Technical and Operational Definition (4Q QT REVIEW ENGLISH ICE 3)

• Technical definition


  A definition in technical communication describing or explaining technical terminology
• Types of technical definition


  • Parenthetical definitions
  • Sentence definitions
  • Extended definitions
• Parenthetical definition


  • Used to introduce words by using a synonym or short description immediately after the word
  • The synonym or description usually delimited by parenthesis or commas
• Parenthetical definition


  • The gods crossed the humble threshold (doorway) of the cottage
  • Daedalus built a labyrinth, a complex structure of confusing passageways
• Sentence definition


  • Generally appear in three different places: within the text, in margin notes, or in a glossary
  • Follow the basic form of TERM, GENUS, and DIFFERENTIA
• Sentence definition


  • Crystal is a quartz that is transparent or only slightly tinged
  • An allegory is a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
• Extended definition


  • Used when a term needs to be explained in great detail and precision
  • Can range in size from a few sentences to many pages
  • Shorter ones are usually found in the text, and lengthy definitions are placed in a glossary
• Extended definition


  • Dairy is a food group that includes milk-based items like milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, and ice cream. Similar to the protein food group, the dairy food group supplies nutrients that are essentially to building up and maintaining the body. Unlike the protein food group, however, the dairy food group generally serves as a better source of calcium and potassium.
• Operational definition


  Provides measurable criteria that specify when data or observation qualifies
• Operational definition


  • In engineering, it may refer to the configuration of steel beams that serve as foundations of a building
  • In biology, it may refer to the specific parts of an organism such as the leaves, stem, and roots of a plant
  • In linguistics, it may refer to the arrangement of words in a sentence
• Sleep deprivation


  • Not getting enough sleep
  • In research work though, a more specific definition of "getting less than 8 hours of sleep" will be more useful in making it clear