Description assignment

Learning Objective
In this assignment students will
• Develop non-instructional process and mechanism descriptions using publication tools
• Apply structure, design, and readability principles to technical documents

YOU WILL CREATE TWO TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.
Background

Image you’re applying for co-op position at a technical communication company. They want 2 samples of your work on different topics. The first document is a non-instructional process description and the second document is a mechanism description.

They have provided evaluation tools for each (see section Evaluation Tools).

Special Notes

You are NOT expected to buy a publishing tool. Use a free version. If you can’t download documents, provide a link by following the tool’s instructions on how to share document.

50% deduction BEFORE marking for
• inappropriate term
• under word count
• if you do not add your own labels, titles, headings, captions, or call-outs to figures

Technical documents will be marked “0” if
• missing IN-TEXT CITATIONS
• missing REFERENCES
• contain direct quotes
• use examples from class, activities or lessons
• use same topic as previous assignments

Resources

Learning content from Weeks 1-7.
Technical Document 1 Instructions: Non-instructional Process Description
Audience and purpose: This technical document is for college-level students interested in the description. They are not technical communicators.
1. Choose how an organ or part functions OR a sequence of events (see class lecture for topics) and use the following persona to create your non-instructional process description.

2. Select a publishing tool.

3. Write a non-instructional process description (100 – 120 words). Use the evaluation tool and rubric for the technical document criteria. Include an in-text citation and a reference. Paraphrase only. Do not use direct quotes.

What to Hand In
• Either a .pdf or a link to the non-instructional process description designed in a publication tool.
• Completed evaluation tool in a separate file.

Audience and purpose: This technical document is for college-level students interested in the description. They are not technical communicators.

1. Find an object with a specific make and serial number. For example, if you are writing about a clamp, state its product name and serial number. Do not about clamps in general. It can be an object you own.
2. Select a publication tool.
3. Write a 100–150 word technical description logically structuring at least 5 relevant characteristics (see planning sheet for characteristics). If you use a retail site, make sure you cite it.
4. Include one labeled graphic of the same item, and refer to it in your description (e.g., See figure xx). Include a caption with 20 – 50 words.
5. Use the evaluation tool and rubric for the technical document criteria.
6. If you use a retail site, include in-text citations and a reference page at the end of the document.

What to Hand In
• Either a .pdf or a link to the technical description designed in a publication tool.
• Completed evaluation tool in a separate file.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

The mechanism of operation depends on the operating system being used (Dennis, 2018). When there is an update for OS X, there is usually need for a complete removal of the parts that prove to be troublesome which helps the issue completely (Gauci, Michelin & Salles, 2017). However, for windows, a patch management solution can be used where a whole windows patch management process can be automatized so that one doesn’t have to move from one computer to another and manually checking for any missing patches (Hassani, 2020; O’malley & Ryan, 2018). Another advantage for the many windows patch…