Advanced Advanced Technical Technical WritingWriting

20062006

Session #9

Today In ClassToday In Class

► What is an Information Model?What is an Information Model?► Our “two views” movie review Our “two views” movie review

exercise, revisitedexercise, revisited► Analyzing Genres & Tasks (the user Analyzing Genres & Tasks (the user

perspective)perspective)► Exercise: Just the FAQ’s, ma’amExercise: Just the FAQ’s, ma’am

Today’s focus…Today’s focus…

Genre and features

A Focus on Sees the site as

Emphasizes the point of view of

Structure & Delivery

Production Models & Workflows

a text; or a collection of

texts

the reader/user

objects & actions; social

space

a workplace

the designers & developers

the admins and “authors”

What is an information model, What is an information model,

according to Rockely?according to Rockely?

How would Prior & Bazerman How would Prior & Bazerman characterized the work involved in characterized the work involved in making an ad-hoc or improvised making an ad-hoc or improvised information model explicit? information model explicit?

Rockley, Prior & BazermanRockley, Prior & Bazerman

Create an information model (you can use some Create an information model (you can use some

variant of DTD syntax) for “Family Film variant of DTD syntax) for “Family Film Reviews” that would allow you to transform an Reviews” that would allow you to transform an XML-formatted review like the one you have XML-formatted review like the one you have into two distinct “views:”:into two distinct “views:”:

One for parentsOne for parentsOne for kidsOne for kids

Then…sketch the views, labeling the objects that Then…sketch the views, labeling the objects that would make them up. Post them for session 7 would make them up. Post them for session 7 (not next time). You can consider this a dry-run (not next time). You can consider this a dry-run for your next major project. You can go whole for your next major project. You can go whole hog if you want…and do hog if you want…and do DTD>XML>XSLT>XHTML…or go lo-tech.DTD>XML>XSLT>XHTML…or go lo-tech.

The last XML-ercise…The last XML-ercise…

“Genre as Community Invention” by Graham Smart

What is a What is a genregenre??

“…“…a distinctive profile of regularities a distinctive profile of regularities across texts, composing processes, across texts, composing processes, and reading practices…”and reading practices…”

They highlightThey highlight recurrent situationsrecurrent situations important connections with other textsimportant connections with other texts the shared expectations of readersthe shared expectations of readers the common practices of writersthe common practices of writers

What is a What is a WebWeb Genre? Genre?

Usability.gov Site on Collecting, Writing, and Revising Content http://usability.gov/methods/collecting_writing.html

Consider the following advice:

“Break the text into manageable pieces

Put in many headings

Write useful headings”

Why is this good advice for web-based writing?

What is a Genre What is a Genre Analysis?Analysis?

A process of identifying the comparative and contrastive features of a given information resource. Viewing the site as a text(s), emphasizing the reader/user point of view.

Genre Analysis Genre Analysis CategoriesCategories

•Authors

•Readers/Users

•Organization/Format

•Style

•Use of Visuals

•Range of Variation w/in Genres

Add the five W’s to these and you have a good start on the analysis process:

Who

What

When …and How!

Where

Why

Genres : recurrent situations, Genres : recurrent situations, not necessarily reusenot necessarily reuse

Why is the FAQ list so popular?

Or we might ask, more broadly…

What makes for good writing on the web?

Basic principles of web Basic principles of web writing: #1 Task-writing: #1 Task-

OrientedOriented

1.1. Effective web writing is task-Effective web writing is task-oriented. oriented. While it is not entirely true that people While it is not entirely true that people

don’t read on the web, it is true that don’t read on the web, it is true that reading IS NOT usually their end goal. reading IS NOT usually their end goal.

Good web writing aims to support Good web writing aims to support readers’ true goals and tasks.readers’ true goals and tasks.

Basic principles of web Basic principles of web writing: #1 Task-writing: #1 Task-

OrientedOrientedTask-Oriented, cont.Task-Oriented, cont.

Readers tasks may vary widely from Readers tasks may vary widely from

focused to open-ended; from “What focused to open-ended; from “What is the filing deadline for my return, is the filing deadline for my return, ” to “I wonder if it is worth it to go ” to “I wonder if it is worth it to go ahead and my craft hobby a small ahead and my craft hobby a small business?”business?”

Basic principles of web Basic principles of web writing: #2 User-writing: #2 User-

CenteredCentered

1.1. Effective web writing is User-Centered Effective web writing is User-Centered All good writing is tailored for its intended All good writing is tailored for its intended

audience, but on the web, that audience, but on the web, that “audience” is an active user, not just a “audience” is an active user, not just a passive reader.passive reader.

Basic principles of web Basic principles of web writing: #2 User-writing: #2 User-

CenteredCentered

User-Centered, cont.User-Centered, cont. Good web writing focuses on readers’ Good web writing focuses on readers’

specific needs, eliminating everything specific needs, eliminating everything that doesn’t address those needs well.that doesn’t address those needs well.

The best web writing gets tested for its The best web writing gets tested for its effectiveness in adressing user needs…effectiveness in adressing user needs…with real live users!with real live users!

Just the FAQ’s Ma’am: Just the FAQ’s Ma’am: Good Web HabitsGood Web Habits

You’ve probably seen them: lists of FAQ’s. Whether they are “Frequently Asked Questions,” or “Fabricated & Answered Questions,” they represent some of the good habits of successful web writers.

What is a FAQ?

FAQ’s have become popular ways to

•Target content to reader’s needs

•Guide reader’s to the specific info they need

•Chunk information for easy scanning and linking

FAQ Features

FAQ’s are well suited for FAQ’s are well suited for the web because…the web because…

ODT Categories• They are easy to scan. Readers can quickly skip over

what they don’t want to read. Note: redundancy is ok!

• They are likely to address the readers’ concerns because they put the writer in the reader’s shoes. This works best if they are real Frequently Asked Questions.

• They are nicely broken up into visual chunks with a label – the question – to make everything identifiable

• They are short; long answers usually mean that more than one question has been addressed…best to break it into two or more!

From Facts to FAQs, 1From Facts to FAQs, 1

Go to the Ohio Dept. of Taxation Site and navigate to

RELEASES>INFORMATION RELEASES>ROUNDING (Sept. 29, 2000)

1. First, determine who your readers are likely to be; in this case, ours will be “taxpayers.”

2. Next, determine the questions that taxpayers would ask

3. Group the questions into categories, if needed, and put them in a logical order to make the list easy to use

How to Turn an Info Release into a FAQ List

From Facts to FAQsFrom Facts to FAQs

4. Note that the information in the press release is used to answer the questions

5. Additional information may be needed to provide a more complete answer.

Turn an Info Release into a FAQ List, part 2

How Did the Buckeyes Do How Did the Buckeyes Do it?it?

Now go to the FAQ page…assuming the role of your target audience members. Can you find the information from the Information Release on Rounding in the FAQ?

In how many different categories does it reside?

Try this:Try this:

1. Pick any news release issued by MSU lately…

http://msutoday.msu.edu

2. Turn it into a FAQ list

3. Propose a format for future press releases that would allow for easy re-purposing into a FAQ list

Refer to the genre analysis categories.

They’ll be a good guide.

Next Time…Next Time…

►Analyzing Objects and ViewsAnalyzing Objects and Views►Peforming a Content AuditPeforming a Content Audit►Read Wysocki, Ch. 6 in B&P; Read Wysocki, Ch. 6 in B&P;

Price (pdf); Johnsen (pdf)Price (pdf); Johnsen (pdf)