ECE 582: Electrical and Computer Engineering Design I

Introduction, TI Contest,and Technical Definitions

Office Hours

Chris BartholEmail: Barthol.1@osu.eduOffice: Caldwell 380Office Hours:

MWF 1-3pmPlease email me before hand

Goals for this lecture

TI Contest

Go over technical definitions

Assignments Resume

Due Today

TI Contest

http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/landing/universityprogram/index.htm

Technical Definitions

Chapter 3 in Pocket Book of Technical Writing by Finkelstein

“In technical writing, definition is the process by which one assigns a precise meaning to a term.” – Fink, p.25

Technical Definitions II

(Qualifier +) Term = Classification + Differentiation

Qualifier: “used when general context for a definition needs

to be established up front” – Fink p.26Classification:

“a general category in which the term fits” – Fink p.27

Differentiation: “Narrowing the meaning of the term to just one

possibility within the class.” – Fink p.29

Technical Definitions III

Know you audience

Define abbreviations the first time you use them

Your technical definition may spur the need for more technical definitions. (Extensions – Fink page 30)

Further definition Compare and Contrast Classification Cause and Effect Process Exemplification Etymology

Abstraction Ladder

Group Time

Form into groups