By:

Rachelle C. Padin
Ren-ren Maja
Patricia Rose Regenio
Topics
I. Description of a Mechanism
II. Description of a Process
III. Illustration and Example
IV. Comparison and Contrast
V. Cause and Effect

I. DESCRIPTION OF A MECHANISM
A mechanism is generally defined as any object or
system that has a working part or parts.
There are three fundamental divisions of the
description and these are:
The introduction
The part-by-part description
The conclusion.
The Introduction
At the beginning of a discussion of an unfamiliar
mechanism, a reader immediately needs three
kinds of information:
What it is
What its purpose is
What it looks like.
Example
A sphygmomanometer or blood
pressure meter is a device used
to measure blood pressure.
Manual sphygmomanometers,
such as this one, are used in
conjunction with a stethoscope.

The sphygmomanometer has
several main parts, the bulb,
valve, manometer, bladder, and
cuff.
The Part-by-Part Description
After the introduction and the mechanism
logically divided into parts, the description of the
first part follows.
The Part-by-Part Description
Example:
The bulb pumps air into the cuff. An end (check)
valve prevents air from escaping. ADCs latex-
free bulbs are made from either spin cast PVC,
or dip molded neoprene.
The Part-by-Part Description
Example:
The deflation valve allows for controlled deflation
of the cuff critical for accurate measurement.
ADCs ADFLOW valve is machined from solid
brass and plated in both nickel and chrome. Filter
screen protection and microthread design ensure
precision and long life.

The Part-by-Part Description
Example:
The manometer is the portion of the
sphygmomanometer that measures the air
pressure in mmHg. The aneroid contains a watch-
like movement that measures the air pressure
applied to the cuff. Within the gauge is a series of
copper/berrylium diaphragms that expand when
filled with air. Gears convert the linear movement
of the diaphragms, turning the needle on a dial
calibrated in mmHg.

The Part-by-Part Description
Example:
The bladder is the inflatable bag that, when filled,
compresses the arm to occlude the artery.
The Part-by-Part Description
Example:
The cuff is designed to hold the bladder around
the limb during measurement.
The Conclusion
The last principal function of the description of a
mechanism is to let the reader know how it works,
or how it is used, if this has not been done in the
general introduction.

The Conclusion
Example:
When a sphygmomanometer is used, the cuff is
inflated, usually around the upper arm, and the
pressure is gradually released. In a manual
device, the pressure is displayed as the height of
a column of mercury in a tube. As the cuff is
manually inflated, the height of the column
increases, and then decreases as the pressure is
released. While the cuff deflates, the health
professional usually listens with a stethoscope to
the main artery of the arm.
II. DESCRIPTION OF A PROCESS
A process is a series of actions, and fundamentally
the description of a process is the description of
action.
A process description is organized as follows:
Introduction
Equipment and Materials
Step-by-step description of the action
Conclusion (if necessary)


Introduction
Your introduction should be a concise paragraph
that supplies a sentence definition of the process.
Example: Making a Simple Syrup
A syrup is a concentrated or nearly saturated
solution of sucrose in water. A simple syrup
contains only sucrose and purified water. It is a
pharmaceutical aid used as a solvent and a
sweetening agent.
Equipment and Materials
Cite the equipment and materials to be used.

Example:
In making the simple syrup, 25.5 grams of
sucrose, 30 ml of distilled water, a small
casserole or beaker, and an electronic stove will
be needed.
Step-by-Step Description of the Process
It answers the question, How does it happen?

Example:
Making a simple syrup involves heating, mixing,
and cooling. First, the water is heated to boiling.
Second, the sucrose is added to the boiling water.
Lastly, when the sucrose has completely mixed
with the water and the mixture has a thick,
sticky consistency, allow to cool.
Conclusion
Without being excessively redundant, review the
major steps in the process. Walk the reader
through one complete cycle, emphasizing how the
completion of each stage contributes to the final
overall effect.
III. ILLUSTRATION AND EXAMPLE
Illustration is the photograph, drawing or diagram
used to demonstrate information in technical
writing.
It is used as a graphic aid to further explain the
technical information that was written.
Example:
A Human Anatomy book may show a diagram of
the digestion process accompanied by text that
explains the organs involved and what the roles of
the organs are in digestion.
IV. COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
By means of comparison, people examine how
two or more things are similar;
By means of contrast people looks at how two or
more things are different.
In other words, comparison is used when we focus
on similarities, and contrast when we focus on
differences.
Example: Aspirin VS Acetaminophen
Aspirin is a medication that is commonly used to treat
different types of mild pain, including headaches.
When taken, aspirin is absorbed into the bloodstream
and reacts with certain chemicals in the blood to
reduce the substances in the body that are causing the
pain. Because it also helps reduce inflammation and
heat, aspirin is also useful in lowering fevers and to
ease minor muscle aches. Unfortunately, aspirin does
have side effects; it can cause upset stomach,
heartburn, and indigestion, its generally not
recommended for use in children, and shouldnt be
used in some patients who have bleeding disorders.
Acetaminophen, on the other hand, is a medicine
that works much like aspirin, but still has a few
differences. It also lowers fevers and helps with
headaches, like aspirin, but it does not treat the
inflammation that can occur with muscle sprains
or arthritis. However, acetaminophen is less
irritating to the stomach than aspirin, and usually
does not cause as many side effects in the digestive
tract as aspirin does. Acetaminophen is safer for
children and people with bleeding disorders as
well.
V. CAUSE AND EFFECT
Documents organized by cause and effect help
readers understand how one event is caused by
another.
Purposes of writing cause and effect
to help your readers understand a cause-and-effect
relationship.
to persuade your readers that a certain cause-and-effect
relationship exists.

V. CAUSE AND EFFECT
It can be organized by:
Introduction generally presents the subject(s) and
states the purpose of the analysis
Body explores all relevant causes and/or effects,
typically progressing from least to most influential or from
most to least influential.
Conclusion summarizes the various cause/effect
relationships established in the body of the paper and
clearly states the conclusions that can be drawn from those
relationships
V. CAUSE AND EFFECT
Example: Cause and Effect of Antibiotic
Resistance
Antibiotic medications are used to kill bacteria,
which can cause illness and disease. Many diseases
that once killed people can now be treated effectively
with antibiotics. However, some bacteria have
become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Not
completing the entire course of the prescribed
antibiotic is the most common cause of antibiotic
resistance. Other causes are unnecessary and
overprescribing of antibiotics, and transmission of a
disease by a person whose bacteria is resistant to
antibiotic.

V. CAUSE AND EFFECT
Example: Cause and Effect of Antibiotic
Resistance


In effect, the disease will be more difficult to treat
and will require stronger antibiotics to kill the
bacteria.