Friday, Jan. 31

Markel and Selber, Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions (45)

Writing Instructions (10) -- pp. 20-40

Writing Instructions

Instructions are process descriptions that help users perform a task.

• Instructional videos 

  • • Can be useful for basic conceptual information, computer-based tasks, and technical tasks. 

    • Especially useful for things that rely on technique or subtle physical movements.

    • Should be brief (2-3 minutes; no more than 12-15)

Planning

• Consider modality. Should it be physical? 1 page? Should it be bound?

• Consider context. Reader expectations, abilities, if more than 1 set of instructions is necessary, what languages should be used, possible user anxieties, and the effect of environment.

• Planning for Safety

  • • Organization may be liable for putting users at risk if they are hurt

    • Avoid complicated sentences

    • Examples show a preference for imperative mood

    • Signal words: 

      • • Danger (for immediate and serious hazards that are likely to be be fatal; sometimes all-caps); 

        • Warning (potential serious injury, death, or damage; sometimes all-caps); 

        • Caution (potential for moderate injury or equipment damage); 

        • Note (tip or suggestion)

Drafting

• Titles. How-to (How to Brew using a Cafelat Robot); Gerund (Brewing with the Cafelat Robot)

• Introductions. Who should carry out the task? Why? When should it happen? What safety measures or other concerns should the reader understand? What items are needed? How long will the task take?

• Steps

  • • Number them. 

    • If they are long and complex, divide into subsets. 

    • May benefit here from task analysis.

    • Include the right amount of information per step

    • Use imperative mood

    • Feedback statements should follow as an additional sentence in a numbered step. It is not its own numbered item.

    • Include graphics

    • Include articles (a, an, the) for clarity

Revise

• Revisions can be based on usability testing

Activity (5)

What about your group's instructions do you find most effective, given the guidelines that Markel and Seller provide? Which do you find less effective? Identify 2-3 elements you think could possibly benefit from additional revision, based on Markel and Selber's guidance.

Graphics

Graphics can:

• Illustrate logical and numerical relationships

• Illustrate spatial information

• Illustrate steps in a process

• Save space

• Save translation costs

Graphics should:

• Be purposeful

• Be simple and uncluttered

• Present a manageable amount of information

• Meet reader expectations

• Be labeled

• Be honest:

  • • obtain permission, and cite any borrowed information

    • include all relevant data

    • begin axes at zero

    • make data apparent, do not use visualizations that conceal information

    • show items as they are. do not manipulate images in ways that misrepresent objects

Integrate graphics and text:

• at appropriate locations

• introduce graphics in text

• explain graphics in text

• make the graphic clearly visible

• make graphics easy to find

Processes

Plan for Context

• what will audiences need or want to know? what knowledges or expectations will they have when they look at graphics

• what purposes do you have for the graphic? What do you want to communicate? Under what conditions? Within what time frame? With how much money? With what equipment? And whose expertise will you use?

Producing Graphics by

• using existing graphics, especially if you have permissions

• modifying existing graphics

• creating graphics on a computer

• having someone else create the graphics

Revising graphics

• Develop an evaluation and ask others for suggestions, revise, and ask more suggestions/feedback

Citing graphics

• obtain permissions

• include a citation

Color

• don’t over do it

• use color to emphasize important things

• use color to create patterns

• use contrast

• take advantage of existing symbolic meanings and colors

• don’t swallow up text

Choosing Appropriate Graphics

• Depends on purpose, such as:

• illustrating numerical information

• illustrating logical relationships

• illustrating processes and instructions

• illustrating visual and spatial characteristics

Creating effective graphics for multicultural readers

• reading patterns differ

• varying cultural attitudes toward instruction

• de-emphasize trivial details

• avoid culture specific language, symbols, references

• portray people carefully

• be careful with hand gestures

Reading Responses

Kira

One of the ways that I saw this reading in a real life example is with science communication. The reading emphasizes that graphics can communicate steps in a process more effectively than words alone, which is especially true in complex biological processes. For example, when I was learning about the stages of cell replication, a bunch of words in my textbook didn’t really help me understand what was happening. When they accompanied the words with a graphic that showed what was happening with the cell membrane and chromosomes in each stage, I could tell the difference between each step. For processes like this, graphics are necessary and words are less effective at demonstrating the complexities.

Nick

This reminds me of my econometrics class, where we used coding software for data analysis and to create charts from enormous datasets. In retrospect, there was a lot of care that was taken in the statistics to make sure that the regressions we created were precise and accurate and showed the bigger picture of the relationship between variables. Sometimes we would have to use logarithmic scales to adjust the graph to make it look smoother to accurately show the relationship over the years. 

Michelle

Once again, I see a connection between this reading and the New Media course I took last quarter. We talked about visual rhetoric throughout the whole course but especially in preparation for our infographic project. Both the reading and our discussions in that class emphasized that the way information is communicated will shape the way that users interpret that information. In other words, digital mediums like infographics have the potential to influence the viewer so it’s important to be intentional about the different visual elements that go into an infographic (such as color, text, pictures, data, etc.).

Kendra

The section “Ethics Note”  made me think about the class discussions on ethics. As a technical writer, there is a responsibility to be ethical in the documents we produce. But there are many examples where technical documents that use graphics can be harmful. These are listed under the ethics note, but I found this article about the ways data can be skewed. It talks about how people start the data in “the middle” or manipulate the y or x axis. In the reading, figure 12.13 touches on this by pointing out infographics can have a biased agenda. This reminded me of Katz writing on ethics, specifically their opinion on the instrumentalist view point. The fact that data can be skewed supports Katz's belief that the purposes for communication are always motivated and ethics should be an integral part of technical communication. 

Pippa

As for real world examples I think about the scandal of 2010 regarding FOX news. Fox News misrepresented unemployment statistics by using a bar graph with a skewed y-axis that exaggerated a small increase in unemployment rates. The unethical graphic made a minor rise look like a dramatic jump going against the rule of ethical graphics.  Misleading visuals can manipulate public perception. Ethical graphics should accurately represent data without distorting scale or omitting key information. 

Anzhuo

In my econ class, we had to do a presentation and I created the bar graph to compare data between the US and China on EV price. At first, I made the color of the two yellow and blue because I did not want the color to look boring or as expected. However, my team member changed the color to blue and red referring to US and China so it’s easier for reader to understand them. This relates to the reading how the usage of color should meet audience’s expectation to save time for more important content. This helps to made the graph more simple and easy to understand.

Activity 1

Instructions Analysis 

Group Work (10)

1. Make a copy of the linked document.

2. Share your copied document with me.

3. Fill out the evaluation with your group.

4. Make recommendations.

Discussion (10)

Group Work (10)

5. Make a copy of the linked document.

6. Share your copied document with me.

7. Fill out the evaluation with your group.

8. Make recommendations.

Discussion (10)

Activity 2

1. Revisit the GACTT survey. You may also find the cover sheet helpful.

2. Select a few variables in the survey. Using Markel and Selber's recommendations for graphics, decide: What types of graphics might you make from the data in this survey?

Other link...