Glossary (D)

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Term Description
data

Data are facts, observations and measurements.

data set

A complete collection of information on a particular topic.

decimal place

A point after which all the following numbers are fractions, i.e less than 1.

denominator

The bottom number in a fraction.

descriptive writing

This is a very precise form of writing that has no unnecessary words used. All aspects of the report or essay you are writing are recorded exactly so that someone else could create a copy of your research.

development

This is progression that can be either academic or personal. Planned development is often intended for growth and improvement. 
Example: A person who has become more confident might have developed a greater belief in their own abilities.

dissertation

A larger scale essay or paper done through independent research. It combined aspects of research, essay writing, report writing and case studies. It is usually set at the end of a degree or course as a final way for a teacher/lecturer to judge your understanding of the content.

document

A source text such as a book, a journal article, a newspaper article, or a web page. The term may also be extended to include visual sources, such as photographs or artwork, and audio sources.

draft

A first version of a piece of writing that you will edit later.
see also edit