Intro to Instructions for basic tech writing courses.

1. Writing Effective
Instructions
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2. Challenges
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3. What do we always
do first?
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4. Audience Analysis
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5. Do a task analysis.
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6. What do they need to know?
What do they want to know?
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7. Instruct at the correct level
(Basic overview or detailed instruction?)
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8. How to access your blog interface:
Novice User
• with your computer turned on, open the
Web browser.
• locate browser button on desktop
• double-click it
• wait for browser to open
• enter URL for your control page
• press enter
• etc etc.
Saturday, September 25, 2010

9. Same for Experienced User:
• Open browser
• Enter URL for control panel
• Click on “New Entry”
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10. Use very specific action verbs.
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11. Be sure you say what
you mean.
• Place the thingie?
• Slide it into place?
• Click it into place?
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12. Maintain Parallel Structure
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13. Right:
1. Click the left button.
2. Slide the lever over until the bunny turns
blue.
3. Turn the ignition key.
4. Blast off.
Saturday, September 25, 2010

14. Right:
1. Click the left button.
2. Slide the lever over until the bunny
turns blue.
3. Turn the ignition key.
4. Blast off.
Saturday, September 25, 2010

15. Wrong:
1. First, you click on the left button.
2. After you do that, then you’ll want to
slide the lever all the way over.
3. When the lever is all the way over, the
bunny will turn blue. After that, turn the
ignition key.
4. Congratulations! Blast off!
Saturday, September 25, 2010

16. Don’t overload the audience
• People can digest a limited amount of info
• Consider audience attention spans
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17. Give just enough info to
get them to the next step.
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18. Make it easy to follow.
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19. Superstructure
• Introduction
• Description of equipment
• List of materials or equipment needed
• Directions
• Troubleshooting
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20. Use appropriate organization
• Chronological order
• Numbered list format
• Descriptions
• Checklists
• Question lists
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21. Use plenty of graphics.
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22. and pay attention to
their quality.
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23. Design attractive
pages / screens
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24. Don’t make an
instruction unit more
than one screen long
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25. Test it.
If it’s not usable, it’s no good.
Saturday, September 25, 2010