Giving Instructions & Summarizing
Mr. Valanzano
Business Communications
Important Things to Remember When
Giving Instructions
 Length – keep instructions brief and to the point; overly long
instructions are less likely to be read thoroughly
 Word Choice – Keep the vocabulary in terms your audience will
understand; define technical terms when necessary
 Language – write in clear, concise language that is easily understood;
conversational tone; steps written as commands
 Design – Make sure the page is easy to read and information is easy to
locate; use visuals when necessary
 Accuracy – Instructions need to be accurate and complete; find out any
facts your are uncertain of before giving instructions
 Presentation – Choose whether oral, written, visual (demo), or a
combination will be most effective
Content
 Title (purpose of instructions)
 Introduction (overview, define the task, explain a process)
 Definitions (define any terms your audience may not understand; use a
glossary or define the term after the first time it is used)
 Preparations (anything that is necessary to do before the instructions can
be followed)
 Warnings/Precautions (give audience a heads up of any problems that
may arise when following your steps)
 Steps (the order in which the task needs to be done)
 Closing (how to test results, summarize main steps)
Use Precise Language
 What is the difference between these 2 pictures?
 Besides the fact that one is a bird and the other is royal headgear,
in writing the difference is only 1 letter.
 At work, almost the right word, is the wrong word.
Use Concise Language
 Extra words, sentences, and information can clutter writing
and make it unnecessarily long and confusing.
 If any words or sentences can be removed without changing
the meaning of your message, remove it.
 Examples:
 Revolutionary new can be changed to new
 Terminate can be changed to end
 In the year of 2011 can be changed to In 2011
 Completely finished can be changed to finished
 During the time that can be changed to while
Chronological Order & Command Forms
 Instructions should be carried out in the order that they are
given.
 Instead of saying “before you open the lid, turn the machine
off ” you should say “turn the machine off before opening the
lid.”
 Steps in instructions are always written in the second person
as a command.
 Using the second person (“you”) allows direct addressing of
whoever is being instructed.
 Examples:
 Clamp the board to the bench.
 Please fill out an insurance form.
Parallel Structure
 Steps in instructions should have the same sentence
structure.
 Example of parallel structure:
 1) Insert disk in CD drive, 2) Close drive door, 3) Press ENTER
 Example of NOT parallel structure:
 1) Disk inserted in CD drive, 2) Drive door must be closed, 3)
Press ENTER.
Giving Effective Instructions
 1) Analyze who your are giving instructions to
 2) Research the subject
 3) Organize
 4) Make notes
 5) Prepare visual aids (if necessary)
 6) Practice
 7) Presentation
Designing an Effective Page
 Layout – spread material evenly over the whole page, place
visuals where they are easy to find, make important
information stand out, be organized
 Headings and Print – headings help the reader find
information quickly, use print that is large enough to see and
easy to read
 Sequence – instructions must be written in the same order as
the reader’s actions
When to Use Visuals
 A visual should be included with your instructions if you
answer yes to any of the following questions:
 Will a visual help to understand the purpose of the instructions?
 Will a visual help to identify parts or equipment?
 Will a visual help to understand a specific step or series of
steps?
 Will a visual help to avoid injury or increase safety?
 Will a visual help to successfully complete the task?
Giving Warnings
 The listener or reader of your instructions need to be warned of
any hazards that may come up as your instructions are followed.
 Signal Word – Use words like DANGER, CAUTION, WARNING,
STOP, or IMPORTANT written in large letters to grab attention;
using a color like red, orange, or yellow also helps
 Identify the Hazard – tells whoever is following your instructions
what to be aware of (electric shock, radiation, toxic gas, etc.)
 Result of Ignoring the Warning – what will happen if the warning
is ignored; explain the damage the hazard can cause
 Avoiding the Hazard – give detailed instructions on how to avoid
the hazard using simple, direct language
Summarizing
 Summary – shortened versions of speeches, writings, and
events
 The original source is reduced but the main idea is included
and restated in a summary
 Major points and important details can be included as long as
they are essential to the central idea
 A summary can be as brief as 1 sentence or as long as several
pages
Subject, Audience, & Purpose
 The subject of what is being summarized will affect how long
the summary is.
 Example: a 90 page report will take more time and more words
to summarize than a 1 page article
 A summary must be an accurate representation of the
original source. Whoever uses the summary should
not have to refer to the original source to understand
it.
 The audience and purpose will determine the length and
presentation of a summary.
Characteristics of a Summary
 An effective summary should be ALL of the following:
 Brief – short and to the point
 Well Written – the summary needs to be understandable
with the most important points highlighted throughout
 Independent – clear, stands alone from the original, contains
main idea(s) of the original, should not have to refer to
original to understand
 Accurate – provide understanding of original, clearly reflect
the author’s intent, does not distort the meaning
What to Include in a Summary
 From the original: Include what is necessary after reading or
listening to the original more than once
 For a general audience: a summary for a general audience
translates whatever information is being summarized into
plain language
 For specialists: provide enough information for the needs of
the audience, often with recommendations and/or results so
that a specialist as enough information to make a decision
Types of Summaries
 Informative – condenses main ideas with no explanation or
detail
 Explanatory – contain only information with no analysis or
opinions added
 Analytic – used if the summary’s purpose is to interpret,
evaluate, or criticize the facts of a source; observations and
criticisms can be added
How to Summarize
 Choose and Arrange Main Points – find the author’s
organizational pattern; signal word clues will help find the
main points
 Highlight and Take Notes – highlight and take notes on main
points based on the summary’s audience (about 10% of
original should be included)
 1) Read/Listen to original, 2) Find main ideas, 3) Highlight
and take notes, 4) Support main ideas with facts from
original
Writing an Effective Summary
 1) Preview (skim original for main points)
 2) Read/Listen to original
 3) Highlight and/or take notes
 4) Identify main idea
 5) Find supporting facts (direct quotes and paraphrasing)
 6) Organize and write summary
 7) Edit (eliminate unnecessary words and repetition)
 8) Document (give credit to original source)