Midterm Project

11Mar09

Before you start: pick a subject – a technical process or product that you will consider/explore/examine

Part 1: Literature Review
– First step: find at least three tech writing documents that already exist for your subject
– Second step: compare them and analyze them using criteria found in A Concise Guide to Technical Communication

Perform an analysis on each document that critiques the way it is constructed — the way it is written, designed, disseminated. What works well in the document, and what doesn’t? Does the document use images and text? How do they fit together? Does the document adhere to the principles of usability?

Required Length: roughly 1000 words/equivalent of a three page paper

Format: MLA. But posted on the blog and conceived of AS a blog post. Include links, images, screen captures, etc.

DUE NEXT WED 18

Part 2: CREATE YOUR OWN TECH WRITING DOCUMENT
Purposes:
– to address the weaknesses you’ve identified in the existing documentation.
– to make use of the social web in some way, given what we’ve learned from Here Comes Everybody
– think creatively about format. This can be images only, text/images, a movie, a blog or a series of blog posts, a song, a tv show, a series of text messages, a video game, a book, a manual, a wikipedia article
– think creatively about distribution. How will you make your project available? Ideas include posting on a blog, advertising, YouTube (viral video), games

Assignment: Recreate a piece of technical writing for your chosen topic.

DUE: MONDAY, MARCH 30

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