Technical
Communication:
Blueprinting
Prof. Q
The Importance of Structure

Thinking is Random!!!!
What does the data suggest?
 What should be emphasized?
 How will the document be approached?
 What belongs where?
 What should you say in what order? Why?
 How should you end?

Basic Structure
Introduction – Announces the topic and
provides an overview.
 Body – Provides evidence, data, and
details.
 Conclusion – Summarizes by taking a
position and making recommendations.

P. 84
Strategies for Outlining
List key topics
 Set up a standard outline
 Place key topics where they fit
 Be consistent with outline notation
 Refine your outline as you work

Sample Outline (Complex
Reports, Proposals)



I. INTRODUCTION
 Background
 Purpose of Report
 Sources
 Limitations of Report
 Scope
II. DATA
III. CONCLUSION
 Summary of Findings
 Interpretation of Findings
 Recommendations
More Strategies for Outlining





Chunking (brake down info in sections)
Sequencing
 Spatial
 Chronological
 Problem-Solution
 Cause and Effect
Paragraphing
 Topic Sentence
 Cohesiveness
 Coherence
Clarifying Heads
Providing an Overview (Manuals, Long Documents)
Class Activity I

In your teams, answer the questions on
column A for two of the documents in
column B.
•How is the material
organized?
•Are paragraphs chunked
into discrete units?
•Are headings used? Are
they effective? Why?
•Does it follow a standard
sequence?
•Do all paragraphs have a
topic sentence and unity?
•A set of instructions
•A campaign report
•A detailed budget
breakdown
•An investigative report
•A proposal
About Style
Avoid ambiguous pronoun references.
 Avoid ambiguous modifiers.

 Bill
told Darius that he was working too hard.
 Janice dislikes working with Magdalena
because she’s impatient.
 Just place the dishes back in the cabinets
after 8 p.m.
 Before she passed away, Jane told her
mother that she admired her.
About Style II

Use active voice whenever possible.
 The
evaluation was performed by us.
 Hard hats should be worn at all times.

Use passive voice selectively (don’t be
blunt).
 You
did a poor job at editing the report.
 Joe’s company fired him.
About Style III

Avoid Nominalization
 My
recommendation is for a larger budget vs.
I recommend a larger budget.

Unstack Modifying Nouns
 Be
sure to leave enough time for today’s
training session participant evaluation vs. Be
sure to leave enough time for participants to
evaluate today’s training session.
About Style IV
Avoid Jargon
 Write Concisely
 Eliminate Redundancy
 Combine Related Ideas
 Avoid Sexist, Racist, and Biased
Language

Avoiding Sexism
Use gender-neutral expressions
 Don’t mention gender if it’s not relevant
 Avoid sexist pronouns
 Drop condescending endings
 Use Ms.

Doing It Wrong!!!!
Doing It Wrong!!!
Class Activity
http://academicmaps.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-cope-and-overcome-irritated-and.html
http://blog.uta.edu/englishmatters/2012/10/01/customer-service/
Optional Homework

Read and Comment on Dr. Morris’ post
regarding today’s exercise:
http://blog.uta.edu/englishmatters/2012/10/
01/customer-service/
Using Visuals
To support text
 On their own
 Don’t include too much information
 Provide brief descriptions
 Label rows and columns
 Line up data
 Keep data brief
 Credit your sources
 Consider Audience

Types of Visuals
Tables (Numeric, Textual)
 Graphs (Bar, Line)
 Charts (Flow, Pie)
 Illustrations (Full art)
 Diagrams (How the parts fit)
 Photographs and Video
 Icons and Symbols

Further Reading:

Additional Strategies (p. 136)
Class Activity

As a team, find two websites that use
images to compliment text. Do these sites
use the visuals in a rhetorically effective
way? Why / Why not?
Document Design
Header includes Logo
 Uses headings and bullets
 Has ample margins
 Bullet list breaks up paragraphs.


Samples on P. 142 - 143
Design
Elements
Grid Patterns
 Margins
 Paragraphs
 Justification
 White Space
 Line Spacing
 Indentation

Font Style
 Font Size
 Headings (Navigation)
 Color, Shading,
Boldface, Italics,
Underlining
 Bullet Lists and Numbers
 Running Header and
Footer
 TOCs, Indexes

Class Work
Fix the Document
 Check your e-mail for link
