Chapter 14 Instructor Resources

Suggested Responses to Additional Exercises and Cases for Chapter 14: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions

Suggested Response to “Evaluating Definitions and Descriptions”

Responses will vary according to the chapter students select. Some definitions and descriptions in the guide conform to the guidelines in the textbook; others do not.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating Object Definitions”

Responses will vary depending on what term students search for. Most search engines can handle whole-language queries and present the same results they present when you enter only the key term. However, sometimes the whole-language query returns different results. For instance, on Yahoo, “What is a quark?” returned in its top five hits an educational FAQ page that answered exactly that question; a search on the same search engine with just the word “quark” did not.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating Process Descriptions”

Responses will vary depending on the process a student chooses for the search. Most search engines can handle whole-language queries and will present the same results they do when only a keyword is entered. However, sometimes a whole-language query returns different results. For instance, on AltaVista, “retrofitting” returned in its top five hits the Amazon site for a music CD called Retrofitting, whereas a search for “What is retrofitting?” did not. The whole-language query “What is retrofitting?” returned more hits for educational documents about the process of retrofitting than the keyword search did.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating Glossaries"

Responses will vary, but successful responses will show students' understanding of the structure of sentence definitions and an awareness of the various strategies for extending a definition.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating a Web-Based Description”

Responses will vary. Successful responses will address all the questions presented in the assignment, will use vocabulary and concepts from Chapter 14, and will include multiple examples from the description to support students’ claims.

Suggested Response to “Identifying Techniques in an Extended Definition”

In the first paragraph, this extended definition uses etymology and a sentence definition of holography. Throughout the rest of the passage, the definition relies on the principle of operation.

Suggested Response to “Analyzing an Extended Definition”

Responses will vary. Successful responses will identify and comment on one or more of the following techniques: graphics, examples, partition, principle of operation, comparison and contrast, analogy, negation, and etymology.

Suggested Response to “Writing a Description”

Responses will vary. Successful responses will clearly indicate the scope and nature of the description, will effectively introduce the description, will include graphics identifying principal parts, will provide detailed and appropriate information, and will effectively conclude the description.

Suggested Response to “Brainstorming a Set of Instructions”

Responses will vary. Following are brief comments for a set of instructions for a laser pointer:

Are there any special terms your reader will need to learn and understand? Although no special terms are needed to understand how to operate the pointer, readers may benefit from understanding conceptually how a laser works.
What kinds of graphics would help your reader carry out the instructions? Graphics illustrating how to find and open the battery compartment, as well as how to properly insert batteries, would be useful.
What safety information should you include in the instructions? The potential for eye injury should be emphasized in text and graphics.
What are the major steps in the task? Can the steps be broken down into logical categories? If so, into what categories? The operation of the laser, once the batteries have been loaded, can be explained in a sentence or two. The instructions could be organized into sections on background, battery insertion, and care, with safety details throughout.
At what point in your instructions might a reader become confused or uncertain? How can you address that confusion or uncertainty? Possible places of confusion include the background material on lasers, instructions on battery insertion, and safety details. Clear, concise writing combined with simple graphics should address most areas of confusion.
How would you conclude this set of instructions? I would conclude with tips for using the pointer during a presentation.

Suggested Response to “Describing Step-by-Step Instructions in a Manual”

Responses will vary. The following comments refer to page 8 of the manual: The large amount of white space makes the page seem inviting. The type is large and easy to read. The task is broken down into several easy steps. The instructions are written in the imperative mood and feature the right amount of information. Graphics support the instructions effectively. One thing I would add is extra line spacing to separate Step 2 from Step 3.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating the Front Matter of a Manual”

Although responses will vary, successful responses will comment on whether the front matter clearly indicates the product, procedure, or system the manual describes; the purpose of the manual; the major components of the manual; and the best way to use the manual. Some students may need help locating an appropriate manual for this exercise.

Suggested Response to “Evaluating Instructions for Folding Attic Stairs”

The instructions are flawed on multiple levels and violate most of the guidelines presented in the chapter. Although the instructions are broken into steps and include graphics and safety information, each step contains too much information. The long paragraphs and the lack of white space make both the print and the online version uninviting and intimidating. In addition, the use of red type is inconsistent. For example, red type is used for both safety information and instructional information. The instructions could be improved by effectively applying the principles of chunking, queuing, and filtering (see Chapter 7), as well as by adding an introduction.

Suggested Response to “Modifying a Definition for a New Audience”

Among the intranet terms and concepts presented on the Datamation site that general readers will have trouble understanding are Internet protocols, TCP/IP, network of nodes, firewall, LAN, WAN, unstructured client/server network, and object/component technology. In writing an extended definition of an intranet, for example, students might use the following techniques:

Begin with a sentence definition of an intranet.
Use graphics to show how computers are interconnected within an office or organization.
Include examples of intranets in organizations.
Divide intranets into smaller parts such as Internet protocols, email, groupware, and firewalls.
Describe the way intranets work.
Discuss the similarities and differences between intranets and the Internet.
Compare an intranet to a more familiar tool such as an organization’s interoffice-mail department. Both allow information to be exchanged by a selected group of people.
State what an intranet is not.
Explain the derivation and history of the word intranet.

In addition, students might choose a question-and-answer format, using the journalistic questions (who, what, where, when, why, and how) to present the information of most interest to general readers:

Who uses intranets?
What is an intranet?
Where are intranets used?
When do people use an intranet?
Why use an intranet?
How do intranets work?

Suggested Response to “Objectivity in Definitions”

Many of the definitions begin with a sentence definition: “A cookie is information that a website puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about you at a later time” (WhatIs.com). Many definitions use examples to illustrate how cookies are used to extend the capabilities of browsers: “ . . . cookies are used to personalize Web search engines, to allow users to participate in WWW-wide contests . . . , and to store shopping lists of items a user has selected while browsing through a virtual shopping mall” (cookie.central.com). Sites also use examples to illustrate how cookies are a threat to privacy. Some sites use an analogy. For example, Microsoft compares a cookie to an identification card. A few include graphics of cookie contents.

Often words and phrases such as “future invasion,” “cookie monster,” “without knowledge and consent,” and “clandestinely and automatically transferred” provide clues to the author’s perspective. Even the headings used in the extended definitions reflect a particular perspective on privacy concerns: “The Dark Side” and “Find Out How You Are Traced.” These headings are in contrast to headings such as “How a Cookie Helps You.”

Sites featuring longer definitions of cookies and focusing on privacy concerns create a persuasive case by including specific court cases, privacy violations, and media coverage. The best definition for the Help Desk is likely to be one that concisely presents a balanced definition of cookies and directs students to links for more detailed information.

Suggested Response to “Building a Better Mechanism Description”

The purpose of the site is to provide product information to visitors interested in the Segway PT for personal reasons or business purposes. Therefore, the site is addressed to multiple audiences, with information for experts, technicians, managers, and general readers. However, even theoretical discussions and model specifications are written so that an interested general reader can understand the information.

The animation and video technologies on the site convey their messages better than the static graphics do. These technologies enrich the static graphics by showing motion and adding an interactive element. Because the Segway PT is a product based on improving people’s movement, the use of video and animation is appropriate. Viewers can easily see, for example, how the Segway PT maneuvers in tight spaces or on crowded streets. In addition, viewers can use the animation sequences to learn how easy the machine is to operate. Of course, these technologies do require site visitors to have the necessary software loaded on their computer to view them. In addition, visitors with slow modem connections may be discouraged by the slow response times. However, the site designers provide links for visitors to download the necessary software and to choose an appropriate bandwidth.

Suggested Response to “Highlighting Safety Information in Instructions”

Important safety information should be prominent and easy to read. Creating a new design for the page might involve the following:

Placing all the safety information (including the health precautions) at the top of the page.
Using a text box and a different typeface—such as 20-point type, boldfaced—to make the safety information visually distinct from the rest of the instructions.
Using color to visually emphasize the safety information—for example, a yellow background for the text box.
Establishing different levels of safety information. For example:
- Warning: “Hot tubbing can accelerate your heart rate and lower your sperm count, and may overheat pregnant women.”
- Caution: “If the stack plate is exposed to air when a fire is burning in the stove, it can melt in a matter of minutes.”
- Note: “Most problems that occur happen when owners let their friends use the hot tub. Make a copy of the operating instructions and cautions and give them to your friends.”
Using icons to represent levels of danger. For example, use an exclamation point within a triangle to represent a warning.
Repeating warnings and cautions at appropriate places in the instructions for starting the stove.
Differentiating step instructions from notes and safety information. For example, in step 4, the statement “To produce a clean burn, always fuel your fire with clean dry kindling” should be labeled as a note.

Finally, the instructions could be improved by including a general introduction and a concluding section with maintenance tips or a troubleshooting guide.

Suggested Response to “Comparing Web-Based Instructions”

The strengths and weaknesses of the different instructions include the following:

Florida Gulf Coast University’s “Table of Contents”: This site begins with a brief but effective introduction for the instructions. The site makes good use of graphics as well. However, the instructions do a poor job of emphasizing the importance of using styles to format headings. Manually marking each entry is time consuming. No conclusion is included.
Worcester Polytechnic University’s “Creating a Table of Contents”: This is an excellent tutorial. It begins with an explanation of why you would want to create a table of contents and then presents clear step-by-step instructions, complemented by clear screen shots and links to related topics in other parts of the tutorial.
Microsoft Word Intermediate User’s Guide’s “Complex Documents in Microsoft Word”: Although designed for professionals in the legal community, this site provides comprehensive, clear, and accurate instructions for generating a table of contents using Word’s built-in styles, for generating a table of contents by manually marking entries, and for updating, deleting, and modifying the table of contents. Steps are supported by effective screen captures. In addition, effective introductions provide readers with a concise overview of the feature.

Overall, Microsoft Word Intermediate User’s Guide seems the most appropriate site to link to for visitors to the writing center site. Although the guide is designed for legal writers, the instructions for generating a table of contents apply to all Word users.

Suggested Response to “Writing a Set of Instructions”

The key to this assignment is the statement of audience: “Then write a clear set of instructions for someone who knows how to operate a computer but has never downloaded and installed software.” Successful responses to this assignment will explain how to choose where to store the new file that is being downloaded, how to choose either a standard installation or a custom installation, how to decide where to put the new program as it installs, and how to configure the program once it is installed.