hi glenn, short answer EQ compression are what you use to enhance a recorded track (note NOT improve, a bad track will STILL be a bad track) mastering puts it all together for the final mix to CD, and dithering takes the recorded audio (which only applies if you record at higher than 16bit) and reduces it back down to the CD audio standard of 16bit.
hope that answers your question, there are zillio0ns of specialist audio forums and sites, including at PG music as well, so thats prob a better place for this sort of info..anyhoo l8r
dennis

peace, out