User Manual: Rough Draft

Due Dates

• Tuesday, August 13 at 11:59 PM: Rough Draft due for those who want individualized editing or revision feedback.
• Thursday, August 15 at 11:59 PM: Rough Draft due.
• No Grace Period for Activities During the Last Week: Because of the fast pace of summer school, work is that is due during the last week of classes will not have a grace period. All work must be submitted by the last day of class (Thursday, August 15).

Overview

• This is an activity related to the User Manual: Assignment.
• The activity is worth 200 points. I will add the points to your grade after checking your draft.

Goals

• Analyze the rhetorical situation and determine the appropriate audience or users of written communication, considering the needs of global audiences and people with disabilities. [CLO 1]
• Use conventions of various workplace genres, such as proposals, instructions, correspondence, reports, and slide decks, with understanding of how the genre conventions can be used as heuristics and as principles of arrangement. [CLO 4]
• Apply principles of effective visual design for print and electronic presentation, including hierarchical, chronological, and spatial arrangements. [CLO 6]
• Identify and apply the principles of effective style in the composing of usable, reader-centered written communications. [CLO 7]

The Task

For this Major Writing Project Activity, create a rough draft of your project in your word processor. 

Getting Started

Complete these activities to gather information and write your draft: 

• Choose a Topic and Generate Ideas (100 points)
• Complete an Audience Profile Sheet (100 points)

You are not required to complete these activities, but they can help you prepare your draft.

Composing Your Draft

Create a rough draft of your project in your word processor. Keep the following Project Requirements in mind:

• Focuses on a task related to the kind of writing examined in your Recommendation Report and Research Poster assignments.
• Is a document that is a minimum of four pages long (including images and illustrations) that was created in a word processor.
• Combines technical description and instruction into a single document—a user manual.
• Demonstrates a clear relationship between the graphics and the accompanying text (p. 561).
• Has a clear title that is specific to the instructions (p. 566).
• Opens with an introduction that (p. 556):
  • states the purpose of the task.
  • describes the safety measures or other concerns that readers should understand.
  • lists the necessary tools and materials.
• Includes step-by-step instructions that are
  • numbered (p. 567).
  • expressed in the imperative mood (p. 567).
  • simple and direct (p. 567).
  • accompanied by appropriate graphics (p. 568).
• Ends with a conclusion that includes (p. 568)
  • any necessary follow-up advice.
  • if appropriate, a troubleshooting guide.
• Uses professional design and formatting that does the following:
  • Makes a good first impression as a polished, professional document.
  • Uses appropriately-sized headings and text.
  • Makes information easy for readers to find and read.
  • Emphasizes important information.
• Uses accurate/appropriate grammar, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, linking, and formatting.

Read additional details on the project assignment, User Manual: Assignment.

Requirements

1. Create your document in your word processor. 
2. Include a rough version of the entire User Manual.
3. Make sure your draft is clear, but you don’t need to worry about spelling, grammar, and punctuation since this is a rough draft. 

Grading Process

I will award the points for this activity after I check your draft and ensure that it meets the basic requirements listed above. Note that your draft need not be complete to earn the points for this activity, but I do expect to see that the project is at least half-way done.

If I have a question or concern about your draft, I will add a comment to the draft. Check the help link in the #TuesdayTutorial: Resources on How to Use Canvas Discussion for information on how to read comments on your work.

I will not provide individualized editing or revision feedback on rough drafts submitted after 11:59 PM on Tuesday, August 13. I will provide everyone with collective feedback that goes over the issues that I see in the drafts all members of the course submit. I may use excerpts from your draft to provide collective feedback to the class, based on the Anonymous Use of Student Texts policy Links to an external site..