This diagram is one of a microscopic animal cell. It consists of the nucleus in the middles surrounded by organelles such as mitochondria, ribosomes, an endoplasmic reticulum, a cytoplasm, a cell membrane, and many other details within it. The purpose of this model is to simplify the explanation of the structure of an animal cell.
Diagrams, such as this one of the animal cell, are especially effective in a virtual environment. Since no teacher or professor is physically able to describe what each organelle looks like, the diagram helps to form an image to go along with the words written on the web about such parts. This is one of the functions of a diagram: ". . . a drawing or plan that outlines and explains the parts, operation, etc., of something. . ." (dictionary.reference.com). This diagram was originally taken from a website that had an explanation of everything accompanying it. It is taken a bit out of context when not supplied with that information; however, it is still discernable, to most people, to be a diagram of an animal cell. The parts just are not labeled and explained, making it just a pretty picture to look at to the non-science individual. I would say that the meaning of the diagram has not been altered because it is very specific to its topic. This diagram is not going to be confused for anything else, nor is it hard to understand what is going on in the model. However, it is the responsibility of the writer to explain the diagram when it is taken out of context. He or she needs to let the audience know what is taking place or what the model consists of for them to get anything out of looking at the diagram and studying it. There are no labels attached to the model, but the explanation that went with it in its original context helped it make sense to someone who was uniformed. Now, however, each cell part has no explanation. It would be a good idea to draw lines from each organelle and label them and possibly provide an explanation. This aids with writing and has everything to do with it. Diagrams make the actual writing go a lot smoother. The author doesn't have to describe in detail everything that is happening. Rather, he or she can refer to the model and the reader will get a better concept of the idea.
