Objective 3:
How to Write Instructions

The Lesson

1. Show examples of instructions. Contrast them with descriptions. Typical instructions that would make good examples include:

• Product "manuals," such as the little booklets that come with a VCR or Walkman, or more industrial samples provided by STC
• Software instructions, such as for an e-mail program, or more industrial samples provided by STC
• Recipes
• First aid advice charts or cards
• IRS or California tax-form instructions

2. Point out, name, and contrast the standard rhetorical features that instructions share (but that often differ from descriptions):

	Instructions	Descriptions
Person	second	third
Mood	imperative	declarative
Voice	active	active/passive
Tense	present	present/past

3. Introduce the underlying writing techniques that yield good instructions. Point out their presence or absence in the above examples): Structure the text by reader task, not by product feature (find out what readers want to do, and address that need).

Aim for usability:

• provide the right sequence of steps, disclosing prerequisites or hidden steps
• include all crucial information and preparation
• exclude irrelevant information and distracting background
• provide a task-oriented strategic summary or overview so readers know what the point is

The Exercises:

Appropriate exercises depend on the performance level of the students.

Level 1, preliminary

Ask students to identify usability weaknesses and missing or inappropriate features in (prepared or carefully selected) flawed sample instructions, and repeat until these identifications are reliable.

Level 2, basic

Ask students to revise flawed instructions to make them more appropriate and usable (could include discussion of found flaws or comparison of proposed repairs among students).

Level 3, mature

Ask students to draft good instructions for a simple process (such as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or making a paper airplane), and perhaps get feedback on adequacy from another student. [These topics avoid the problem of needing special technical knowledge about what the instructions cover. Readily available cookbooks and paper airplane books provide ample cases adaptable for classroom or homework with no special subject expertise required.]

Relevant Background References

Gretchen Hargis (1998). Developing Quality Technical  Information. 

		Upper Saddle River NJ: Prentice Hall/IBM. Ch. 2 and 4. 

Carolyn Boiarsky  and Michael Dobberstein (1998). 

		"Teaching Documentation Writing," Technical Communication,  45(1), 

		February 1998, 38-46.