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Checklist for Final Review: Instructions
Once you have made your review draft as complete and polished as possible, have it reviewed by one or
more people who understand the principles (analyzing content, engaging readers, and so on) that you
have been working with in this chapter.
- Give the reviewer a copy of your draft, one he or she can make notes on.
- Give the reviewer a copy of your context analysis. If necessary, revise that analysis before giving
it to the reviewer.
- Ask the reviewer to begin his or her response by answering the following question: Given what I say
in my context analysis, how likely does it seem that my instructions will be clear and useful to my intended
audience?
- Ask the reviewer to adopt the perspective of the audience described in your context analysis and then
use the following checklist in commenting on your work.
- In my context analysis, please highlight any statements that give you a good sense of the knowledge, needs,
and values of my intended audience. Please indicate any statements that need to be clarified.
- In my context analysis, please highlight any statements that give you a good sense of the circumstances,
purposes, and expected format for my instructions. Please indicate any statements that need to be clarified.
- In what specific passages have I developed my topic thoroughly, especially by advising readers of any
required equipment and background knowledge, explaining exactly what should be done at each step of the procedure,
giving helpful examples, and anticipating readers' problems or questions? What are some strategies that might
make my instructions clearer, more complete, and more helpful?
- What portions of my introduction seem likely to engage the interest of my intended audience? What are some
strategies that might help make the introduction more engaging?
- How would you describe the voice I have created? At what points does that voice seem appropriate, given my
intended audience and subject matter? What strategies might help me make the voice clearer or more appropriate?
- What are some words or phrases that provide a clear structure for my instructions, making information
accessible, creating clear expectations for readers, and indicating links between paragraphs or larger
sections of text? What strategies might I use to make the structure of my instructions clear?
- Do my instructions need a conclusion? If so, what strategies might I use to make my conclusion more
effective?
- How do the visual elements (white space, numbered or bulleted lists, images, headings, and so on)
contribute to the clarity and usefulness of my instructions? Are there any points at which I need to add
more visual elements to improve the clarity and usefulness of my instructions? If so, what strategies might
I use for designing my instructions and integrating visual information?
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