Solved by verified expert:This assignment asks you to select a product or process and write a description of it.There are two different kinds of technical descriptions to consider. Choose whichever one is appropriate, depending on your topic. Note: It is a good idea to select something with which you are already familiar, so you can focus on learning how to write the description rather than focusing on both learning how to write the description and learning about the product or process! You can also consider the topic that you wrote about for the user instructions assignment. A product description explains the features of a specific device, like a scientific instrument or computer program. Possible topics include devices that are specific to your field, or devices you use in everyday life: ● Battery ● Catalytic converter ● Manual can opener ● Your favorite computer or video game A process description explains how a complex event occurs, including a mechanical process (i.e. how pencils are made) or natural event (i.e. how lightning is produced). You can choose a process that is specific to your field, or one that people may be curious about: ● How a specific drug works ● How steel is made ● How fuel cells work ● How a computer compiles and executes a program ● How your microwave works Guidelines: Include an introduction to your product/process. ○ Indicate the specific process about to be described. ○ Indicate what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand the description and why your audience might need this description. ○ Give a general description of the object and its function, cause, or effect. ○ Give an overview of the contents of the description. ● Include a background in which you clearly indicate the nature and scope of your description. ● Include a bulleted list of materials or components of the process (if needed). ● Provide appropriate detail. This will be the “body” of your description. For products, describe each part in detail, including dimensions, materials, functions and relation to other parts. For processes, describe each step in detail. In either case, remember to make all language/discourse choices based on the audience’s level of interest, experience, and knowledge about the topic. ● Write a conclusion. A conclusion will summarize the description. Often a conclusion will describe how all the previously-described parts work together. You may also remind your audience of how this product or process will ultimately help your audience solve a problem (or enrich their lives!). ● Make your descriptions as clear, readable, and understandable as possible. ● Make sure you use appropriate format for headings and subheadings. ● Include any graphics or images or drawings needed to illustrate your process. ● Include a flowchart. ● The number of pages for this assignment will depend upon the number of steps and illustrations that it takes to illustrate your process. The more complex (but not outrageously complex) the procedure, the better your grade will be.
process_description___assignment_6.pdf
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Process Definition and Description—Assignment 6
Technical professionals are often required to define or describe a technical object, concept, or process
to someone who has little knowledge or experience with it. For example, an engineering firm might
write a proposal to bid on a contract to develop a helicopter for the Defense Department; one section of
the proposal would be a detailed description of the product the company proposes to develop. Technical
descriptions are used before products and processes are developed (as part of proposals and planning
documents), during development (in progress reports, for instance), and afterwards (as part of
marketing and promotional literature and technical support documents).
Note: A product or process description is not a set of user instructions. While an instruction set
provides steps a user would take in order to complete a task, product and process descriptions describe
how something works. The contrast is between how to use something and how that thing works (e.g.
how to use a microwave versus how the microwave heats food). For this assignment, you should focus
on how things work, not how to use them.
Choosing a Topic
This assignment asks you to select a product or process and write a description of it.There are two
different kinds of technical descriptions to consider. Choose whichever one is appropriate, depending
on your topic.
Note: It is a good idea to select something with which you are already familiar, so you can focus on
learning how to write the description rather than focusing on both learning how to write the
description and learning about the product or process! You can also consider the topic that you wrote
about for the user instructions assignment.
A product description explains the features of a specific device, like a scientific instrument or computer
program. Possible topics include devices that are specific to your field, or devices you use in everyday
life:
● Battery
● Catalytic converter
● Manual can opener
● Your favorite computer or video game
A process description explains how a complex event occurs, including a mechanical process (i.e. how
pencils are made) or natural event (i.e. how lightning is produced). You can choose a process that is
specific to your field, or one that people may be curious about:
●
●
●
●
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How a specific drug works
How steel is made
How fuel cells work
How a computer compiles and executes a program
How your microwave works
Audience and Purpose
Select an audience that would be interested in learning about the process or product you explain. For
example, you could assume an audience of freshman college students reading about your topic in a
textbook. You could write a marketing document to persuade people to buy a product. Or, you could
write a description that would be part of a proposal being sent to a potential client. In the assignment
you should assume that the description is crucial to the work of your audience, however your readers
are not experts on the topic. You are the expert explaining the product or process to the reader.
Gathering Information
Take time to learn all you can about the product or process you select, even if you are already familiar
with it. Read background information or otherwise inform yourself about the topic. List any sources in
either a Works Cited or a Works Consulted section.
Guidelines:
● Include an introduction to your product/process.
○ Indicate the specific process about to be described.
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Indicate what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand
the description and why your audience might need this description.
Give a general description of the object and its function, cause, or effect.
Give an overview of the contents of the description.
Include a background in which you clearly indicate the nature and scope of your description.
Include a bulleted list of materials or components of the process (if needed).
Provide appropriate detail. This will be the “body” of your description. For products, describe
each part in detail, including dimensions, materials, functions and relation to other parts. For
processes, describe each step in detail. In either case, remember to make all language/discourse
choices based on the audience’s level of interest, experience, and knowledge about the topic.
Write a conclusion. A conclusion will summarize the description. Often a conclusion will
describe how all the previously-described parts work together. You may also remind your
audience of how this product or process will ultimately help your audience solve a problem (or
enrich their lives!).
Make your descriptions as clear, readable, and understandable as possible.
Make sure you use appropriate format for headings and subheadings.
Include any graphics or images or drawings needed to illustrate your process.
Include a flowchart.
The number of pages for this assignment will depend upon the number of steps and
illustrations that it takes to illustrate your process. The more complex (but not outrageously
complex) the procedure, the better your grade will be.
Note: As with all writing assignments, save a draft copy on your computer or in your Google Drive. This
assignment will require a first and final draft for the final portfolio.
Use the checklist on page 215 of your textbook to ensure that you are adhering to the best practices of
user instruction writing.
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