Words that are not part of everyday language, but are used by experts in a particular domain, or subject area, are called domain-specific words. Terms that experts use to talk about your topic can be an important part of your research because they make your writing sound authoritative--as though you know your subject well enough to teach someone else about it. When you write an informative report, you explore not only the facts and details needed to understand and discuss your topic, but also its special vocabulary.
For example, if you plan to write about the migratory patterns of whales, your research will reveal not just facts about whales, but also technical terms and phrases used by marine biologists. You might find references to parts of a whale's body, such as its flukes or baleen, or you might find references to the krill that whales eat, or to latitude and longitude, terms that are used to identify the places where whales migrate. When you use domain-specific words, you must keep in mind that your reader will probably not be familiar with them, so it's up to you to define those terms in a way that keeps your readers reading. One way to help readers follow you is by simply including a brief definition in the sentence containing the term. Here's a sentence that includes a definition of the word baleen (shown in bold).
The humpback whale feeds through the use of baleen, a series of keratin plates that serve as sieves to strain out seawater and trap food.
For longer definitions, you can include a separate sentence explaining the term--but only if the term is really important to the topic. Your readers will find it difficult to follow you and stay interested if your report sounds like a list of definitions.
Question
In what subject areas would you expect to see heavy use of domain-specific vocabulary?
While domain-specific vocabulary can be found in any field, topics related to science and technology are more likely to include numerous examples of specific vocabulary, including names of theories, materials, and processes.
