MABINI COLLEGES, INC
College of Education
Daet, Camarines Norte
MC ELT 9 – TECHNICAL WRITING
MODULE 2
TITLE: EXPOSITORY TECHNIQUES TO WRITING
Name of Student:
Course/ year:
Class Schedule:
______________________________________________________
MODULE OVERVIEW
Exposition is a writing technique used by a writer when his/her intention
is to explain something, to analyze an idea, to classify a thing, to give the
correct definition of a term, to make others follow directions, to point out
similarities or differences, to clarify causes and effects, to present data, to
interpret research work, and others.
Therefore, many textbooks and other printed or electronic material
make use of this type of writing. It is probably the most utilized form of
writing.
This module is divided into four lessons which will explain the nature
and use of the following expository techniques as they are applied in technical
writing: classification, definition, description of a process, and description of a
mechanism.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the session, you can:
1. differentiate the forms of technical writing;
2. explain principles involved in writing classification, process, definition,
and description of a mechanism; and
3. apply the principles learned by applying them in writing.
1
LECTURE NOTES
Read This…
LESSON 1: CLASSIFICATION
Classification is dividing something into groups, classes, categories,
etc. This is normally done in accordance with several criteria (standards or
principles on which judgments are based.)
Classification is done by the writer when he/she believes that there are
shared qualities or characteristics about a subject matter. Take for example
the passage below:
GENDERED POWER PATTERNS
Research (Helgessen, 1990; in Wood, 2001) reveals general differences in
how women and men define and use power. Mend tend to see power as finite
and as something to guard closely. Women are more likely to regard power as
unlimited and to share it freely. Another difference is how the sexes see the ends
of power. In general, men see power as a resource for empowering others and
building strong collaborative teams. Differences in orientations toward power
are consistent with gender communication cultures and the divergent rules of
communication they teach men and women.
Based on the passage above, try to answer the following comprehension
questions:
1. What two classes are being compared/contrasted in the passage?
2. How is gender classified?
3. What descriptions are based on the similarities and differences?
How to Classify
One way of classifying objects or ideas is to look for relationships among
them and to organize them into groups. It may either be on the basis of their
similarities and differences.
Try to find the similarities and difference of the words listed below by
classifying them into identifiable categories. Be ready to explain why you
grouped the words in those categories.
Ignition Vietnam Conjunction Car seat
Noun Wiring harness Albert Bandura Cambodia
Philippines Gloria Arroyo Break system Verb
Rodrigo Duterte Jean Piaget Engine oil system Fidel Ramos
John Dewey Adjective Benigno Aquino, III Singapore
2
LESSON 2: DEFINITION
There are times when we are asked by people around us to define or
give meaning to an unfamiliar word. How do you reply? Do you find yourself
saying “it is like this…,” “it resembles that…,” “it is similar to…?”
When we define words or unfamiliar terms, we give concise but exact
meanings of unfamiliar words and special meanings of familiar words. For
people of all ages, definition is a useful technique in oral or written
communication. It is particularly a must for a technical writer to be able to
define the terms with multiple meanings and those that are unfamiliar to the
reader.
Methods of Defining Terms
There are two methods of defining terms: simple and extended
definition.
A simple definition could be formulated by bearing in mind its three
parts: the species, genus, and differentia. This method of definition is
commonly used in technical writing whether formally, semi-formally, or
non-formally.
When using simple definition, note that a species or the term to be
defined may be introduced by a determiner, a genus or the class/category
where the term belongs is always connected to the species by a linking verb.
Both species and genus can be introduced by a determiner. To make the
definition complete, a differentia is written to give the characteristics of the
term that make it different from other terms belonging to the same genus.
Species (term to be Genus (the class where Differentia (a
defined) the term belongs) characteristic of the term)
Language is a form of communication.
An architect is a professional who designs buildings.
Communication is a process of giving and receiving
information.
Another method of defining a term is by expanded definition. This is done
by stipulation, operation, explication, cause and effect, classification,
example, and other rhetorical functions.
Example: species
Communication is a
systematic process in which people genus
interact with and through symbols to
create and interpret meanings. differentia (containing explication
and example)
3
Pointers when Defining Terms
1. Never give definitions of a term that include any of its derivatives. For
example: definition is the act of defining.
2. Do not use “is where” or “is when” to define a term. Don’t say “Christmas
is when Jesus Christ is born” or “A classroom is where you will find
students.”
3. Use the simple present tense (active and passive voice). Consider the
following examples:
a. Documentation is the process of acknowledging the sources used
in developing a research paper. (active)
b. The process of acknowledging sources is called documentation.
(passive)
4. Often we use relative clauses to give additional information. For
example,
“Documentation is the process of acknowledging the sources used in
developing a research paper. This is also another way of helping
researchers who may be later on reading your work to do further research
themselves.”
LESSON 3: DESCRIPTION OF A PROCESS
There are writing tasks that entail an explanation of how something
works, how something is done, or how something is made. That is why
knowing how to describe a process will enable a technical writer and his/her
reader to perform or do something.
In describing a process, a writer explains the arrangement of a
sequence in chronological order. As it is used in technical writing, the process
is akin to mechanism description. Here, process description includes
sequence, instructions, and procedure.
There are two separate concepts which we must briefly explain here:
“How to do something” and “how something occurs.” The first calls for
instructions or procedure; the second, for sequence.
In like manner, process is also a description of equipment, materials, and
procedures. Graphic materials are used for detailed presentation of the
process. the writer makes use of sequence markers to follow the natural or
mechanical system.
When we describe a process or procedure, we often use the present
passive tense: is/are + v + ed. For example: is manufactured, is controlled,
etc.
When describing a process, we use sequence markers to link sentences
like first, second, then, next, subsequently, finally, at last.
4
Example:
How Do You Make a Paper from a Tree?
If you look at a tree, you might have a hard time imagining how something so tall
and strong could be turned into something as think and weak as a sheet of paper. The
process begins with the raw wood, which is made up of fibers called “cellulose”.
The cellulose fibers are stuck together with natural glue called “lignin.” When the
lignin is removed and the cellulose fibers are separated and reorganized, paper can be
made.
It is also possible to make paper from a variety of other types of plant fibers such
as cotton, flax, bamboo, and hemp. For example, cotton fibers are often used to make the
paper that money is printed on. The overwhelming majority (about 95%) of the raw
material used to make paper; though, comes from trees.
To make paper from trees, the raw wood must first be turned to “pulp.” Wood pulp
is a watery “soup” of cellulose wood fibers, lignin, water, and the chemicals used during the
pulping process.
Wood can be turned to pulp in a couple of different ways. Mechanical pulping involves
using machines to grind wood chips into pulp.
The resulting pulp retains most of its lignin, though. The short fibers created by
grinding leads to weak paper most suitable for newsprint, phone books, or other types of
low-strength papers.
The more commonly used method is chemical pulping, also known as “kraft.”
Chemicals are used to separate lignin from the cellulose fibers, leaving pulp mixture that
can make stronger papers.
Depending on what type of paper is desired, the pulp mixture might need to be
bleached to create whiter paper. Paper makers use a variety of chemicals to bleach pulp to
the color they want.
Once the pulp is ready, it is then used to make paper in a process that is quite similar
(in the basic actions) to the process first used by the ancient Chinese more than 1,900
years ago. Because the pulp mixture is so watery (sometimes as much as 99 percent
water!), the cellulose fibers need to be separated from the watery mixture.
Huge machines spray the pulp mixture onto moving mesh screens to make layered
mat. The mat of pulp then goes through several processes to remove water and dry it out.
Finally, the mat is run through heated rollers to squeeze out the any remaining
water and compress it into one continuous roll of paper that can be up to 30 feet wide.
When the paper has the desired thickness, it may be colored or coated with special
chemical to give it a special texture, extra strength, or water resistance. As a last step, the
paper rolls are cut to size and packaged for shipping to other facilities for additional
processing to turn it into all sorts of specialized papers.
LESSON 4: DESCRIPTION OF MECHANISM
We may belong to different fields and disciplines but there are certain
machines or apparatuses that we use to make our work easier. Description
of a mechanism is an explanation of a system or parts of an apparatus. This
includes the characteristics and functions of a piece of the device and the
totality of the mechanism.
5
It also explains the arrangement and shape of an object in space. In
writing a description of a mechanism, the writer may be guided by the
following questions:
• What is it (equipment, machine, device, apparatus)?
• What is its function?
• What does it look like?
• How does it work?
• What are its principal parts?
Example:
How the Refrigerator Works
A refrigerator is really nothing more than a box in which articles can be kept at a
cool temperature. The temperature inside the box is regulated by means of a thermostat.
Apart from the thermostat, the refrigerator mechanism includes a motor-driven
compressor, a condenser and a set of thin, metal evaporated coils, into which is pumped a
liquid refrigerant called freon.
When a liquid evaporates, it absorbs heat. The refrigerant used in a refrigerator has
a very low boiling point and it evaporates in the metal coils. As this happens, it absorbs
heat and as a result, the evaporator coils cool down.
As soon as the temperature inside the refrigerator rises from above a predetermined
level, the thermostat causes the motor to start. Freon vapor is drawn from the evaporator
coils by the compressor, reducing the pressure and allowing liquid refrigerated to move into
them. The liquid in its turn evaporates, absorbing heat and colling the refrigerator. The cool
refrigerant passes through the condenser, where it is changed back into a liquid from and
is eventually forced back into the evaporator coils.
The process continues until a preset temperature is reached. At this point the
thermostat cuts out the compressor and the refrigerator remains idle. When the
temperature rises above the pre-determined level, the thermostat triggers the compressor
into action once more and the cooling cycle recommences.
(Thorn and Badrick, 1990)