1. Technical Communication: Blueprinting
Prof. Q

2. The Importance of Structure
Thinking is Random!!!!
What does the data suggest?
What should be emphasized?
How will the document be approached?
What belongs where?
What should you say in what order? Why?
How should you end?

3. Basic Structure
Introduction – Announces the topic and provides an overview.
Body – Provides evidence, data, and details.
Conclusion – Summarizes by taking a position and making recommendations.

4. P. 84

5. Strategies for Outlining
List key topics
Set up a standard outline
Place key topics where they fit
Be consistent with outline notation
Refine your outline as you work

6. Sample Outline (Complex Reports, Proposals)
I. INTRODUCTION
Background
Purpose of Report
Sources
Limitations of Report
Scope
II. DATA
III. CONCLUSION
Summary of Findings
Interpretation of Findings
Recommendations

7. More Strategies for Outlining
Chunking (brake down info in sections)
Sequencing
Spatial
Chronological
Problem-Solution
Cause and Effect
Paragraphing
Topic Sentence
Cohesiveness
Coherence
Clarifying Heads
Providing an Overview (Manuals, Long Documents)

8. Class Activity I
In your teams, answer the questions on column A for two of the documents in column B.
How is the material organized?
Are paragraphs chunked into discrete units?
Are headings used? Are they effective? Why?
Does it follow a standard sequence?
Do all paragraphs have a topic sentence and unity?
A set of instructions
A campaign report
A detailed budget breakdown
An investigative report
A proposal

9. About Style Avoid ambiguous pronoun references.
Avoid ambiguous modifiers.
Bill told Darius that he was working too hard.
Janice dislikes working with Magdalena because she’s impatient.
Just place the dishes back in the cabinets after 8 p.m.
Before she passed away, Jane told her mother that she admired her.

10. About Style II Use active voice whenever possible.
The evaluation was performed by us.
Hard hats should be worn at all times.
Use passive voice selectively (don’t be blunt).
You did a poor job at editing the report.
Joe’s company fired him.

11. About Style III Avoid Nominalization Unstack Modifying Nouns
My recommendation is for a larger budget vs. I recommend a larger budget.
Unstack Modifying Nouns
Be sure to leave enough time for today’s training session participant evaluation vs. Be sure to leave enough time for participants to evaluate today’s training session.

12. About Style IV Avoid Jargon Write Concisely Eliminate Redundancy
Combine Related Ideas
Avoid Sexist, Racist, and Biased Language

13. Avoiding Sexism Use gender-neutral expressions
Don’t mention gender if it’s not relevant
Avoid sexist pronouns
Drop condescending endings
Use Ms.

14. Doing It Wrong!!!!

15. Doing It Wrong!!!

16. Class Activity

17. Optional Homework
Read and Comment on Dr. Morris’ post regarding today’s exercise:

18. Using Visuals To support text On their own
Don’t include too much information
Provide brief descriptions
Label rows and columns
Line up data
Keep data brief
Credit your sources
Consider Audience

19. Types of Visuals Tables (Numeric, Textual) Graphs (Bar, Line)
Charts (Flow, Pie)
Illustrations (Full art)
Diagrams (How the parts fit)
Photographs and Video
Icons and Symbols

20. Further Reading:
Additional Strategies (p. 136)

21. Class Activity
As a team, find two websites that use images to compliment text. Do these sites use the visuals in a rhetorically effective way? Why / Why not?

22. Document Design Header includes Logo Uses headings and bullets
Has ample margins
Bullet list breaks up paragraphs.
Samples on P

23. Design Elements Font Style Font Size Headings (Navigation)
Color, Shading, Boldface, Italics, Underlining
Bullet Lists and Numbers
Running Header and Footer
TOCs, Indexes
Grid Patterns
Margins
Paragraphs
Justification
White Space
Line Spacing
Indentation

24. Class Work
Fix the Document
Check your for link