ENGL 219 | Spring 2018 | Kang

Major Writing Assignment Two (MWA 2): Instruction Packet

Worth: 130 Points
Deadlines: TBD

Instructions are, as defined in TCT (p. 205), documentations that describe how to perform a
specific task such as describing how to assemble a product or do something step-by-step. As we
have examined the sample instructions that are technically correct but hard to follow, using visual
design and other principles for drafting instructions (TCT Ch. 7, pp. 186-197) is crucial to make
them effective, understandable, and readable. More importantly, in using visual design, you must
ask who might use these instructions, why they are needed, what the most important information
is, and where and when they will be used. Therefore, this major writing assignment will make you
create a set of visual instructions that are optimized for rhetorical situations (audience, context,
topic, angle, and purpose of the instructions).

In this instruction packet, you will create (1) a proposal for visual instructions, (2) visual
instructions, and (3) peer review report on the visual instructions. The final draft of the instruction
packet should be in either a Word processor or PDF with all three parts.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Completing the instruction packet will allow you to progress towards the following SLOs:

SLO 1 | Project Planning
SLO 2 | Project Analysis
SLO 3 | Content Development
SLO 5 | Written Communication
SLO 7 | Reviewing and Editing
You have planned, researched, and composed technical
documents in teams and individually.
You can identify your readers and a documents context
relative to practices of composing for specific audiences.
You also understand how technical documents as emails
occupy and respond to social justice and community service
contexts.
You understand how genre conventions of an email impact
writing and can use contextual information to place
specialized information into the genre of email.
You can compose clear, stylistically responsible prose that
avoids errors and pays attention audience needs.
Conducting peer review, you ensure final draft of the
adjustment email has a clear style, audience-centered
writing, and error-free spelling and mechanics.

Part 1. Proposal (50 Points)

Rhetorical Situation | As a professional technical student writer, youve been selected by UNM to
write a visual set of instructions for doing a complicated task on campus or on UNM websites (e.g.,
how to view/register/drop classes using MyUNM Portal, how to use color copiers at Zimmerman

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Library, how to reserve library study rooms, etc.). But before creating the instructions, they want
you to identify the task, problem, need, and evaluation.

The purpose of writing a proposal, therefore, is two-fold: (1) to fully aware of the rhetorical
situation of the instructions by researching on the task and its procedure and (2) to propose solid
plans on how you will design the instructions to your clientUNM!

Specifics | Your proposal should include sections that explain:

What is the task that you are writing instructions for?

Why are the instructions needed for this task What is the current problematic situation?
Who are the audience (action takers) that will use your instructions to complete a task?
How does this audience affect your designing of instructions?
What is the context of the use of the instructions; when and where they will be used by the
action takers? How does this context affect your designing of instructions?
How will the instructions improve? What are the expected positive effects?

In terms of the format of proposal, refer to an internal solicited proposal sample on pp. 248-250 of
TCT. Pay attention to how its using professional voice and organization with headings and
sectioning.

Part 2. Visual Instructions (50 Points)

Rhetorical Situation | UNM agreed with that there should be more effective instructions on the
task and approved your proposal! Keeping the identified problem and need in mind, it is time to
create the instructions. As we examined different types of instruction from Chapter 8, visual
instructions should be brief and easy to follow quickly than textual instructions.

Specific | To create successful visual instructions, try to satisfy the followings:

Textual Elements Visual Elements

Use simple words and limit the amount
of jargon
Define any words that might not be
familiar to your audience
Keep sentences short, within breathing
length
Use the command or imperative style
(verb first) for instructional steps
Keep it simple and dont overexplain
basic steps or concepts
Incorporate graphics that illustrate and
reinforce the written text
Use familiar icons and symbols that
highlight important information
Group information into visual blocks
o using lines, boxes, and white space
that create frames around
information that belongs together
o using a two- or three-column format
that leaves room for graphics
Place graphics on the same page as the
step that refers to them
Use one or two side of a page, poster,
sign, or placard to make them readable
at a glance

Note | You might find existing instructions by UNM for the tasks youve chosen. Credits will not be
given for copying those pre-existing instructions.

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Part 3. Peer Review Report on Visual Instructions (30 Points)

Rhetorical Situation | Before finalizing the visual instructions, you are asking your peer technical
writer to review its readability, accuracy and efficiency.

Specific | The peer review report form is on Assignments tab in Learn. Make sure that you are
attaching the peer review report you received from your peers in your packet, not the one youve
filled out for your peer. Then at the end of the report, write about 400-word reflection on how the
feedback affected your revision of the visual instructions.

3

Excellent
50 48 46 44
The proposal identifies the
task and its audience,
purpose and context in-
depth in a professional style
and tone.
Excellent
50 48 46 44
The instructions clearly
display step-by-step
procedure with
complimenting visual
effects and organizations.
They are also designed
responding to the identified
rhetorical situation from
the proposal.
Excellent
30 28
You have written a peer
review with detailed
compliments and
suggestions to help your
peers better the draft. You
have written detailed
reflection on how peer
review affected your
rhetorical choices in
revision. In doing so, you
use evidence from the draft
to support your
suggestions.
Rubric
Proposal
Competent
42 40 38 36 34 32
The proposal would benefit
from more detail or
development. The task lacks
its context or/and
description.
Visual Instructions
Competent
42 40 38 36 34 32
Some aspects of the
instructions are unclear or
misleading. Some of visual
elements are irrelevant to the
procedure or hinders readers
to catch the important
information. The instructions
would benefit from a concise
text or adequate
organization.
Peer Review & Reflection
Competent
26 24 22
You have attempted to write
a peer review, but you need
to give more constructive
details on suggestions. Your
reflection lacks evidence
from the draft to support
your suggestions.
ENGL 219 | Spring 2018 | Kang
Points
Earned
Needs Work
30 28 26 24 22 20
The proposal is not
clearly identifying the
rhetorical situation
or/and missing some or
most of the inherent
elements of a proposal.
Points
Earned
Needs Work
30 28 26 24 22 20
Almost none of the
instructions were clear
and hard to navigate.
The instructions dont
utilize visual elements
or none of the elements
used are complimenting
the content.
Points
Earned
Needs Work
20 18 16 14
You have made little to
no attempt to peer
review. Your reflection
does not give any insight
on the revision process
after the peer review.