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228 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Audience
Peers and supervisors in your company, and perhaps people outside the company.
Purpose
to reinforce or change their attitudes toward the subject you are writing about,
motivate them to take particular actions, or help them carry out their own jobs.
The most important measure of excellence in T.C. is:
Honesty
A technical document conveys:
A single meaning.
Conciseness
Eliminating unnecessary phrases, choosing short words, and using economical grammatical forms.
Diligence
Hard work.
Work made for hire is the property of the:
Company
Implied warranty is indirectly known by:
The purchaser.
A culture of ethical and legal conduct begins:
At the top, with ethical leadership.
Euphemism
Writing "granted permission to leave" instead of "fired".
In the PLANNING STEP, it is best to start thinking about:
The Audience.
In the DRAFTING STEP, do not always rely on existing templates because:
They bore readers, can't help you answer important questions about your document, they don't always reflect the best design principals.
Revising
Looking at your draft to see if it works for your audience, purpose and subject.
An Annual Report
Requires the most rigorous editing.
Compared to individual writing, collaboration takes:
More time.
Listening and hearing are the same thing. T/F
False.
The group leader
Keeps the group on track, leading the meetings, and coordinating communication among members.
When Teleconferencing:
Dress as you would for a face-to-face meeting.
Why is it important to know your reader's education?
To determine what level of vocabulary to use
how much supporting material to provide,
and what kind of sentence structure and length to use.
Secondary Audience
Needs to stay aware of developments in the organization, but will not directly act on or respond to the document.
Cultural Variables
Politics, religion and education are variables that are ON THE SURFACE.
Modular Document
Break it into components addressed to different readers.
When defining your PURPOSE, think of a ________ that represents it.
Verb.
Secondary Research
Should be done first.
Workplace Research
To answer a practical question.
Triangulating Research
Using more than two sources of research.
The most difficult information to evaluate is from:
The internet.
Patterns of organization should be:
Conventional.
Topic Sentences belong:
At the beginning of paragraphs.
More-important-to-less-important organization:
Presenting a SET of factors.
Cause and Effect Organization
Discuss the factors that led to a situation and the effects from it.
Claim
The conclusion you want your readers to accept.
Numerical Data/Statistics
Evidence readers respond to favorable.
Presenting an Argument
Address opposing points of view.
Circular Argument
Assumes what it is attempting to prove.
Ad Hominem Argument
Against the writer, not the writer's argument.
A clear comprehensive title is:
Long.
Headings should be separated with _______.
Text.
Turn paragraphs into _______ when possible.
Lists.
When dealing with "bad news":
Use a forthright approach.
Time and place orienters should be placed:
At the beginning of the sentence.
What's wrong with, "turned inward slightly"?
the modifier is dangling.
Atypical
People with disabilities.
Alignment
Placing text and graphics on the page so that readers can understand the relationships among these elements.
Chunking
Information delivered to people in SMALL UNITS, rather than all at once.
Underlining Headings
The least effective way to set off headings.
Marginal Gloss
A brief comment, set in a different typeface or color, from the main discussion.
Figures
Tables
To illustrate visual and spatial characteristics DON'T USE:
A diagram.
The largest slice of a pie chart goes:
At the top.
Technical Professionals
Engineers and accountants.
Do a lot of writing: Emails, letters, and reports.
Technical Communicators/Writers
Create manuals, reports, web sites, and speeches.
1 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Addresses particular readers.
2 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Helps readers solve problems.
3 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Reflects an organization's goals and culture.
4 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Is produced collaboratively.
5 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Uses design to increase readability
-To make the document look attractive and professional
-To help readers navigate and understand the document.
6 of 6 Characteristics of Technical Documents:
Consists of words or graphics or both.
Graphics help the writer perform 5 main functions:
Make the document more interesting and appealing to readers.
-Communicate and reinforce difficult concepts
-Communicate instructions and descriptions of objects and processes.
-Communicate large amounts of quantifiable data
-Communicate with nonnative speaker
8 Measures of Excellence
(in order of importance)
Honesty
Clarity
Accuracy
Comprehensiveness
Accessibility
Conciseness
Professional Appearance
Correctness
Honesty (3 reasons)
-The right thing to do.
-Readers can get hurt if you are dishonest.
-You and your organization could face legal charges if dishonest.
Clarity (2 reasons)
Conveys a single meaning the reader can understand easily.
-Unclear: can be dangerous.
-Unclear: expensive.
Accuracy
Getting your facts straight.
-Unbiased.
-Objective.
Comprehensiveness
Provide all the information the reader needs.
Accessibility
Document is made up of small independent sections to make it easier to find info and read it.
Conciseness
Eliminate unnecessary phrases, choose short words, use economical
grammatical forms.
Professional Appearance
Neat and professional looking document.
Correctness
Incorrect=Unprofessional.
Ethics
The study of principles of conduct that apply to an individual or group.
4 Obligations to your Employer are:
1. Competence (skills) and diligence (hard work).
2. Honesty and candor (truthfulness).
3. Confidentiality
4. Loyalty
Obligations to the Public
An organization is acting ethically if its products or services are safe
and effective.
Legal Obligations (4)
Copyright Law
Trademark Law
Contract Law
Liability Law
Legal Obligations:
Copyright Law (2)
Only the copyright holder can copy it.

-Work made for hire is the property of the company.
-Fair use allows use of material (w/o permission) for criticism, commentary, news
reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
Legal Obligations:
Trademark Law (2 types)
Trademark – a word, phrase, name, or symbol that is identified with a company.
Look for ™.

Registered trademark – a word, name, phrase, or symbol registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
Look for ®
Legal Obligations:
Contract Law
(Express and Implied Warranties)
Express warranty – written or oral statement that the product has a particular feature and can perform a particular function.

Implied warranty – warranty inferred by the purchaser
Legal Obligations:
Liability Law (7 Guidelines)
Manufacturer or seller is liable for injuries or damages caused by the use of that
product.

-Understand product and users.
-Describe products functions and limitations.
-Use appropriate words/graphics.
-Warm about risks.
-Make directions and warnings highly visible and comply with local/state/federal statutes.
-Perform testing and instructions.
-Make sure they receive information.
Boilerplate
Copying and pasting from previous press releases.
Elements of an organization’s culture that encourage ethical and legal behavior (4):
1. Ethical leadership
2. Supervisor reinforcement
3. Peer commitment
4. Embedded ethical value
Effective Code of Conduct (3)
1. Protects the public rather than members of the organization.
2. Specific and comprehensive.
3. Is enforceable.
1 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Abide by relevant laws. (4)
-Don't violate copyright.
-Honor trademarks.
-Live up to the express and implied warranties.
-Abide product liability.
2 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Abide by the appropriate _____ code of conduct
Professional.
3 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Take advantage of your employer’s ______ resources.
Ethics
4 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Tell the truth.
(Self explanatory).
5 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Don't Mislead your Readers (Avoid.. 4)
Avoid:
-false implications.
-exaggerations.
-legalistic constructions.
-euphemisms.
6 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Use design to highlight important ______ and _______ information.
ethical and legal.
7 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Be Clear
Avoid big words and complicated sentences.
8 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Avoid _______ language.
Discriminatory.
9 of 9 Principals for Ethical Communication:
Acknowledge _________ from others.
Assistance.
5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps
Planning
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Proofreading.
1 of 5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps:
PLANNING (5)
1.) Analyzing your audience
-Who is your reader?
-Reader’s attitudes and expectations.
-Why and how reader will use it.

2.) Analyzing your purpose
-What do you want them to know or do?
-What beliefs or attitudes you want.

3.) Generating ideas about your subject.
Types:
1.Asking the six journalistic questions
-Brainstorming
-Freewriting
-Talking with someone
-Clustering
-Branching

4.)Organizing and outlining your document
-Selecting an application, a design, and a delivery method
-What readers expect.
-What delivery method works best.

5.)Devising a schedule and a budget
2 of 5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps:
DRAFTING (6)
-Get comfortable
-Start with the easiest topics
-Draft quickly
-Don’t stop to get more information or to revise
-Try invisible writing
-Stop in the middle of a section
3 of 5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps:
Revising (3)
Consider:
-Audience
-Purpose
-Subject
4 of 5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps:
Editing
Checking the draft to improve its grammar, punctuation, style, usage, diction, and mechanics.
5 of 5 Nonlinear Writing Process Steps:
Proofreading
Checking to make sure you have typed what you meant to type.
Advantages of Collaboration (5)
-A greater knowledge base.
-A greater skills base.
-A better idea of how the audience will read it.
-Improves communication among employees.
-Acclimates new employees to an organization.
Disadvantages of Collaboration (6)
-Takes more time than individual writing.
-Leads to groupthink (value getting along more).
-Contridicts points or includes different styles.
-Inequitable workloads (some working harder than others.)
-Reduce motivation to work hard.
-Interpersonal conflict (disagreements).
Conducting Meetings:
Listening Effectively (5)
-Pay attention to the speaker
-Listen for main ideas
-Don’t get emotionally involved with the speaker’s ideas
-Ask questions to clarify what the speaker said
-Provide appropriate feedback
Conducting Meetings:
Setting Your Group's Agenda (7)
-Define a task.
-Choose a group leader
-Define tasks for each group member
-Establish working procedures
-Establish a procedure for resolving conflict productively
-Create a style sheet
-Establish a work schedule
-Create evaluation materials
Communicating Diplomatically Example
"I think THIS plan..."
vs.
"I think MY plan..."
Using Electronic Tools in Collaboration (2)
-Face-to-face meetings are not always possible. (Email is convenient).
-Electronic communication is digital.
6 Factors of Knowing Your Readers
Education
Professional Experience
Job Responsibility
Personal Characteristics
Personal Preferences
Cultural Characteristics.
Primary Audience
People close to the writer who use the document in their jobs.
-An executive, supervisor or team members.
Secondary Audience
People who don't act on the document.
-Managers of other departments.
Tertiary Audience
People who take an interest in the subject of the document.
-Local or federal government officials, interest groups etc.
7 Cultural Variables that lie ON THE SURFACE
Political
Economic
Social
Religious
Educational
Technological
Linguistic (language)
6 Cultural Variables that lie BELOW THE SURFACE
Focus on individuals or groups.
Distance between business life and private life
Distance between ranks
Nature of truth
Need to spell out details
Attitudes toward uncertainty
Considering Cultural Variables while Writing (8)
-Limit vocabulary (use simple english)
-Keep sentences short.
-Define abbreviations in a glossary.
-Avoid jargon (graphical user interface).
-Avoid slang and idioms.
-Use active voice.
-Be careful w/ graphics.
-Have someone from that culture review the document.
Communicating Verbs
Describe, explain, inform, define etc.
Convincing Verbs
Assess, propose, evaluate etc.
Primary Research
Creating technical information yourself.
Secondary Research
Collecting information that other people have already discovered or create.
The Basic Research Tools (5)
Online catalogs
Reference works
Periodical indexes
Newspaper indexes (preferable to cite from print versions)
Abstract service
RSS Feeds
Rich site summary or really simple syndication technology, allows readers to simply check one place on the website.
1 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Accurate
Flextime scheduling.
2 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Unbiased
You want sources that have no financial stake in the project.
3 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Comprehensive
Information from all kinds of people.
In terms of: Gender, age, culture.
4 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Appropriately Technical
Information is sufficiently detailed to respond to the needs of readers, but not so detailed that they don't understand it.
5 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Current
Info that is 10 years old isn't accurate today.
6 of 6 Evaluating Information:
Clear
Easy to understand.
Conducting Primary Research
(7 ways)
-Observations and demonstrations
-Inspections
-Experiments
-Field research
-Interviews
-Inquiry letters or emails
-Questionnaire
3 Principals for Organizing Technical Information
-Analyze your audience and purpose
-Use conventional patterns of organization
-Display your organizational pattern prominently
1. Create a detailed table of contents
2. Use headings liberally
3. Use topic sentences at the beginnings of paragraph
Chronological/Time-Line Organizing
Describes Events.
Spatial Organizing
Describes objects and physical sites.

Ex. Describe the 3 buildings that will make up the new facility.
General-to-Specific Organizing
Provides a general understanding of a subject before a reader can understand and remember the detail.

Ex. Explain the major changes in and the details of the new law.
More-Important-to-Less-Important Organizing
When readers want the bottom
line—the most important information—first.

Ex. You launch a new product: Mention market niche first, competition second, and pricing third.
Comparison and Contrast Organizing (2 steps)
Describes and evaluates two or more items or options.
-First: determine the criteria.
-Last: determine the specific pattern: whole-by-whole or part-by-part.
Classification and Partition Organizing
Classification – the process of assigning items to categories.

Partition – the process of elements that make up a single item.

Ex. Grouping motors by the type of fuel they burn (gas or diesel). OR you explain how each major part of one of the motors operates.
Problem-Method-Solution Organizing
Reflects the logic used in carrying out a project.

Ex. Discuss a problem, the steps you took to address it, and the outcome.
Cause and Effect Organizing
Provides a way to answer these questions:
1. What will be the effect(s) of X?
2. What caused X?

There is no scientific way to
determine causes or effect.
1 of 3 Audience's Broader Goals:
Security
Resisting an argument that calls for more work or loss of their job.
2 of 3 Audience's Broader Goals:
Recognition
Praised for hard work and successes.
3 of 3 Audience's Broader Goals:
Personal and Professional Growth
Learn new skills and duties, to be associated with something.
1 of 8 Constraints:
Ethical
THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY is your own sense of what is ethical. Being asked to lie is not.
2 of 8 Constraints:
Legal
Abide by all laws and practices, fair trade, consumer rights etc.
3 of 8 Constraints:
Political
Don't waste time and energy on a losing cause.
4 of 8 Constraints:
Informational
Information may not be available. Be credible.
5 of 8 Constraints:
Personnel
Not having as many collaborators as you need.
6 of 8 Constraints:
Financial
Related to personnel constraints: Not having unlimited funds.
7 of 8 Constraints:
Time
Start by determining a deadline, then a schedule. Tasks always take longer than estimated.
8 of 8 Constraints:
Format and Tone
Format- Limitations on size, shape, or style of a document.

Tone- Addressing Supervisors use formal polite tone. Addressing peers use less formal but be polite.
Claim
Conclusion you want readers to accept.
Evidence
The info you want your readers to consider.
Reasoning
Logic you use to connect the evidence to your claim.
4 Kinds of Evidence (In order of importance)
People most often react to certain kinds of evidence, in this order:
-Commonsense Argument
-Numerical Data
-Examples
-Expert Testimony
1 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Ad Hominem
Against the writer, not the writer's argument.

Ex. "Of course Sami wants that."
2 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Argument from Ignorance
Argue that a claim is true because it was never proven false or false because it was never proven true.
3 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Appeal to Pity
Based on emotion, not reason.

Ex. "Why get rid of it, it's been around for 40 years!"
4 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Argument from Authority
Claim that it is valid because the person making the claim is an authority.
5 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Circular Argument/Begging the Question
Assumes what it is attempting to prove.

Ex. "HP is more successful than competitors because of it's high sales."
6 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Either-or Argument
Poses only two alternatives when in fact there may be more.

Ex. "If we don't start selling online, then we will be out of business in less than a year."
7 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Ad Populum Argument/Bandwagon Argument
Argue that a claim is valid because many people think it is.
8 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Hasty Generalization/Inadequate Sampling
Draws conclusions based on an insufficient number of cases.

Ex. "Two of my friends own one, and said it sucks, so it sucks."
9 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Reasoning
Claims that because A precedes B, A caused B.

"I failed the test even though I studied. I failed because I didn't study enough."
10 of 10 Logical Fallacies:
Oversimplifing
Omits important information in establishing a causal link.

Ex. "She failed because she didn't study enough."
Creating a Professional Persona (4 Guidelines)
Cooperativeness
Moderation
Fair-mindedness
Modesty
Primary Heading
Contain more-important and more-general information.
Secondary Heading
Contain less important information, and more-specific information.
4 Advantages of Turning Paragraphs into Lists
-You look at the big picture.
-You examine the sequence.
-You create a helpful lead-in, or introduction to the list.
-You to tighten and clarify your prose.
Body Paragraph
A group of sentences that is complete and contributes to a larger discussion.
Transitional Paragraph
Move from one point to another.
Structure a Paragraph Clearly (3)
1. The topic sentence (relates clearly to the organizational pattern you’re using)
2. The supporting information (definition, example, illustration, cause, effect, etc.)
3. Paragraph length (generally 75-125 words)
1 of 3 Coherence Devices Within and Between Paragraphs:
Transitional Words/Phrases
States the relationship between two ideas.

Ex.
Addition- Also, and, finally.
Summary- At last, finally.
Contrast- Although, but, yet.
2 of 3 Coherence Devices Within and Between Paragraphs:
Repeating Key Words
Usually NOUNS, helps readers follow the discussion.
3 of 3 Coherence Devices Within and Between Paragraphs:
Using Demonstrative Pronouns Followed by Nouns
Demonstrative Pronouns: This, that, these and those.

Ex. "These techniques demonstrate.." vs. "These demonstrate".
Coherent Design (2)
-Use headers and footers to enhance coherence.
-Use consistent typefaces.
Structuring Effective Sentences:
Lists (4 Guidelines)
1.) Set off each item with an umber, letter or symbol (bullet).
2.) Break up long lists.
3.) Present the items in a parallel structure.
4.) Punctuate correctly.
Emphasizing New and Important Information (What goes where?)
-New info: at the end.
-Time and space markers:
at beginning.
Example of Focusing on the "REAL" subject:
Avoid: This is, They are, It is.

Weak:
"The use of this method would.."

Strong:
"This method would.."
Example of Focusing on the "REAL" verb:
Nominalized Verb- A verb has been changed into a noun.

Weak:
"Each preparation of the solution is done twice."

Strong:
"Each solution is prepared twice."
Parallel Structure
Creates a recognizable pattern.

Ex. "Our present system is costing us, and reducing our productivity."
Non Parallel Structure
Creates no pattern.

Ex. "Our present system is costing us and reduces our productivity."
Restrictive Modifiers
Provides the info that is needed to identify the referent and are NOT set of by COMMAS.

Ex. "Airplanes USED IN THE EXHIBITIONS are slightly modified."
Nonrestrictive Modifiers
Readers do not need the information being said to identify the referent. INCLUDES COMMAS.

Ex. When you arrive, go to my apartment, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE SECOND FLOOR." (You don't need that last part).
Misplaced Modifiers
Appear to modify the wrong referent.

Ex. "The subject of the meeting is the future of geothermal energy in the down town Hotel." WRONG

"The subject of the meeting in the downtown Hotel is the future of geothermal energy." RIGHT
Active Voice
The subject performs the action expressed by the verb.

Ex. Dave drove the vehicle.
Passive Voice
MOST COMMON
The recipient of the action.

Ex. The vehicle was driven by Dave.

Is, are, was, were.
Positive Constructions
Indicate what something is, rather than what it is not.

Use: Most instead of "not all"
Few instead of "not many".
5 Principles of being Concise
Avoid:
-Obvious statements
-Fillers (basically, rather)
-Unnecessary Prepositional Phrases (in the summary, under the heading).
-Wordy Phrases
-Fancy words.
Preparing Text for Translation
-Use short sentences.
-Use active voice.
-Use simple words.
-Include a glossary.
-use words that have only one meaning ('correct' instead of 'right').
-Use pronouns carefully.
-Avoid jokes, puns, etc.
5 Goals of Document and Web Design
-Make a good impression.
-Help readers understand the structure and hierarchy of info.
-Help readers understand the info.
-Help readers remember the info.
1 of 4 Design Principals:
Proximity
Group related items together. If two items appear close to each other, they interpret them as related.
2 of 4 Design Principals:
Alignment
Place text and graphics on a page so readers can understand the relationships among these elements.
3 of 4 Design Principals:
Repetition
Treat the same kind of info in the same way to create consistent patterns.
4 of 4 Design Principals:
Contrast
Black letters look better on white background, larger letters stand out more than smaller letters.
Designing Documents:
Size and Paper
Page size and page count.
Designing Documents:
Bindings
loose leaf, ring or spiral, saddle, perfect.
Designing Documents:
Accessing Tools
Icons, color, dividers and tabs, cross-reference tables, headers and footers, page numbering.
Queuing
Visual distinctions to indicate levels of importance.
Filtering
The use of visual patterns to distinguish various types of info.
Page Layout
-Page Grids (map on where you plan to put stuff).
-White Space.
Typography
Typefaces, type families, case, type size, line length, justification etc.
Rules
A straight line.
Boxes
Adding rules on all four sides. (contrast and repetition).
Screens
The background shading behind text or graphics.
Marginal Glosses
Brief comment on the main discussion.
Pull Quotes
Brief quotation that is pulled from the text and displayed in a larger type size, and is enclosed in a box.
Readers with Disabilities:
Vision Impairment
Text to speech software. Provide a text-only version of the site.
Readers with Disabilities:
Hearing Impairment
Provide captions with video and volume control.
Readers with Disabilities:
Mobility Impairment
Include Keyboard shortcuts.
Designing Webpages
Simplicity (4 Guidelines)
-Use simple backgrounds.
-Use simple color combinations.
-Avoid decorative graphics.
-Use thumbnail graphics.
Designing Webpages
Easy to Read Text (3 Guidelines)
-Keep text short.
-Chunk info.
-Make text simple.
Designing Webpages
Create Clear, Informative Links (3 Guidelines)
-Structure sentences as if there were no links in your text.
-Indicate what info the linked page contains.
-Don't change the colors of text links (usually blue).
5 Functions of Graphics
-Indispensable in demonstrating logical and numerical relationships.
-Communicate spatial information more effectively than words alone.
-Communicate steps in a process more effectively than words alone.
-Save space.
-Reduce the cost of documents intended for international readers.
5 Characteristics of an Effective Graphic
-Serves a purpose.
-Simple and uncluttered.
-Presents a manageable amount of information.
-Meets readers’ format expectations.
-Clearly labeled.
Integrating Graphics and Text (5 Guidelines)
-Place appropriately. (after a relevant point).
-Introduce the graphic before it appears.
-Explain the graphic in the text.
-Make it clearly visable.
-Make it accessible.
Planning Graphics (4 Aspects)
Audience
Creating
Revising
Citing
Creating Graphics (4 steps)
Planning
Creating
Revising
Citing
Creating Graphics (4 approaches)
Use existing graphics.
Modify existing graphics.
Create graphics on a computer.
Have someone else create them.
Using color Effectively
-Don’t overdo it
-Emphasize particular items
-Create patterns
-Use effectively
-Take advantage of any symbolic meaning colors may already have
-Be aware that color can obscure or swallow up text.
Appropriate Graphics:
Illustrating Numerical Data
Table, bar graph, pictograph, line graph, pie chart.
Appropriate Graphics:
Illustrating Logical Relationships
Diagram, organization chart.
Appropriate Graphics:
Illustrating Instructions and Process Descriptions
Checklist, table, flowchart, logic tree.
Appropriate Graphics:
Illustrating Visual and Spatial Characteristics
Drawing, map, photo, screen shot.
Effective TABLES (9 Guidelines)
-Unit of measure.
-List the items being compared in the left-hand column (stub).
-Arrange data clearly in the other columns.
-Do the math.
-Use dot leaders for a blank spot where there's no data (...)
-Don't make it wider than it has to be.
-Minimize the use of rules.
-Provide footnotes.
-Indicate sources.
Effective BAR GRAPHS (5 guidelines)
-Make fair proportions.
-Begin at zero.
-Use tick marks along the axis to signal the amounts.
-Arrange the bars in a sequence.
-Place title below the figure.
1 of 5 Types of Bar Graphs:
Grouped
Compare 2 or 3 quantities for each item.
Ex. Showing #s of part-time and full-time students at multiple universities.
2 of 5 Types of Bar Graphs:
Subdivided
Aspect I and aspect II are stacked like blocks. Totals are easy to compare, but individual quantities are not.
3 of 5 Types of Bar Graphs:
100-Percent
Show proportions of the elements that make up several items, useful in portraying: the proportion of full-scholarship, partial, and no-scholarship students at a number of universities.
4 of 5 Types of Bar Graphs:
Deviation
Various quantities deviate from a norm.
Used info contains positive and negative values, such as profits and losses.
5 of 5 Types of Bar Graphs:
Stratum
Change in quantities of several items over time. Hardest to interpret.
Effective Line Graphs (3 guidelines)
-Begin at zero.
-Use reasonable proportions for the vertical and horizontal axes.
-Use grid lines, rather than tick marks.
Effective Pie Charts (7 guidelines)
-Only six or seven slices.
-Begin with largest slice on top and work clockwise.
-Include miscellaneous slice for small quantities.
-Label slices horizontally inside the slice.
-To emphasize a slice, use a bright contrasting color.
-Don't overdo fill patterns.
-Check to make sure percentages add up to 100%.
Effective Photographs (5 guidelines)
-Eliminate background clutter.
-Don't electronically manipulate the photo.
-Help readers understand the perspective.
-Include some common object, such as a coin, to give readers a sense of scale.
-Label components or important features.
1 of 5 Factors of Usability:
Ease of Learning
The time it takes to learn how to use the item.
2 of 5 Factors of Usability:
Efficiency of Use
The time it takes to carry out a task after learning how to do it.
3 of 5 Factors of Usability:
Memorability
Ability to remember how to carry out a task.
4 of 5 Factors of Usability:
Error Frequency, Severity, and Recovery
the number and severity of errors made while carrying out a task, and the ease with recovering from such errors.
5 of 5 Factors of Usability:
Subjective Satisfaction
How much a person likes (or dislikes) carrying out the task.