Assignment 3: Instructions + Memo

Technical Writing

Assignment Overview

Instructions are among the most common types of documents in technical writing.

Instructions are everywhere; they inform readers how to make, assemble or create

something. You may have followed instruction to log onto a computer at work, to

download and use an App on your smart phone, or to make a gourmet dinner at home

following a recipe. It is likely that you will create them often in your career, if not as a

formal document, then at least in a variety of informal written and oral communications.

Keep in mind the differences among instructions, process descriptions, and procedures:

 Instructions inform readers how to assemble, make or create something, or how

to perform a specific task.

 Process descriptions tell how something works (for example, how a drug works

to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies). While instructions are about how to

use something, descriptions are about how that thing works (e.g., how to take a

prescription drug vs. how that drug works in the human body).

 Procedures are standardized ways of doing things within organizations.

For this assignment, you should focus on creating clearly written, well designed and

effectivelyillustratedinstructions.

Assignment Guidelines:

Choose a Technical or Scientific Topic. Begin by reviewing Gurak & Lannon, Chapter

14: Instructions and Procedures. You will choose your own topic for this assignment. In

order to give you the practice in technical writing, you must choose a technical or

scientific topic. Ideally, a topic requiring a series of steps for assembly or various specific

tasks to complete is best. A topic relevant to nursing may be a good idea, but such a topic

is not required. Consider your hobbies and interests or various topics that you know well.

Choose a topic involving 10 or more steps. The following are just a few examples of

projects from previous classes:

 Setting Up a Small Network in Your Home or Office

 Building and Hosting Your Own Web site

 Detailing YourCar

 Creating a Backyard Butterfly Garden

 Designing and Installing a Solar Heating System in Your Home

 Helping Parents Apply First Aid

 Assembling a Skateboard

 Grooming aHorse

 How to Change an Electrical Outlet

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Write to a Specific Audience. You must specify an audience for your instructions. In

most instances, your audience should be a novice audience—someone who has never

performed the task before. Sample audiences for the instructions mentioned above

include home computer owners, gardeners, small business owners and parents.

Acknowledge all Sources. If you use any sources for your instructions, indicate

exactly where in the document you are using the source(s) by way of in-text citations

that link to a full citation on the APA references page and include this page with your

instructions (see Gurak & Lannon, Appendix A: Documentation Sources). If you use or

adapt illustrations from another source, place the source directly below each illustration.

Required Sections for the Instructions

Regardless of your task, you must include all of the following contents.

 Introduction. Here you’ll provide your reader with the following information:

o The audience in terms of its knowledge and need for the instructions.

o What the instructions will allow readers to do.

o What skill level the audience should have to perform the task successfully.

o An overview of the steps needed to complete the task.

o A sense of how long the task will take.

o Where they should perform the task (i.e. in a well-ventilated area,

outside, on a flat surface,etc.).

 List of Materials, Tools, or Ingredients

 Illustrations (Diagrams, Drawings, Photographs, Figures, or Tables).

o Include captions for each illustration or figure.

o Label charts and diagrams clearly.

o If you used illustrations from other sources, place the source

directly below each illustration. The sources of your illustrations

must be fully documented in APA style on the Reference page.

Warning Against Copying Instructions!

You should write the instructions yourself. DO NOT simply copy instructions you

find elsewhere (on a how-to Website, in your nursing textbook) and cite the source. That

is not the idea of this assignment. The idea is that you will write your own instructions

telling your audience how to complete a task with which you are familiar, so familiar, in

fact, that writing a set of instructions for it should be pretty easy. That isn’t to say you are

not allowed to consult secondary sources; if you need to, you may. But do make sure

that you are writing the instructions yourself.

 If you transcribe (copy) instructions you found elsewhere, you cannot receive a passing grade on

this assignment, even if you correctly cite the sources.

 If portions (or the entirety) of your paper are copied from other sources without proper APA

documentation, your assignment will receive a 0, and the plagiarism case will be reported to

UTA Office of Student Conduct.

 Remember that correctly documenting sources is a 2-step process: 1. Include an in-text

citation to indicate where in the document you used a source(s) 2. Provide a full citation on the

references page.

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 List of Steps, in chronological order.

o Make sure your instructions have 10 or more steps

o Make sure you use the imperative mood. (That is, say this: “Attach the red

wire” rather than this: “The red wire is attached.” With the second

phrase, readers will not know whether the wire is already attached or if

they need to attach it.)

o Each step must be a specific action, (“Turn the knob one complete turn.”)

and not an elaboration or comment (“Turning the knob will result in a

better fit.”).

o Each step may only be one or two sentences.

o Use second person (you) in instructions.

o Include warnings or cautions before readers will encounter problems.

o Make sure steps are phrased in parallel form.

 Troubleshooting or Tips.

And, if needed, your instructions should also contain:

 Warnings

 Glossary of terms

 References

 Appendixes

Document Design and Illustrations

Give careful thought to illustrations and design elements that will make your instructions

effective.

 Make sure all of your steps are numbered throughout.

 Single-space the text in the paragraphs.

 You must include at least two illustrations in your instructions. You may create

your own, or adapt illustrations from other sources. Make sure you provide source

information for all illustrations immediatelybelow each illustration. (For example,

for any photos you took: “Source: photo by author.” For any illustrations from

other sources: “Source: Website (or other resource).”

 Use as many of the four basic design principles as possible (Contrast, Repetition,

Alignment, Proximity).

 Design your document for consistency (grid patterns, margins, justification, white

space, indentation, font style and size). See pages 147-151.

 Design your document for navigation and emphasis (headings, color, shading,

boldface, italic, and underlining, bulleted and numbered lists). See pages 151-264.

 Follow the tips for illustrating documents presented in Chapters 8.

Note: You must use a two-column format or some other format rather than just a

full-page format on each page for the text, illustrations, and design elements.

MemoRequirements

In addition to your instructions, provide a 1 to 2 page single-spaced memo discussing the

following indetail:

 Introduction: Discuss the topic and audience for your instructions and why you

chose this topic and audience. End with a one-sentence preview listing the points

you plan to cover concerning your design decisions.

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 Body: Discuss the following (create and use appropriate headings)

o Any of the four basic design principles you applied (contrast, repetition,

alignment, proximity).

o The ways you designed your document for consistency (grid patterns,

margins, justification, white space, indentation, font style and size). The

reasons for making these design choices.

o The way you designed your document for navigation and emphasis (headings,

color, shading, boldface, italic, and underlining, bulleted and numbered lists).

The reasons for making these design choices.

o Any additional design choices (if applicable).

o The illustrations you chose to include and your reasons for including them.

 Conclusion: Discuss your overall assessment of how you believe your design

decisions make your instructions a more helpful document for your audience.

Submission

 Combine two documents (instructions and memo) into ONE WORD FILE and

submit via SafeAssign. No assignments will be accepted over email.

 Required title for Word file: your last name_instructions_memo. For example,

myfile name should be: Pearman_instructions_memo.docx.

 Due by 11: 59 pm on the Sunday of Week 3.

EvaluationRubrics

 Completeness (10 pts): The instructions include all of the required sections.

 Introduction (10 pts): The introduction identifies the document’s audience in

terms of its knowledge and need for the instructions. It tells what the instructions

will allow readers to do and provides an overview of the steps. It gives the

audience a sense of how long the task will take, where it should be performed,

and provides cautions or warnings when need.

 Text of the Steps (20 pts): The instructions have 10 or more steps. The steps use

imperative mood. Each step is a specific action.

 Design (20 pts): The document has a clear hierarchy of headings. The steps are

numbered throughout. There is an appropriate amount of white space. It makes

effective use of the four basic design principles (contrast, alignment, proximity,

repetition). Design features, such as fonts, font sizes, and forms of emphasis are

applied consistently. The overall design is clear and consistent.

 Illustrations (10 pts): There are at least two illustrations. The illustrations are

effective, each serving a functional purpose (meaning, it helps the reader better

comprehend the task at hand). It is not merely used for decorative purpose. The

illustrations are appropriatelydocumented, displayed, and labeled.

 Memo (10 pts): The memo addresses all required points as listed in the handout.

In-depth discussion and rationale are provided for the audience, topic, and design

choices.

 Style (10 pts): The instructions are written as active voice commands. Headings

and numbered/bulleted items are in parallel form. The second person (you) is

used.

 Mechanics (10 pts): Spelling, APA documentation, grammar, and punctuation

arecorrect.

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