Running head: CLEAR AND CONCISE TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS
In this paper I will examine the details, verbiage, conciseness and clarity of the iPod Feature Guide.
The iPod feature guide is clear, concise, and easy to comprehend. The feature guide contains all the main parts for a technical manual beginning with the cover page, table of contents, and introduction. The middle part includes the step-by-step instructions, and the document concludes with a frequently asked questions section, safety guidelines, and index.
The iPod feature guide consists of an informative cover page that names the product and states the purpose of the manual. The manual enables the readers to find the items they want specifically by providing an effective table of contents. Table of contents is organized well using numbers and different colors. The introduction involves the audience by using pronouns (such as you) and makes positive customer contact by using positive words such as Congratulations (iPod Classic Features Guide, 2008).
The instructions provided in this manual are concise and consistent. Sentences and paragraphs are concise and to the point. Steps of the instructions are not lengthy and each step starts with a verb- “the imperative mood.” Steps are numbered and the same system of numbering is used throughout the manual. Different highlight techniques such as boldface, font size and color have been used to call the readers’ attentions throughout the manual (Gerson & Gerson, 2006).
Precautionary information such as notes, warning, caution, and danger notices are used in this manual to alert readers to potential harms or emphasize special points. The manual uses colored box and boldface to emphasize the hazards, notes, and important information. The manual is user friendly and users can easily find what they want because the manual includes table of contents, headings, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and index. Graphics and tables are used in the...