ENGLISH

Manual Project Objectives

 Analyzing contexts, purposes, and audiences to determine appropriate writing style (technical, semi-technical, non-technical), as well as content, organization, and design choices, for technical documents

 Learning strategies for testing the usability and overall effectiveness of a document

 Writing clear, concise, consistent, and accurate prose  Employing writing as a process, from researching a problem to

organizing and drafting a document to testing, revising, and editing that document

 Create a manual for a specific audience that clarifies a complex or difficult process by providing definitions, descriptions, instructions, and other necessary information

Prompt You will create a 1,500-2,000 word instruction manual for a specific audience that provides technical definitions and descriptions, instructions, and reference material.

Step 1: Determine the need for a manual by defining a problem and explaining how a manual can help solve that problem.

• Associated document: Problem Definition and Proposal Step 2: Create definitions and descriptions of key terms, tools, services, or organizations.

 Associated documents: definitions and descriptions

Step 3: Create and test instructions.

 Associated documents: instructions and usability testing materials Step 4: Compile the manual, adding necessary introductory and reference material.

 Associated document: Manual

Formatting • Create a table of contents for print manuals or a clear link structure for

digital manuals • Clearly label sections and headings • Use document styles to make the manual accessible • Label and provide alt-text for visual elements • Use consistent and professional page and text formatting • For any outside sources, use a professional, logical, and consistent

citation style

Grading Problem Definition and Proposal: 10 points (complete/incomplete) Technical Definition and Description: 10 points (complete/incomplete) Instructions: 15 points (complete/incomplete) Usability Test Plan and Report: 10 points (complete/incomplete) Manual: 25 points (Graded using a rubric that you will have input on.)

Important Dates April 26: Problem Definition and Proposal due by 11:59 PM May 3: Technical definition and description due by 11:59 PM May 17: Instructions due by 11:59 PM May 24: Usability Plan and Test Report due by 11:59 PM June 7: Manual project due by 11:59 PM