Read and think about Chapters 4, 5, and 10 in The Essentials of Technical Communication
Write a set of instructions in which you explain to a specific audience how to perform a procedure. Think of a process that involves multiple steps and multiple groups of steps and that will require warnings. Look for more challenging topics than changing flat tires or washing dishes.
Use these guidelines:
Your purpose is to make these instructions as clear, readable, and usable as possible.
In a separate paragraph at the front of your instructions, define the audience in terms of its knowledge, background, and need for the instructions. Label this separate paragraph “Audience.”
Organize your instructions into at least three sections with clear, informative headings.
Provide an introduction to the instructions in which you identify or define the procedure that you are going to present and list the main tasks or phases you are going to discuss.
Use at least one numbered vertical list to indicate a step-by-step sequence.
Include at least one warning or caution statement. The warning needs to be a clearly defined statement with its own heading.
Give your instruction set a clear and descriptive title.
Demonstrate some elements of thoughtful document design (heading format, font choices, capitalization, spacing, overall design, etc.) to make your instructions visually appealing.
Carefully define any potentially unfamiliar terms you use in your instructions.
Carefully describe any objects that are essential to your instructions.
Do not use any images in these instructions (we will get to graphics in future assignments).
As with all writing assignments in this course, follow the standards of good writing style, grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Remember “the qualities of good technical writing” discussed on page 8.
Your final draft should be 500-700 words long.
