These are the guidelines for the written instructions.
These instructions are typically 4-5 pages long, you need to use at least 5 visuals (can be hand drawn, scanned in, Clip Art, etc). Typically, the instructions are about 12-15 steps long.
There are two examples of written instructions in the pink booklet of sample assignments. Also, make sure to review Chapter 6 in our textbook for more information.
With written instructions, you need to explain a task or a project at a medium level of difficulty. For example, you couldn’t do something like making Kraft Mac and Cheese. That’s too basic. You could do something like making homemade lasagna.
Most people choose to explain how to cook or bake something, an arts and crafts project, doing a basic woodworking project, car repair, maintaining a piece of sporting equipment (tuning skis, truing a bike wheel, etc), some type of first aid procedure, etc.
You need to use the main headings that I have suggested, but you can vary them slightly. For instance, you might have Tools, Supplies, and Materials, rather than Ingredients, Utensils, and Mixing Bowls.
In the Estimated Time and Cost, you need to have a basic introduction of your instructions to explain the time involved, the approximate cost (if appropriate), the 4-5 main steps, and then most critical step of all.
In the Instructions, you typically will have 12-15 steps. That is about average. You can give tips, suggestions, and anticipate potential problems. If you want to use a Note to point out something more, do that underneath a step (see the examples in the booklet).
Try to begin most of your steps with a command like: Place, Position, Move, Grasp, etc. Look at the example of the one on Pecan Tassies to see what I mean. Also, try not to use more than about two-three sentences per step.
Then, you have Final Reminders where you review the 4-5 main steps, stress the most critical step of all again, and give some final thoughts on the project.
Make sure that when you are doing the instructions that you encourage your reader that he/she can do the task or project.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
