How the Macmillan School Dictionary was written

The challenge

We wanted to keep a full range of general words and extensive explanations of how they are used, while also providing wide coverage and accurate definitions across the whole curriculum. This aim also had to be achieved using a limited vocabulary, to produce a dictionary that would be straightforward for students for whom English is a second language.

The problems we faced

A major problem was that, in order to make space for numerous curriculum terms, there had to be a careful selection of the general words and how they were used. This editing was mainly done by others; my role was to champion and justify all the curriculum terms that I strongly felt should be included for full coverage of all subjects. We trust that the final mix of general and curriculum terms will show that we got the balance right.

When I began work on the Dictionary, my colleagues had already decided to group the curriculum terms under subject headings. You will find these labels in small red capitals - Chemistry, Language, Religion etc. From my background of teaching and writing at lower secondary level, I was able to suggest some changes to the subject labels that better reflected the classroom situation, and the interests of students outside of school – such as the addition of Astronomy.

The process of deciding which terms should be included under each subject label was a collaborative effort between the editors and myself. They sent me lists of terms for each of the 20 categories which I then supplemented or deleted. I also identified terms that had wide use and seemed more appropriate for what we were calling ‘the general pool’. We decided not to have any one term with more than two subject labels; this means, for example, that terms of general scientific use are categorised as Science, while those with more limited use are labelled Biology and/or Chemistry etc. The particular label(s) given to each term also required a continual refinement of the definitions of each subject category.

The subject labels would also be helpful to users of the accompanying CD-ROM and website, allowing them to list and search the terms under each category. Students can have an immediate ‘bird’s-eye’ view of the important terms in their chosen area, together with their definitions. We also decided to create individual categories for Geology, Computing and Economics, for example, and to separate the specific categories of Agriculture, Environment, Astronomy and Health from the all-encompassing traditional Science label. In this way we not only covered the subjects as they are taught in school, but also laid a foundation for future schoolwork, and interests out of school and in adult life.


The different types of definitions that we needed
As each term was given one or two subject labels, it then needed a definition. It was again an interesting cooperative effort to prepare definitions for the science terms that were accurate for lower secondary level, but not too complex. I find it interesting that, although lexicographers are very precise in their use of finer points of language for words in general use, it is sometimes difficult to give the same linguistic importance to exact scientific definitions of terms such as ‘mammal’ or ‘insect’. As the definitions of the general terms had been prepared using a limited vocabulary to aid understanding, there was a desire to try and do the same for the scientific terms. There were therefore some occasions where I had to justify the inclusion of some additional words in the defining vocabulary, in order to provide precise scientific explanations.

The rewards

The main reward, we hope, is that you, the user, will find, understand and use the terms and definitions in a way that is helpful in your work. On a personal level, I found interacting with professionals in other areas to be very interesting, as was the process we went through to achieve compromise and solution. Furthermore, there was the pleasure of seeing the individual pages of a manuscript come together, almost magically, to transform themselves into a book.

The interesting things I found

What I found most interesting was the melding of skills of all the people involved in the creation of the Dictionary. Many lexicographers have a language background that may not have included a higher study of science, and they may not have taught in the kinds of schools for which the Dictionary was designed. On the other hand, scientists are not usually very interested in the finer points of language and the crafting of definitions using a limited vocabulary. I found myself drawing on my background of teaching and writing for over 30 years, and was glad I had written definitions for my own books and begun work on my own School Dictionary for the Caribbean. It was a fortunate combination that the members of the team were able to work together in the way that we did.

The Study Skills section

Communication between people involves speaking and listening, writing and reading. The wide range of ways in which we communicate is reflected in the Study Skills section. These pages cover the preparation and interpretation of tables, pie charts, bar charts, histograms and line graphs (Dealing with Data) as well as how you can carry out and write up your work (Experiments and Projects). A summary of basic language skills is also included (Capital letters and Punctuation) together with an account of the different types of composition and the tools you can use to improve your writing (Composition skills).

The importance of new technology in all subject areas has also been recognised with the inclusion of a section on computer hardware and software, and computer language, text messages and the Internet (Information and Communication Technology – ICT).

The assessment of the work you do in school is also of great importance. We have therefore included a section to help you revise, and given some advice on how you can do well in your exams (Revision and Examination skills).

Conclusion

So, we present you the fruits of our labours and hope that you will enjoy and learn from them. I would be interested to hear your reactions, especially regarding the use of the subject labels, the definitions of scientific terms, and the coverage within the Study Skills pages. You can contact me at june.hassall@ntlworld.com. I wish you success with your work!