Reference no: EM133701961
Directions
To complete this assignment, you must do the following:
1. Identify a specific process that interests you. This process may involve cooking, crafting, or sports, or even setting up a game, app, or online program, etc. The more focused, the better! If you aren't sure what might work, let me know!
2. Brainstorm the steps that it takes to complete the task.
3. Order the steps and identify which steps should be sub-steps.
4. Draft an introduction that contextualizes the process for your specific audience and conclusion that offers suggestions for troubleshooting or what users might do next.
5. Add other sections that may be necessary, such as warning/caution/danger explanations, explanation of tools, a glossary, or an appendix.
6. Conduct a user test (if possible)! Ask someone from your specific audience to follow your instructions. Make adjustments based on their
questions, concerns, and problems with completing the process.
7. Revise the instructions. Ensure that each step begins with an imperative phrase and that the steps are organized sequentially. Add an
appropriate title that is clear and straightforward.
8. Take photographs or find appropriate fair use images to add to your instructions. Ensure that they have labels, captions, and/or alt-text
depending on your subject.
9. Design the instructions page so that it includes plenty of white space, attends to best practices in document design, and matches the character of the process. For example, a set of instructions about how a member of your audience might create a Twitter account and begin tweeting would likely use the Twitter symbol and the "Twitter blue" colors. Ensure that fonts and images are large and easily readable.
Overview
For this assignment, you will create a set of written instructions and accompanying visuals. The objective of this assignment is for you to learn to explain how to divide a complicated task into small tasks and use clear, unambiguous language and meaningful illustrations.
Directions
To complete this assignment, you must do the following:
1. Identify a specific process that interests you. This process may involve cooking, crafting, or sports, or even setting up a game, app, or online program, etc. The more focused, the better! If you aren't sure what might work, let me know!
2. Brainstorm the steps that it takes to complete the task.
3. Order the steps and identify which steps should be sub-steps.
Assessment
Ensuring a Readable Style
As you read in Chapter 6, your audience will not be able to use or understand your instructions if they are not written in a readable style. As you revise, consider the following questions to ensure that your instructions are readable:
What is the audiences' knowledge of the subject?
What are the audiences' expectations about the style based on the context?
To ensure a readable style, review the following:
Verb/Word Ratio: Are there too few verbs and too many filler words?
Is/Are Verbs: Can you replace these "to be" verbs with punchier verbs (such as "plan," "select," etc.)?
Short Sentences and Phrases: Are your sentences or phrases too long and windy? How can you break them up for easier reading? Is there a way to better divide out the "supporting information" ?
Active Voice: Are you avoiding passive voice?
Eliminate jargon or "business-ease": Can you replace terms and phrases that your specific audience may not know nor understand?
Eliminate redundant words or phrases: Can you take out unnecessarily duplicative words or phrases?
Parallel Structure: Does each step begin with a punchy verb? Are the headings consistent--in terms of language and design?
Clear Sentences: Do you repeat key words and eliminate sluggish transitions and phrases? Are you avoiding run-on sentences and ambiguous pronoun references?
Lists: Are you using lists effectively?
Do ThisDouble-Checking Images
Images help readers understand instructions, and so that your instructions can reach as many people as possible, they should be as accessible as possible.
To ensure accessible and useful images, review the following:
Are the images meaningful to the instructions? Do they help advance the reader's understanding of different steps?
Are the images congruent--are they stylistically equivalent? Do they do together?
Does each image include alt-text?
Does each image include a caption?
Are the image colors bright and clearly visible?
Are diagrams labeled and easy to read?