To: Nancy Myers

From: Christopher Foster

Date: May 12, 2022
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 14 Summary

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Chapter 14
Technical Descriptions and Process Analyses

Technical descriptions: A part by part depiction of the components of a

mechanism

Types of technical descriptions

 Operations Manuals: Included in most packaging, helps end user construct, install,
and service the equipment
 Product demand specifications: When a company needs a piece of equipment that
doesn’t exist yet
 Study reports provided by consulting firms: Basis for a product demand
specification
 Construction design: Description of property limits (location and dimensions)
 Sales literature: Marketing

Definition of Process Analysis: Comparable to instruction, however in

contrast, Instruction tells you how to perform a job whereas process analysis
focuses on how something works.

Examples of Process Analysis-

 Engineering: Providing a PowerPoint on how different bridge designs work
 Automotive Sales: Explaining how a gasoline-electric hybrid car works to a potential
customer
 Biomedical technology: Explaining how diabetes affects a patient and how the
pancreatic islet transplantation will work to treat this disease.

Criteria for Writing Technical Descriptions and Process Analyses-

 Title: Precisely state your topic with your title, could be the mechanism, tool, piece of
equipment, landform, product or service you are describing.
  Overall Organization: In the introduction, specify and define your topic and explain
the functions, capabilities, or processes
 Details: Develop your discussion
 Word Usage: Depending on your purpose choose your words wisely, such as for a
factual, objective analysis use photographic words that are denotative, quantifiable and
specific. However if for subjective, sales-oriented descriptions use impressionistic words
that are vague and connotative
 Internal Organization: Spatially organize literally lays out the components as they
exist in space.
 Highlighting Techniques: Aid understanding utilizing headings, itemizations, and
graphics

The Writing Process at Work-

 Prewriting: Brainstorming, choosing your subject and getting acquainted with it
 Writing: Focusing on organization and detail, utilizing hand drawn graphics
 Rewriting: After a proofread and a peer read, incorporate any suggested revisions and
prepare the finished copy