

This definition simply presents in the sentence the term as the antithesis or the opposite of another term. Remember that a good one-sentence
logical definition stresses the positive aspect of the term not its negative attributes.

  4.
   Is where or is when definition

The use of where and when after the linking verb is does not compliment the term. The where and when has to be changed to a word similar in
rank or class to the target term.

 Extended, Expanded or Amplified definition

An extended definition is a more detailed explanation — usually one or more paragraphs — of an object, process, or idea. Often an extended definition
begins with a sentence definition, which is then elaborated. For instance, the sentence definition “An electrophorus is a laboratory instrument used to
generate static electricity” tells you the basic function of the device, but it doesn’t explain how it works, what it is used for, or its strengths and limitations. An
extended definition would address these and other topics.

There is no one way to “extend” a definition. Your analysis of your audience and the purpose of your communication will help you decide which method to
use. In fact, an extended definition sometimes employs several techniques which we are going to discuss one by one here.

Some ways of expanding or extending a definition of a term:

 
1. Etymology or word derivation

Gives the origin of the term based on the country that has first introduced the term to the world. Citing a word’s etymology, or derivation, is often a
useful and interesting way to develop a definition. The Oxford dictionary is the appropriate material to use for etymological definitions.

  2.
   Historical definition

Historical definition stresses the development of the term. Mentioned in this definition are people, places, and dates that played significant roles in the
existence of the word.

  3.
   Negation or elimination

A special kind of contrast is negation, sometimes called negative statement. Negation clarifies a term by distinguishing it from a different term with which
readers might confuse it. The following example uses negation to distinguish the term ambulatory from ambulance.

 An ambulatory patient is not a patient who must be moved by ambulance. On the contrary, an ambulatory patient is one who can walk without assistance
from another person.

 Negation is rarely the only technique used in an extended definition; in fact, it is used most often in a sentence or two at the start. Once you have explained
what something is not, you still have to explain what it is.

  4.
   Operating principle

Describing the principle of operation — the way something works — is an effective way to develop an extended definition, especially for an object or a
process. It is arranged based on their time of occurrence and uses connectors such as: first, second, then, next, soon, previously, lastly, finally, afterwards,
before, and so on.

  5.
   Comparison-Contrast

Definition which makes you extend your explanation of a concept or a thing by pointing out how such thing or concept is similar to or different from
another concept. Using comparison and contrast, a writer discusses the similarities or differences between the item being defined and an item with
which readers are more familiar.
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The following definition of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) contrasts this new form of phone service to the form we all know
 
Voice over Internet Protocol is a form of phone service that lets you connect to the Internet through your cable or DSL modem. VoIP service uses a device called a
telephony adapter, which attaches to the broadband modem, transforming phone pulses into IP packets sent over the Internet.
 
VoIP is considerably cheaper than traditional phone service: for as little as $20 per month, users get unlimited local and domestic long-distance service. For
international calls, VoIP service is only about three cents per minute, about a third the rate of traditional phone service. In addition, any calls from one person to
another person with the same VoIP service provider are free.
 
However, sound quality on VoIP cannot match that of a traditional land-based phone. On a good day, the sound is fine on VoIP, but frequent users comment on
clipping and dropouts that can last up to a second. In addition, sometimes the sound has the distant, tinny quality of some of today’s cell phones.
 
In this excerpt, the second and third paragraphs briefly compare VoIP and traditional phone service. Notice that this passage is organized according to
the part-by-part comparison-and-contrast pattern.

  6.
   Analysis by Partitioning

Partitioning is the process of dividing a thing or an idea into smaller parts so that readers can understand it more easily. The photo below uses partition to
define the components of a roof.

     7. Use of examples

Examples are particularly useful in making an abstract or difficult-to-explain term easier to understand. The paragraph-length definition enumerates the many
uses of one concept in a particular context of life.

      8.Explication

The second, third or the succeeding sentences operate to give the meaning of some difficult expressions used in the previous sentences. Its function is to
unlock difficult words to understand in the sentence.

      9.Operational definition

This definition means you explain the indispensable function or use of the thing in the process, project or activity. This gives the emphasis to the role or use
of the thing in a particular activity.

     10. Stipulative definition

It is a way to extend the definition of a term by explaining the word based on a special condition, a particular purpose, a requirement or a limitation affecting
any agreement between or among people. It assigns meaning to a word, sometimes without regard for common usage. This term is often used in a
pejorative sense to refer to a definition that appears to be deliberately misleading. Stipulative definitions are also known as Humpty-Dumpty words or
legislative definitions.

  A Sample Extended Definition

The figure below is an example of an extended definition addressed to a general audience.

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*** END of LESSON 5***

REFERENCES

Baracero, E. (2011).  Technical Writing in this Era of Globalization and Modern Technology. Manila: Rex Book Store

Markel, Mike and Selber, Stuart A. (2018) Technical COMMUNICATION TWELFTH EDITION. Arlington Street, Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Online Reference

Retrieved September 13, 2020 from https://www.thoughtco.com/stipulative-definition-1692143

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