ABSTRACT
The writing of descriptions needs special tactics. The aim of a description is to create in the reader’s mind a clear picture of a process or a piece of equipment. In writing operating instructions, success can be defined as the machine operating properly or the process producing the correct results. The state of understanding or visualising something is less obvious, and less measurable. There are degrees of understanding, from a vague grasp, through a picture held with difficulty in focus, to a detailed and confident knowledge. Because the aim is neither so easily identifiable nor so clearly defined, descriptions are not as restricted in the choice of structures and tactics as are operating instructions, but we can establish useful basic strategies to guide the writer.
