Chapters 4, 5, 16, and 23

Chapter 4: Planning for Usability

This chapter was about identifying your audience, much like the previous chapter we read. Except in this case, it was referring to knowing your audience so that you can make your written work usable. This is very important. If something you write isn't usable, it is a waste of both your time and the person or people who read it. I liked how it said to outline and use headings for your document. I know this is extremely helpful to me. When I have something that I don't really have the time or desire to read, scanning the headings can help me pinpoint what the document is about and where I need to go to find the things I need. I also liked how it suggested to put the bottom line first. This can also help readers quickly get what they need out of the document. The use of superstructures is also very helpful to me in creating a document. If I know how it should look, that will help me to create something that the reader is familiar with and knows exactly where to go to find what they need.

Chapter 5: Planning Your Persuasive Strategies

This chapter was on how to get your readers to read your document. It used Aristotle's persuasive strategies--logos, pathos, and ethos--to help explain the different types of persuasion techniques. The section on the tests on rearranging the order of presentation of items was very interesting. Just by putting someone's credentials at the beginning of a document (using the direct organizational pattern) instead of at the end made the readers more favorable to the proposal. Since reading is a very reactive process and opinions change throughout, it is important to establish your ethos at the beginning. In this way you can start out by showing how credible you are so that your readers will automatically pay attention to what you say. You should also present yourself as a friend, not a foe. By setting up a favorable relationship with your reader, the reader is more likely to act according to your desires. This can be very useful when trying to persuade something that might not go over well in normal situations.

Chapter 16: Creating Communications with a Team

This chapter was on the different issues that groups have in writing something. I could really relate to this chapter. I have definitely been in groups where I ended up doing the majority of the work, and some of the suggestions in this chapter would actually have been helpful. I liked the suggestion of using a storyboard for use in planning the layout of a project. This way every group member can get an overall view of what the finished project will look like and keep everyone on track. This would also be very time efficient since having an overview will prevent omissions and overlaps in the research. By establishing up front what is required for the project, every group member should be aware of their respective roles and work requirements. By clarifying any ambiguity before you begin research, you can help to eliminate issues down the road. Also, the suggestions on conducting an efficient meeting were very helpful. I have been in meetings where all we seem to do is talk and it would be helpful to have ways to wrap things up so members can go home. This will help in time management and ensure that group members feel that the meetings are worthwhile and not a waste of time. It will also ensure required work is done in meetings so things can get done on time.

Chapter 23: Writing Reader-Centered Instructions

This chapter was really interesting. I have read many instructions throughout my lifetime. Some were clear and concise and showed me how to accomplish what I needed. However, the majority of instructions are NOT reader-centered. They do not use any of the suggestions posed in this chapter. By using white space, graphics, numbered lists, and clear headings, instructions can be a lot easier to read. If instructions are clear, readers will be able to accomplish what they need and prevent unnecessary frustrations and damage. I liked the suggestion to put warnings BEFORE the step that might be dangerous. This could be very important. I also didn't realize the importance of persuasion in instructions. Readers really do need to be persuaded to follow instructions. Otherwise they won't read them. If you can show up front why the reader should read the instructions, they are much more likely to read them.