Check Your Understanding

Answers to Check Your Understanding questions are in Appendix A.

1. True or False? In technical writing, attracting a reader’s attention, maintaining their

interest level, and entertaining them is more important than content.

2. A(n) ___________________is a short document primarily intended to summarize material

covered in a training session and to promote recall.

3. True or False? All users prefer online documents to printed documents because
accessing necessary information is easier online.

4. A document that is organized as a step-by-step introduction to the features of a computer

program is called a:
a. reference manual c. tutorial manual
b. technical manual d. troubleshooting manual

5. True or False? Effectively written user documents should result in a lower volume of
support calls and emails.

6. Which of the following document formats often contain hyperlinks to related topics?
a. online help systems c. user manuals
b. newsletters d. troubleshooting guides

7. True or False? Good technical documents should provide a reader with everything they
would ever want to know about a topic.

8. A(n) __________________ is an attempt to relate something a reader may be familiar with

to something they need to know about.

9. What is the correct sequence of the following steps in the technical writing process? (1)
proofread the document, (2) generate a list of ideas, (3) arrange for an outside reviewer, (4)
write a first draft

a. 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 c. 4 – 2 – 1 –3
b. 2 – 4 – 3 – 1 d. 2 – 1 – 4 –3

10. True or False? An outside review of a technical document serves the same
purpose as a beta test of a software package.

11. True or False? Changes in case, font, indentation, and centering are
format elements used to help the reader of a document understand its
structure.
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

12. The information on a webpage should be expected to have all of the following
characteristics or features except:
a. complete coverage c. links to other information
b. concise wording d. well organized

13. True or False? A technical writer should use the same word to refer to an object or a
concept throughout a document rather than a variety of different words that are
synonyms.

14. A reading level that is appropriate for most technical documentation is:
a. 4th–5th grade c. 10th–12th grade
b. 7th–8th grade d. college level

15. Whether to use the form “ Plug-n-Play ” or “ Plug-and-Play ” in a document would

likely be specified in a(n) .

16. True or False? The following example of a list illustrates good parallel structure:
1. Move the mouse pointer to the button of your choice.
2. Next, click the button on the mouse.
3. You then click on “OK.”

17. To avoid jargon, a technical writer might substitute a word(s) such as

for head crash in the following sentence: “Users frequently lose their data when there is a
head crash on the file server.”

18. is a method used to generate a list of potential ideas or topics to

include in a document.

19. A document organization style in which all the information on a topic is pulled
together in one place is called:
a. reference formatc. tutorial format
b. hierarchical format d. sequential format

20. True or False? Because the default font in most word processors is a sans serif
typeface, technical writers should use the default in the body text to improve a
document’s readability.

21. True or False? A hyperlink in a document is a word or phrase that uses a fancy
Word Art format to draw attention to the text.
Hands-On Activities

22. The sentence “When confronted with questions, the trainer had the patience ofJob.” contains:
a. jargon c. an acronym
b. an idiom d. a dangling phrase

Discussion Questions
1. “Because email, chat, and text messages are less formal methods of
communication, good technical writing skills are less importantfor these messages.” Do
you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain why.
2. In order to avoid using gender-related pronouns, some writers use a plural
pronoun with a singular subject. For example: “A technical writer should choose their
words carefully”. Other alternatives are: “A technical writer should choose his or her words
carefully”; and “Technical writers should choose their words carefully” . Which form do you
prefer? Discuss these alternatives and other ways around this writing challenge.
3. All professions use technical jargon terms and acronyms. Professionals
such as healthcare workers, accountants, and lawyers can frequently be difficult
to understand. Is the rationale that all professionals use jargon and acronyms a
good justification for computer professionals to use them?
4. Discuss some ways to determine whether the target audience for a
document will understand various acronyms and jargon terms. Brainstorm some
effective ways to deal with these terms if a writer is not sure whether the audience
will understand them.
5. “If one purpose of a flyer is to advertise an event, a writer should use as many
design elements (fonts, bold, italic, underlining, color, shading, word art, clip art) as
possible to attract attention to the flyer.” Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Explain your position.
6. “If a technical writer has a choice of reading levels for a document (as measured
by a readability index), it is preferable to aim for a reading level that is a little too high,
rather than a little too low, which might insult the intelligence of your readers.” Explain
your position on this statement.
7. Will online documentation eventually replace all printed forms of user
documentation? Has it already? Explain why, or why not?

Hands-On Activities
Activity 3-1
Revise existing documents. The following sentences and paragraphs highlight some of
the problems you learned about in this chapter. Use what you have learned to rewrite the
examples to make them clear and readable.
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

1. From a one-page notice informing employees which machines they can use in
a training facility:
Employees should be well advised that they should use only the first row of machines, the HP PCs.
All other machines are used only for classes for training new users. If an employee doesn’t do this,
he will be asked to leave the training room.
2. From an email message sent to all employees of a law firm advising them to be alert
for a new virus:
This virus has been known to cause the destruction offiles, and it is very important that you perform
a search ofyour hard drive to try and attempt eradication of it using the search feature. Search for
.EDTfile extensions and delete them. Then the problem will be solved.
3. From an instruction sheet that will be handed out during a training session on a
new email package; this passage explains the capabilities of the package to users who
have never used email before:
Email messages are stored on a central server, and you download it every time you open one, in
effect. You can save it to a local disk if you want to keep it.
4. From a booklet that a user support department will distribute to employees of an
insurance organization to explain the capabilities of a new software claims management
package:
This is a new type of CMS (claims management software) that every adjuster, regardless of his level,
will benefitfrom, greatly. This claims management software can: (1) organize claims information, (2)
be used while you are on the telephone, (3) do reports by claim type, and (4) for generation of
summary claims information.

Activity 3-2
Write and compare procedural documents. Write an explanation of the steps required
to insert a USB flash drive into a USB port. Your explanation should be aimed at a person
who has never used a computer before.
Exchange explanations with a classmate or coworker and critique each other’s draft. Did
you include enough information for a user to insert the USB flash drive correctly? Is your
explanation complete, or did you leave out important information about the steps? Did you
include extra unnecessary information?
Find an inexperienced user to test your document. Have that person use your document
without any assistance to see if he or she can perform the task using only your written
explanation. Revise your instructions based on the peer and user feedback you receive.

Activity 3-3
Revise procedure documents. The instructions below describe the steps for running a
defragmentation utility under Windows. Your task is to revise the document following the
guidelines in this chapter so it is a good example of technical writing.
Hands-On Activities

These instructions will run the Windows defragmenter program, which is named defrag.exe, once a week on
Friday afternoon at 6 p.m. Of course, you can change the schedule to whatever time you desire.
1. Click on Add a Scheduled Taskfrom the Scheduled Tasks Wizzard, which
you can find in the Control Panel.
2. Click Next and the user will see a list ofprograms he can schedule.
3. Note that the defragger.exe does not appear, so click on Browse.
4. Browse lets you find defrag.exe in this path: C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe.
Click on Open.
5. Next, please give the task Wizzard the name of the task, such as defrag and then
set up the schedule.
6. When you click on Weakly and Next.
7. Type in the start time, which is 6:00 p.m. and click the box for Friday.
8. Windows will ask you what user name and password to use to login the
defragger.
9. You are done.

Activity 3-4
Revise a textbook paragraph. The following document is an excerpt from a computer textbook. It
contains examples of many of the common problems described in this chapter. (The line numbers
are for your convenience to identify and refer to problems).
First, go through the document and note the problems that you find with it. If you are working as part
of a project group, compare your list of problems with others to see where group members agree and
disagree. Second, rewrite the document to correct the problems you identified. Your rewrite should
make the document as clear and as easy to understand as possible. Your instructor may be able to
provide you with a copy of the document in machine-readable form.
1. MANAGING FOLDERS AND DISKS
2.
3. Introduction
4.
5. There are many types of storage media today. Hard disks are the most
6. common. It is the best of all the possible ways to save data. A hard
7. drive is divided into various folders so that files can be
8. saved to them. Definitely, this is the most efficient way to manage a large
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

9. number offiles stored on a disk.

10.
11. Various commands, especially those dealing with disks and
12. directories, produce lots of computer numbers. To get a handle
13. on computer numbers, you need to get the big picture on bits, bytes,
14. megabytes, and gigabytes.
15. A computer may seem intelligent, but essentially it can “understand”
16. only whether power is on or not. To issue an instruction to a computer,
17. we need to go by 1 (on) or 0 (off). The two digits of 1 and 0 are the
18. foundation of binary (base 2) math. Binary math is based on bits, which
19. is a contraction of two words—binary digit. One bit can have
20. the value of either 1 or 0. Bits get a little large to move around, so
21. programmers combine 8 bits together to form a byte. Bytes can increase
22. in number: 1 byte can store a 1; 1 KB (kilobyte) is the same as 1024; 1 MB
23. (megabyte) is 1048576; and 1073742824 equals 1 GB. So, when you
24. hear that a disk has a 40 GB capacity, it can store 40 x 1074742824 =
25. 42989712960 bytes.
26.
27. Formatting of Disks
28.
29. When you create a file you need to store it on a hard disc. Before that,
30. it must be properly prepared to receive information (formatted). If you
31. have used a disk and it has some space on it, you can not follow this section.
32.
33. While it was being formatted, the disk was divided into a number of
34. concentric rings or tracks. Each track was separated into a number of
35. sectors. Each sector stored 512 bytes. A higher capacity disk contains
36. more tracks and sectors; that is how they stored more data, for your
37. information.
Hands-On Activities

Activity 3-5
Experiment with format and font variations. Select a short description of a simple
computer task, such as the procedure for inserting a USB flash drive into a USB port
from Activity 3-2. The description should include at least two headings and some
procedural steps. Format the document in three ways, using font and style variations.
Show the three versions to three classmates or colleagues. Ask them to choose which
one is easiest to read and then to explain their preferences. Write a short summary of
their responses and describe the conclusions you reached about document formatting
from this activity.

Activity 3-6
Evaluate and rewrite a document. Find an example of a document you wrote previously
at your school or in your workplace. It could be a piece of computer documentation, a
memo, or other technical writing that you wrote prior to reading this chapter. The document
you select should be at least one page and contain two or more paragraphs. Apply the
concepts and ideas you have learned in this chapter to critique the document; revise it to
correct any problems you discovered.
If the word processor you use has a readability index feature, check the reading level of
your revised document. Then revise the document to lower its readability index by at least
one grade level (for example, if your rewritten document is at 10th grade level, simplify the
wording until the readability index is at a 9th grade level).
Have a classmate or coworker review your work and make suggestions. Do you agree with
her or his suggestions? Explain why or why not. Use the suggestions to revise your work.

Activity 3-7
Evaluate online documentation. Visit a Microsoft webpage that displays information
about the accessibility features in Internet Explorer 9 at www.microsoft.com/enable/
products/ieg.
Analyze and critique the website based on the information you have learned in this chapter.
Remember that the target audience for this site is users who have physical limitations that
might affect their ability to use a web browser. Write a one-page summary of your
evaluation, with recommendations on how to improve the documentation. Include in your
analysis how the website document meets or doesn’t meet the four evaluation criteria
described in this chapter.

Activity 3-8
Revise a section in this chapter. The last section in this chapter, “Document Evaluation
Criteria,” describes four criteria a writer can use to evaluate technical writing. Apply what
you have learned about technical writing in this chapter by completing the following
analysis of that section:
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

With three or four of your colleagues, critique the “Document Evaluation Criteria”
section of the chapter.
Apply the criteria described in that section to the section itself. What are the strengths of
the section? What improvements could be made?
Based on your evaluation, write an evaluation and describe how you would modify the
section for the next edition of this book.

Activity 3-9
Rewrite information in a user’s manual. Some writing examples from a poorly written MP3 user’s guide
are posted at web.techwr-l.com/pipermail/techwr-l/2006-April/ 004066.html. Copy and paste the
excerpts included on this webpage into a word-processing document. Then rewrite each instruction to make
each instruction as clear to the reader as possible.

Activity 3-10
Find alternate words and phrases. Some words and phrases that were at one time descriptive should be
avoided if they are no longer commonly used or are less descriptive than other words. Other phrases are
wordy and can be shortened without losing meaning. Find one or more alternate words or eliminate
wordiness in each sentence below:
1. Schedule the server backup to begin at 3 a.m. in the morning.
2. Our staff has a number of employees out ill at the present time.
3. While you were on vacation, we found the document draft amongst your papers.
4. Dial the help desk’s hotline telephone number.
5. We hope to film this webcast to include on our website.
6. Our users prefer Windows XP in view of the fact that they have years of
experience with it.
7. Our help desk shall endeavor to improve its performance.
8. Why not surf the web to find a description of a backlit keyboard?
9. I plan to tape this podcast for later viewing.
10. Stay tuned to this blog for future announcements.

Case Projects
1. Web Search Guide for Sergio Escobar
Sergio Escobar is the supervisor of a computer facility used by trainees in a job retraining program. The
computer facility has 18 Apple Mac computers, which are used by the
Case Projects

trainees to improve their job skills and to aid them in their job search efforts. The Macs all
have Internet access; however, the trainees Sergio serves do not have good web search
skills, and many are frustrated that they cannot find useful employment information online.
Sergio posted a few URLs for various local and regional job banks, but he knows
information online changes daily. He also knows that if trainees knew how, they could use
the web to research organizations in preparation for job interviews. As a support specialist,
you are assigned to work with Sergio to prepare some basic documents for the trainees on
how to search for information on the web. Use the search engine you are most familiar with
for this case project.
Create a short document titled “Guide to Web Searches” that Sergio can give to users of
the facility he supervises. The document should include a description of how to use a
search engine, instructions on how to enter search terms and how to narrow a search, and
helpful web search strategies. It should include some examples that relate to job search
strategies. The document should be self-contained and designed for use outside a
classroom environment. Use the online documents published by one or more organizations
that provide web search engines as a resource.
If you work in a group with other workers or students, post several examples of group
members’ documents and let each member nominate the guide they think best meets the
four criteria for good documents discussed in the chapter.

2. Orientation Guide for The Career School

As a user support specialist for a computer lab at The Career School, you have been
assigned the task of developing a lab orientation guide aimed at new students who use the
facility. Prepare a one-sheet (two pages printed back to back) summary of information for
new users of the lab. You can use the policies of a lab environment you are familiar with,
such as a facility at your school or workplace. First, describe who uses the lab. Orient your
guide to those users.
Your orientation guide can include basic information about lab operating policies and
procedures, instructions on logging in and out of the network, directions to access popular
software packages, information on proper printing procedures, guidelines on the use of
resource materials, and other general or technical information you think should be
included. You may want to include short sections with information aimed at students in
specific courses or training sessions.
For ideas on topics you might want to include, think about what information a new
student or trainee would want to know. For inspiration, go to the lab and look at the
postings on bulletin boards, whiteboards, walls, doors, machines, and tables. Rely on
your own experience as a user or as a lab assistant. One of the goals of this writing
project is to replace as much of the verbal instructions given by lab staff and as many
printed signs as possible with an information sheet that the lab staff can distribute to
new users.
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

3. Templates for Rocky Mountain Consultants

Erica Allan is the supervisor of the documents library for Rocky Mountain Consultants, a
firm that provides consulting services to engineering organizations. She recently received
a request to design a memo form that each department at Rocky Mountain can adopt and
use as its standard memo format. Erica wants to accommodate each department, but is
short of staff she can assign to the project. Erica also feels strongly that it would be more
useful to give each department the tools it needs to develop its own memo template, rather
than designing a template for each department.
Erica wants you to develop an instructional document aimed at word-processor users that
describes the procedure to create a simple template. (Use whichever word processor you
have access to for this project.) Although each department wants a different and distinctive
memo format, Erica suggests you use a simple memo like the one shown in Figure 3-8 as an
example. Describe the fonts and format features necessary to create a template that looks as
much like the example as possible. Your document should include the steps a user would
follow to create and store a template for the memo in the figure. Prepare a document titled
“How to Prepare a Simple Memo Template” that describes the process to users at Rocky
Mountain Consultants.

Figure 3-8 Sample memo format

4. Cartridge Recycling at Re-Nu-Cartridge

Elma McDonald works in the Production Department at Re-Nu-Cartridge, a local company that refills ink and
toner cartridges for computer printers. Elma’s job is to clean and inspect inkjet and toner cartridges before they
are refilled. With the equipment at Re-Nu-Cartridge, Elma can clean several types of common cartridges.
However, the company does not have the
Case Projects

facilities to clean all types of cartridges, especially less common ones. Several of Re-Nu-
Cartridge’s environmentally responsible corporate customers have asked Elma for
information about how to recycle cartridges that can’t be refilled.
Elma would like you to use the web to research companies that recycle ink and toner
cartridges. See if you can find more than one company that offers a cartridge recycling
service. Based on your research, write a set of instructions for recycling cartridges. Your
documents should be targeted at employees of Re-Nu-Cartridge’s customers (but would
probably be useful to anyone who uses printer cartridges). The information sheet should
include instructions on how to deliver or ship used cartridges to recycle service centers,
details on which cartridges the recyclers will take, where to send the cartridges, information
on what the service costs (if anything), a description of the benefits of using a cartridge
recycle service, and any other information someone would need to use the recycle
services. Follow the guidelines for good technical writing in this chapter to make the
recycling instruction sheet an example of your best professional documentation.

5. Describe a Support Problem You Solved

Chapter 5 in this book includes descriptions of common support problems, some of which are
based on actual reports by support specialists who solved the problems. Your task in this
assignment is to write a descriptive report, similar to those in Chapter 5, of a support incident or
situation that you worked on and resolved. Your report should describe the situation, the end
user(s), the problem you solved, the method and steps you took to solve the problem, and what
you learned from the experience. Make your report an example of your best professional
technical writing—write your report as if you were preparing it to include in the next edition of
this textbook. If you do this exercise as part of a class or training assignment, share your report
with others so they can benefit from your problem-solving and writing experience.

6. Document a Utility Tool for a Support Specialist

Chapter 12 in this book describes several utility tools that support specialists might use
themselves or in their work with users. Select one of the utilities in Chapter 12 or a similar
utility you are familiar with. Write a document targeted to other user support specialists.
The purpose of your document is to describe the following:
The purpose of the utility software tool Where to
download the utility tool How to install the software
How to use the tool to solve a typical problem and what the output (results) of the program
mean
Any problems you think a support specialist might encounter with the download,
installation, and use of the software tool
Where to get additional information about the use of the software tool
CHAPTER 3 Writing for End Users

After you have written your first draft, exchange it with a colleague and get his or her
feedback on your document. Then revise your draft based on the feedback you receive.

7. Prepare a Slideshow Presentation

As a user support specialist, you may be asked to prepare a slideshow presentation for use in
a training activity or as a method of communicating the results of a user needs assessment
report to a large group. Appendix C in this book provides guidelines on preparing slides to aid
in a presentation activity. Slideshow presentations are yet another opportunity to use and
improve your technical writing skills. Select an activity such as a creating a training module or
another task where a slideshow could supplement a verbal presentation. Use the writing
guidelines in this chapter along with the material in Appendix C to prepare a slideshow
presentation. If possible, use the slideshow in an actual presentation situation. Get feedback
from the audience or your colleagues on how you could improve the slides.