This document discusses the difference between descriptive and prescriptive disciplines and texts. Descriptive disciplines and texts aim to describe reality as it is, while prescriptive ones aim to improve or construct reality. Some disciplines can be both descriptive and prescriptive. When reading a text, it's important to identify whether it is primarily descriptive or prescriptive in order to understand the author's purpose. Seemingly descriptive or prescriptive language may sometimes be misleading and require careful interpretation of the text as a whole.

1. Descriptive and
Prescriptive
Texts
By Michal Allon, PhD
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2. Outline
1. Descriptive vs. prescriptive
disciplines
2. Descriptive vs. prescriptive texts
3. Misleading expressions
4. Why is it important?
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3. Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
Disciplines
Academic disciplines may be classified as either
predominantly descriptive or predominantly
prescriptive.
A descriptive (or theoretical) discipline or
science is one which describes and analyzes the
world as it is.
A prescriptive (or normative) science is one
which aims at improving, fixing or constructing
reality.
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4. A discipline is descriptive if its main propositions
contain descriptive expressions, such as “is” or
“have”, but no normative expressions, such as
“ought”, “ought not” or “should”.
A discipline is prescriptive, or normative, if its
main propositions are of the form “it ought to
be”, “one should”, etc.
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5. Some examples of descriptive
disciplines are:
 History
 Sociology
 Anthropology
 Botany
 Zoology
 Physiology
 Physics
 Chemistry
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6. Scientists in these field do not attempt to
change reality but rather to describe it,
understand it and analyze it.
For example, an anthropologist studies a
culture and learns its rules, customs and
habits, without trying to influence it or change
it.
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7.  Many descriptive disciplines have a
prescriptive counterpart.
 For example, medicine may be viewed as the
prescriptive counterpart of physiology. It is
built upon the knowledge which is
accumulated through physiological research,
but the purpose of medicine is not simply to
describe but also to cure, i.e. change the
situation.
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8.  Likewise, social work may be viewed as the
prescriptive counterpart of the descriptive
science of sociology.
 Social work uses the knowledge which is
generated through sociological research and
applies it in order to intervene in problematic
situations in society.
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9.  Some disciplines, such as psychology and
economics are both descriptive and
prescriptive.
 Experimentalpsychologists engage in
psychological research, while clinical
psychologists treat their patients. Their
practice may be seen as a branch of
medicine.
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10. Economics is another discipline which is
both descriptive and prescriptive. Some
economists engage in descriptive or
theoretical research, while others try to
influence the economy by persuading
governments and other forces in the market
to change their behavior.
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11. Descriptive and Prescriptive
Texts
 Texts can also be divided along the same
line.
 Some texts are predominantly descriptive,
while others are mostly prescriptive.
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12.  When reading a text, it is always a good idea
to ask yourself: “Is this text descriptive or
prescriptive?”
 The answer to this question is instrumental in
identifying the purpose of the author in writing
the text.
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13. A text is descriptive if the main purpose of the
author is to describe, measure, analyze and
explain.
A text is prescriptive if the main purpose of
the author is to persuade, convince,
intervene, prescribe or recommend.
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14. Atext may be said to be descriptive if the
main purpose of the author is descriptive.
A text may have descriptive sections, but if
the main purpose of the author is
prescriptive, then we may categorize it as
prescriptive.
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15.  Generally, empirical research articles are
descriptive, as are encyclopedia articles.
 Articles which introduce an intervention model are
mostly prescriptive.
 Essays can be either descriptive or prescriptive.
 The author may express an opinion which is not
objective, but if the text does not recommend a
course of action, the text is still descriptive.
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16. Misleading Expressions
 Sometimes, the language which is used in
texts can be misleading.
 A statement such as: “Women have equal rights”
uses descriptive language, but what it really
means is that women should have equal rights.
 On the other hand sometimes seemingly
prescriptive language is used in order to convey a
descriptive message.
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17.  For example, it is not unusual to find words like
“should” in the hypothesis of an empirical
research article, e.g.:
 “We would therefore expect that racial labels should
have greater effect on liberals that conservatives.”
(Zilber and Niven 1995)
The statement is descriptive in nature, in spite of
the word “should”, and no obligation (i.e.
prescription) is intended.
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18. The reader has to decide whether the text as
a whole is descriptive or prescriptive.
Seemingly descriptive or seemingly
prescriptive expressions should be
interpreted with caution.
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19. Conclusion
Classifying the text as either
descriptive or prescriptive will help
you identify the purpose of the author
in writing the text, read it critically,
and understand the text better, which
is your goal as an effective and
informed reader.
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20. End
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