English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
TO: English 219 Students
FROM: Maya Alapin
DATE: Spring 2015
SUBJECT: Instruction Set and Universal Design
This memorandum details the requirements for your second Major Writing Assignment:
Writing Instruction Sets and Reflecting on Universal Design.
Assignment: Accessible Instruction Set Assignment and Reflective Memo (100-points
possible)
Due Date: TBD
Submission of your Assignment: Submit via UNM Learn via the Assignment tool using
Microsoft Word. You will submit three documents: a letter, a resume and a multimodal
resume. The two resumes will have the same or similar content, but different
formats/appearances.
Name the letter with your last name and letter (for example: alapin_letter.doc). Name
the resumes with your last name and resume (for example: alapin_resume.doc). I will
deduct points for not following this convention.
Instructions:
Before you begin, remember that there is a Universal Design Challenge in this project.
So, some part of it will have to be accessible to a non-traditional user. In your
reflection, you will have to talk about what you did to accommodate your nontraditional user, and how it demands different mediums/technologies from your other
instructions.
Here is the situation you are going to address:
You are going on vacation for two weeks and you need someone to look after your
house while you and your family are away. You have asked _____ to house sit for you,
and _____ will be staying in your guest bedroom so you can be assured they will be able
to take care of your home at all times. You run a tight ship at your home, so you need to
write instructions for _____ so they know precisely what to do while you are away.
There are many things to take care of in your home, and your instructions would most
likely cover the basics, such as turning off lights at night, who to call in an emergency, or
how and when to adjust the swamp cooler. You must include all the basics.
Here are a few examples of more specific topics that you can cover:
1. You have a chihuahua who requires basic dog care, but she has a problem with
English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
chewing on your dining room furniture. 2. You have one cat that requires basic cat care, but he often likes to sneak out of the
house. You would rather he stay inside while you’re gone. 3. You are expecting a delivery from Amazon.com that requires immediate attention.
Your group decides what is inside the package and what to do with it. 4. Your neighbors have a 5 year-old son who likes to come over and play with your dog.
You are OK with this, but sometimes he isn’t very careful with the dog and the
dog snaps at him. You’ll need to explain what to do when he comes over. 5. Other: If you can think of another unique need for your home, you are welcome to
compose instructions for it. Of course, be sure to consider whether or not it is
appropriate. If you’re not sure, then just ask. Nuts and Bolts
The length and format of your instructions will depend on your audience, medium, and
other choices you make. Your instructions should include the following (as described in
Chapter 7 of your textbook):
A specific and concise title An introduction A statement of purpose Determine if you should include any or all of the following in your introduction:
a statement of importance a description of necessary skills time required to complete a task Motivation for your audience. Set a positive tone. List of parts, tools, and/or conditions (as necessary for the particular task) A detailed explanation/representation of the steps required to complete the task.
Here are some things to remember:
English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
use command voice state one action per step keep the steps concise number the steps add comments, notes, or examples as necessary At least one notice for danger, warning or caution. Include this with the
corresponding step. Conclusion
signal completion describe the finished product offer troubleshooting information Researching and writing your procedure: You should know enough about the subject to
write about it from your own experience and knowledge. However, you may find that
the Internet has information about the subject. It is fine to see what others have written
to learn more about the subject. If you do research, make sure to check a variety of
sources so you don’t rely on what only one or two sources provide. When you start to
write, put your research aside and write your procedure in your own words. In this way,
you will avoid plagiarism (using other’s wording or ideas). In most cases, there should be
no need to quote or cite information from other sources. If you are unclear about this
aspect, please send me an email for advice. Assignments that contain information taken
from the Internet or other sources will receive a zero because this would be plagiarism.
Remember, if you can find information on the Internet, so can I.
Receiving approval for your subject: To make sure the subject you choose is appropriate
for this assignment, write a memo that you address to me and submit by DATE that
explains what subject you have chosen, why you chose this subject, and a brief outline
of what you will cover in your procedure.
Provide a list of citations at the end for content, graphics, illustrations, or photos you
include in your procedure. If you create graphic items, list yourself as the author. Your
procedure should be about three to four pages long. The length of your procedure
depends on the complexity of your procedure and the amount of page design you
include. I do not grade by the length of your document, but by whether you have
provided enough detail so your readers can understand your subject and procedure and
English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
whether you have presented the information in an appropriate and professional manner.
Instructions for Reflective Memo:
To ensure that you understand the information you have been studying, you will write a
one-page reflective memo addressed to me. Begin your memo by providing a short
introduction that states the purpose of your memo. Then provide four paragraphs that
cover the following ideas. End your memo with a conclusion that summarizes the most
important things you learned during this module. Analyze the Rhetorical Situation: What was your procedure’s subject?
Why is this subject appropriate for your intended readers? What is the
demographic background of the youth who you envision using your procedure?
What will interest them about the subject? What kind of political, legal,
economic, or constraints influenced your procedure? Find and Evaluate Information: What kind of research did you do to
create your procedure? Did you gather information from the Internet, books,
journals, magazines, interviews, or first-hand experience? Why do you think that
this research was valid and sufficient to provide a reliable and useful procedure?
Compose Information: How did you generate and organize the content
for your procedure? Did you use brainstorming, idea-mapping, an outline, etc.?
Were there any ethical influences that affected how you composed your
procedure? Present Information: How did you edit or revise your procedure to
make it easy for young readers to understand? What kind of visual elements and
document design did you add to improve your reader’s understanding? Your
memo should include specific examples from your procedure to show how you
accomplished these objectives. Your memo should follow the guidelines we have
studied on writing a professional memo. Grading Rubric
I will use the following rubric to grade your procedure. Does your reflective memo Use the standard memo format as shown in the textbook? Include an introduction and a conclusion? Provide for paragraphs that analyzes your use of each of the course
objectives and includes specific examples from your procedure? English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
Does your procedure
Provide a descriptive title that will interest your intended readers in
the subject? Use design concepts of balance, alignment, grouping, consistency, and
contrast to create a professional- looking document? Incorporate graphics to help your reader understand your procedure?
Avoid errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, & mechanics? Include page numbers? Include a list of textual and graphic sources (formatted according to a
standard citation method) that you used to create your procedure? Does your
description section Provide an introduction that announces your subject and stresses its
importance? Provide paragraphs that describe your subject, partitioning it by
features, function, or process. Define terms to help increase understanding? Do your instructions Provide an introduction that describes prerequisites your readers will
need to know before beginning the task, a list of materials and/or tools (if
necessary), and general safety warnings (if necessary)? Provide descriptive titles for the activities being described? Use numbered steps written in the imperative? Break steps up so there is only one action per step? Offer feedback, explanations, or warning for steps when necessary?
Does your conclusion Provide final advice or troubleshooting information? Make it clear the procedure is completed? Was your procedure Named correctly? English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
Submitted on time? English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
OVERALL PROJECT GRADING RUBRIC
A+ I can tell that you read the prompt several times, and that you have understood what
is being asked of you. You have a well-designed, organized and well documented project
which you executed excellently.
A I can tell that you read the prompt several times, and that you have understood what
is being asked of you. You have a well-designed, organized and well documented project.
The execution could be taken one step further.
A- I can tell that you read the prompt several times, and that you have understood what
is being asked of you. You have a well-designed, organized and well documented project.
The execution is well considered, but it has not been fully carried out.
B+ I am not entirely sure if you read the prompt carefully. The project is not exactly
what was asked of you, though it is well presented, organized and interesting to read.
The execution is good.
B I am not entirely sure if you read the prompt carefully. The project is not exactly what
was asked of you, though it is well presented, organized and interesting to read. It needs
more supporting evidence. The execution is good.
B- I am not entirely sure if you read the prompt carefully. The project is not exactly what
was asked of you, though it is well presented, organized and interesting to read. It needs
more supporting evidence. The execution could be taken further.
C+ I don’t feel confident that you understood the project. The project barely meets the
requirements. The execution is acceptable.
C I don’t feel confident that you understood the project. The project barely meets the
requirements. The execution is acceptable but not appealing.
C- I don’t feel confident that you understood the project. The project barely meets the
requirements. The execution is not acceptable.
F ALL PROJECTS WHICH ARE MISSING REFLECTIONS RECEIVE AN F. So do missing ones.
English 219: Technical & Professional Writing MWA #2
Rhetorical
Situation:
50-40 points
39-25 points
24-0 points
The project speaks to a
The composition
The composition does
specific audience that you responds to the audience not show understanding
have specified in your
you selected, but needs of the choice of
reflections. The choice of
further revision to be
audience, medium or
audience makes sense. The effective. The
purpose. The project
choice of mediums
medium/purpose are not needs significant
addresses the audience you entirely clear.
revision.
selected. The purpose of the
project addresses BOTH the
audience AND the purpose.
Coherence
25-20 points
19-10 points
9-0 points
audience/
medium/
purpose
Ethos
Ideas are presented clearly Ideas are presented
and coherently so that the clearly, but the
reader can easily follow the organization needs
writer’s vision. Effort is clear. development. Effort is
lacking.
25-20 points
19-10 points
The composition lacks
clarity due to flaws in
structure and
organization. Effort is not
evident.
9-0 points
The composition strongly
The composition supports The composition does
supports the author’s ethos the author’s ethos or
not seem credible and
or credibility. Ethos includes credibility, but needs
needs substantial
such elements as an
further development.
revision to support the
effective tone and style,
author’s ethos.
careful editing, and citing
sources according to
accepted conventions.