Description

From Freepedia

A description consists of an enumeration of the quantitative and qualitative parameters which define something, that is, what something looks like, sounds like, feels like. A complete description includes useful subtle differences which can be useful for distinguishing one thing from another and general characteristics commonly noticed which in popular culture define something. Rigorous description is created and used in scientific disciplines as technical terminology.

In scientific research, description is one of three purposes of research (other two being exploration and explanation). Description means the precise measurment and reporting of the characteristics of studied phenomenon.

Linguistics

In linguistics (the scientific study of language), prescription and description are often at odds with each other. Descriptivists reject the formation of arbitrary normative rules. Instead, they insist on describing languages as they are used in practice, rather than how they should be used according to some formal orthographical system.