Terms and Definitions

Spontaneous: more intimate, can be one on one situation.

Live; person to person, may be formal or informal.

Does not require a live body to deliver --- i.e. brochures, signs, exhibits, audiovisual, automated, etc.

The interpretation of natural or cultural history.

Involuntary; like a classroom or a mandatory training

Voluntary; does not have to pay attention or stay

Why you do what you do! A mission statement describes or defines what your organization does in a short and easy to remember way.

Goals state the desired outcome or impact of your actions. i.e. What do you want your audience to go away with?

An organizing tool for showing how an interpretive organization or program works. It links outputs to outcomes and impacts.

What you do; interpretive programs, brochures, exhibits, signs etc.

What the visitor will do as a result of contact. They can reflect a learning experience or a behavioral change

Changes brought about by interpretive programs. How organizations, the environment, people or resources benefit from interpretive results.

Ignores multiple points of view assuming audience ignorance with oversimplified facts and discouraged dialog to hinder audience perspective

Holding the visitor hostage by going to long with too much overwhelming information with no regard for audience interest

May stereotype multiple points of view, arranging and oversimplifying facts to a punchline not believing or caring about audience interest.

Describes physical properties of something.

Those properties that give an emotional or higher meaning to an object.

Ideas or emotions that can be related to, or have appeal for almost everyone. i.e. family,death, prejudice, love, etc.

Showing the similarity of a thing to some other thing highly familiar to your audience.

Comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”.

To describe something with a word/phrase usually used to describe something else.

To show major similarities or differences between what you are talking about and something else which can be related to.

Making interpretation personal by referring to something that reminds people of themselves. Be careful not to offend or exclude.

Getting people to think about themselves or their experiences to connect to the concepts you are introducing.

The process of using commercial marketing principles for societal benefit rather than commercial profit.