MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

DIRECTIONS

as do all good documents. After you are clear about who you are writing for, from a novice to an experienced practioner, then you turn to the writing task. Assignment sheet here (you already have a hard copy). Note:  we will discuss the WikiHow option OR OTHER WAY TO SHARE DIRECTIONS in class.

Writing instructions, procedures, and directions requires simplicity. Rather than write paragraphs, use numbers, bullets, and document design. Above all, be audience-centered. Write with the USER in mind. 

• Use short, concise phrases or sentences. Be consistent about choice of phrases or sentences.
• Use active, descriptive words. Be consistent in both word choice.
• Use bold, italic, and color to help key words, especially action verbs "pop." However, don't over-use these document design elements.
• Use command structure:  lead with a verb.

Example:  Read how to avoid a being eaten by a cougar. Note the preparatory information, safety comments, limits to strategy, parallel structure, command structure, numbering, attention to detail.

For those thining about a recipe, PLEASE CLEAR WITH ME BY EMAIL.  Let's think about how to make bones of the dead.

A bit about visuals.  We will discuss in class.  However, we can look at this document to start the conversation.

----

Research articles: Read them with an eye for specific take-aways.  Here is one way to generate a take-away, from Randy Olson.  Please view his TedMed talk here.  Warning:  fudge-bombs lobbed.  He does speak like a salty sea captain.

 

 

1. AND statement
2. BUT statement
3. THEREFORE statement

 Andrew Revkin -- dotearth blogger at The New York Times -- says this, in response to Randy Olson (involves South Park creators, really):

OPEN QUOTE: Every story can be reduced to this single structure. I can tell you the story of a little girl living on a farm in Kansas AND her life is boring, BUT one day a tornado sweeps her away to the land of Oz, THEREFORE she must undertake a journey to find her way home.

That is the ABT at work.

In a more practical way, a scientist could say, for example, “I can tell you that in my laboratory we study physiology AND biochemistry, BUT in recent years we’ve realized the important questions are at the molecular level, THEREFORE we are now investigating the following molecular questions….”

That would be the narrative of that particular research program. You can do the same for whatever you are working on. CLOSE QUOTE.

 We will look at a PP slide set in class (To be linked later).