Re: PB&J--not just for lunch anymore (was: Getting Experience -- was Volunteer TW Services)

[Deborah Ray <debray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM>]

At 01:42 PM 6/25/98 -0400, you wrote:
>As a writing manager, I've accepted samples including a procedure for making
>a peanut and butter sandwich (much more complicated than most realize)

Yes, it is. In fact, I use making a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich to introduce instructions in TW classes
that I teach. I bring in all the supplies, ask the students
to write instructions for making a PB&J sandwich, then
ask for a victim--er, um--volunteer to read his/her
instructions while I follow them. It's amazing what
information is left out. For example, they usually forget
to include steps like opening the PB jar (at which point,
I'm sitting there stabbing the lid with a knife) or
mentioning how much PB to put on the bread (at which point
I pile, say, half a jar of PB on the bread). Based on the
exercise, I then can talk about writing procedural documents,
identifying audience needs, being familiar with materials,
distinguishing steps from supplemental information, using
action words, including appropriate details based on
audience needs, and so on.

Good exercise. Students remember the lessons, that's for
sure.

Deborah
*************************************************************
Deborah S. Ray, RayComm, Inc.
My opinions DO represent those of the company....