Overview

ENG302 : The Class : Rhetoric : Use of Graphics : Overview
Interactive Overview of Topic 4

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GRAPHICS

Technical writers want to make their work easy for their reader to understand. They want their reader to be able to see the main ideas and the support for them as quickly as possible. Technical writers also do not like prose that much. Their readers like prose even less. One way to make everybody happy is to use as many graphics--or in other words, as few words--as possible. In fact, many technical writers draw up their graphics first and then write the rest of the text around the graphics. A good rule of thumb is, "If it can be put in a graphic, do it." Then use sentences for those things that can’t be put in as graphics.

Try this on the following memo:

It is time for our next blood drive. It is scheduled for November 8, 1998 in room 316 of the Administration Building.

Please contact the people in your area and have the slips to me no later than 12:00 noon on the 5th of November. Sooner

if possible. If you need any slip please call me on 6-1065 and I will see that you receive them. There is a shortage of blood

and I urge you to make contact with all those that have given or might be interested in giving. The blood drive

will start at 9:00 am and will end at 3:00 pm, in room 316. Blood can save a life and the blood we give might be that pint.

Thanks again

1. What elements in this memo could be put in graphic form? Draw up (or describe) a sketch of this graphic:

2. Now, analyze the context inherent in this piece.

Audience:

Purpose:

Voice:

3. Given the above context (Audience, Purpose, and Voice), what would make a good opening sentence for this memo:

4. If by the end of the memo, you want the audience to take a specific action, write that down as the last sentence of the memo:

5. Now describe the graphics you would insert between your opening and closing sentences and you have the final and improved memo.

6. If you have a question for me, ask:

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E-mail Greg Larkin at Gregory.Larkin@nau.edu
or call (520) 523-4911

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