Technical Communication: Blueprinting Prof. Q
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?
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.
P. 84
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
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
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)
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
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.
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.
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.
About Style IV Avoid Jargon Write Concisely Eliminate Redundancy Combine Related Ideas Avoid Sexist, Racist, and Biased Language
Avoiding Sexism Use gender-neutral expressions Don’t mention gender if it’s not relevant Avoid sexist pronouns Drop condescending endings Use Ms.
Doing It Wrong!!!!
Doing It Wrong!!!
Class Activity http://academicmaps.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-cope-and-overcome-irritated-and.html http://blog.uta.edu/englishmatters/2012/10/01/customer-service/
Optional Homework Read and Comment on Dr. Morris’ post regarding today’s exercise: http://blog.uta.edu/englishmatters/2012/10/01/customer-service/
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
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
Further Reading: Additional Strategies (p. 136)
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?
Document Design Header includes Logo Uses headings and bullets Has ample margins Bullet list breaks up paragraphs. Samples on P. 142 - 143
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
Class Work Fix the Document Check your e-mail for link