• Time Required
• 7–8 hours, including reading time

This module asks you to begin the process of writing the instructions that you (or someone else) will use to conduct primary research for your recommendation report. Once you write your instructions, you’ll use them to guide the primary research that you do for your report.

This is the second of three weeks we will spend focusing on your primary research and secondary research.

Connections to the Recommendation Report

The primary and secondary research you conduct will support your report in these ways:

• The research will be used throughout your report, as appropriate to explain and support your recommendation.
• The research description will become a graphic organizer for the Methods section of your report.
• The instructions will be described in the Methods section of your Recommendation Report.
• The instructions will be included as an Appendix in your Recommendation Report.

 

What You Will Learn & Practice

• How to analyze your audience and purpose so that you can choose supporting material that is convincing to your readers and decide the best way to present information clearly and effectively. [CLO 1]
• How to find and evaluate ethical evidence in secondary sources, such as books, articles, podcasts, and videos, and through primary research, such as observation, inspection, experiment, and interview, that supports your position, that supports your position. [CLOs 2 & 3]
• How to write documents you may encounter in the workplace, such as letters, memos, instructions, proposals, reports, and presentations. [CLO 4]
• Collaborate with classmates in planning, researching, writing, revising, and presenting information. [CLO 5]
• How to use colors, layout, and formatting that make your documents understandable and easy to read and how to take advantage of design principles, including contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity, to communicate your ideas effectively. [CLO 6]

 

Activities to Complete

📚 To Read This Week

• Markel & Selber, Chapter 18, “Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions,” pp. 569–587
• From Course Webpages:
  • Instructions Project Criteria
  • CRAP Design Principles
  • Professional Design for Instructions
• Resources on Research from Module 4, as Needed

📝 To Write This Week

• Talk about the readings in Chapter 20 Review and CRAP Review: Design Scavenger Hunt.
• Write a draft of the Instructions Assignment (and complete Feedback Discussion activities below).
• Assess yourself with the Instructions Self-Check to see your progress.
• Continue tracking the research that you do as you work on your Research Description Assignment.

💬 To Discuss This Week

1. Post any Questions about the Recommendation Report or Questions about the Instructions that you have (optional). You can check this Discussion for answers as well.
2. You can participate in either of these discussions, depending upon when you have a draft ready to share. If you want, you can participate in both of them as well. It’s completely up to you. Just remember that if you post a draft, you will assigned two drafts to add feedback to.

   Instructions Feedback Discussion

   • Follow the directions in the Instructions Feedback Discussion to share what you have created with the class for peer feedback.
   • After peer review partners are assigned (Saturday, September 25), read drafts from your classmates and offer feedback on how to revise. Feedback is due by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, September 29.

   Second-Chance Feedback Discussion

   • If you need more time to write your Instructions draft, follow the directions in the Second-Chance Instructions Feedback Discussion.
   • After peer review partners are assigned (Thursday, September 30), read drafts from your classmates and offer feedback on how to revise. Feedback is due by 11:59 PM on Monday, October 4.

📓 To Track This Week

• Track and reflect on the work you have done for the week in your Work Log for the Week of 09/20, reviewing the Weekly Work Log Guidelines if needed.

 

 

Photo credit: Lego promotional 40049 - mini Sopwith Camel by InSapphoWeTrust on Flickr, used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 license.