Project 5 Analysis of Research

I decided to give out a questionnaire that would help to determine the effectiveness and usability of the set of instructions in order to justify the recommendations that I am writing in this report to help to improve the instructions. This questionnaire is designed to be brief but to the point. I did not want a questionnaire that was long and went into too much detail but I did aim for enough information to be gathered to be able to justify what I wanted to recommend. I instructed the students to just answer yes o no to the questions. I also left a space blank for any suggestions that they might add in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of the set of instructions.

Results of questionnaire as shown as a collective yes or no answer per question, and the suggestions gathered from students will be available at the end of results.

Project 5

· What is a recommendation report?

A recommendation report is a report that is based on a need of information on a certain report. In this case it will be information that will help improve the instructions tutorial for formatting a paper in MLA format in Word 2007. These report on suggestions or recommendations that can be used ino rder to improve the set of instructions.

·  When is one used?

A recommendation report is used when a client asks what there can be done to improve something. In this case this report will be used to recommend ways of improvement for the set of instructions MLA format in Word 2007.

· What recommendations will you make to your client?

The recommendations that I will be making to the clients are ways to improve the set of instructions by using the information gathered on the usability test.

Project 4: Usability Reflection

·         What did you find was easiest about doing the usability test?

The easiest thing about conduction the usability test was conducting the test itself. It was a quick test.

·         What did you find was missing in your test?

I should have included a sheet to write feedback or a survey on what could’ve been changed in my instructions instead of asking the students to suggest any feedback. There could have been a possibility of them being more honest and suggesting what could’ve been improved in my instructions.

·         What did you learn about your instructions form the test?

I learned that my instructions were successful and that they were, for the most part, easy to follow.

·         Did you find the test valuable? Why or why not?

Yes I found the test valuable because it let me see firsthand that the students were able to format paper after viewing instructions.

·         What changes did you make to your instructions after user testing them? Did the results of usability testing surprise you?

The change that I will be making to the instructions is possibly splitting one of the steps into different sections so that it can be better followed.

·         Comment on working collaboratively? How was this similar, different, easier, more difficult than other projects you have completed on your own?

Working with the other students was different and easier than working on my own, I was able to view firsthand how my instructions helped them, instead of just writing them and assuming that the instructions would be successful.

Project 4: Usability Test

Usability: Conducting the Test.  NOTES

Test is being held at my house. Test takers will be two freshmen college students.

Test began at 3:00 pm. Both students are on a computer at the same time.

Students began watching slideshow at the same time.

Student A has completed slideshow and began to attempt to format paper.

Student B has paused slideshow and has gone back to the previous slide to read once again.

Student A has successfully added header to page and is on their way to entering information that is needed to identify paper.

Student B has asked question about slideshow that they did not understand and has began attempting to add the header to the paper

Student A has gone back to play sideshow. Had a question about where to put cursor after title.

Student A has successfully formatted the paper in MLA format.

Student B has finished has gone through the necessary steps and has completed test successfully.

Both users that have tested the instructions have completed test.

Student B had a problem understanding one of the slides, feedback will be asked about how I can improve slide.

Both of the students have switched back and forth from tutorial at times to complete the steps but they were able to both format the paper successfully without taking long.

Project 4, Test Plan

Test Plan

• Project goals in which you describe what the goals for your original project are; in this case, your original project/product is your instructions.

The goal for my instructions is to help students learn and understand how to properly format an MLA paper.

• Testing goals in which you explain what you want to learn from the test, what you hope to achieve.

The goals that I have for this test is to see how effective my instructions are. I would like to see if they are easy to navigate.

• Scenarios and Tasks in which you detail the hypothetical situation and tasks which you will give your test participant to perform.

• User Profile in which you explain the type of user which you expect will be using your product.

The type of user I expect to be using my set of instructions is a college student.

• Testing Materials in which you detail what you will need to have to conduct your test.

I will need a computer with word 2006 to conduct my test.

• Testing Protocol in which you provide step-by-step specifics as to how you will conduct the actual test.

I will have a college student sit at a computer, watch the instructions and attempt to format a paper in MLA format.

Project Goals

• What are the goals of your instructions?

The goals of my instructions are to help a student navigate through word 2007 and be able to format a paper in MLA style.

• How are they useful or beneficial to the user? What do users want or need to do?

This is useful to a student who needs to have a paper formatted in MLA style.

• What is the general background of the users?

Users will be first year college students who have not had experience with MLA format.

• What is the context in which the user is working?
• What has to be left to the machine? What to the user?

Testing Goals

• which one of the MEELS are you going to focus on for your test?
• why did you choose that particular measure?
• what type of information do you think you will learn?
• how do you anticipate that information will help?

User Profile

• Who are the users, what do they know, and what can they learn?

The users are college students that can learn how to do an MLA format on a paper.

• What do users want or need to do?

They need to format a paper in MLA style.

• What is the general background of the users?

College freshman

• What is the context in which the user is working?
• What has to be left to the machine? What to the user?

Scenarios and Tasks

List your scenario or scenarios. What story and setting will you create for your user so they feel the test is actullay a "real-life situation."
What tasks will you have them do? They will have to be using the instructions to complete the tasks so you might want to look at your instructions and create tasks that your users will be able to do while using the instructions?

Testing Materials

What else will you need for your test? How will you take notes? What do you need for notetaking?
Word 2007 will need to be installed. I will be taking notes by writing then down on paper as the students takes the test and then I will transfer them to word.
I will need a paper, pen, and a computer with word installed.
What software do you need installed on the computers?
Word 2007
Will the user be using something during the test?
The user will be using word 2007 and the instruction slideshow.
Can you think of any other materials which you need for the test?

Testing Protocol

• Where and when will you be conducting the test? How many people will take the test?

There will be two students taking the test.

• How will you break up your 30 minute test? What will you start with? What will you end with?

I will start with letting the student view the instructions, and then attempt to format the paper. The results will be an MLA formatted paper.

• What methods will you use? How long will you wait if your user is having trouble? Why? Will you let them ask you questions for help? Why? Will you interrupt them if you think it is necessary? Why?

I will wait until the student is done attempting the particular task that they are having trouble with. I will do this because I plan to test is my instructions are easy to follow. I will let them ask me a question for help because this will help me to determine if one of my slides is not understandable. I will not interrupt them if I think it is necessary. I choose to not interrupt them because I wouldn’t want to disturb them during this test.

• Will you ask questions during the test or after the test?

I will ask questions after the test.

• What type of outputs or deliverables will you have after the test? One will be a test report? What other items will you be able to submit after the test?

I will be able to submit screen shots of the results of the formatted papers.

Project 3 Peer Reviews

1.    Is the task appropriate to the assignment?

Yes the task is appropriate to the assignment.

2.    Is all necessary information included?

Yes all of the necessary information is included to complete the task.

3.    Does the introduction successfully orient the reader to the task ahead?

Yes it has the needed information for the reader to understand what the task will be.

4.    Are the major steps and sub-steps of the process clearly organized?

Yes they are clearly organized.

5.    Is each step or sub-step explained separately?

Yes each step has it’s on slide in the video.

6. Is the audience addressed directly?
Yes the audience is addressed directly.

6.    Do the graphics and other visual cues of the document make the information more accessible?

Yes the graphics help to guide the reader and it helps to understand the information of the task.

7.    Is the style clear, concise, and active?

Yes the style is clear. The only thing about the video is that in some parts it jumps a bit quickly to the other step.

9. Are the instructions free from disconcerting mechanical errors, such as spelling and grammatical mistakes?

I did not notice any mechanical errors in the instructions.

http://aealva.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post.html

Peer Review Andy Alvarez

1.    Is the task appropriate to the assignment?

Yes the task is appropriate to the assignment, it is instructing a student to something they might not know.

2.    Is all necessary information included?

Yes, all of the necessary information is included to help the student complete the task.

3.    Does the introduction successfully orient the reader to the task ahead?

Yes, the introduction lets the reader clearly know what the task will be.

4.    Are the major steps and sub-steps of the process clearly organized?

Yes the steps are clearly organized.

5.    Is each step or sub-step explained separately?

Yes, each step is explained separately.

6.    Is the audience addressed directly?

Yes, the audience is addressed directly.

7.    Do the graphics and other visual cues of the document make the information more accessible?

Yes the graphics are great, they show what the page you need to be on should look like.

8.    Is the style clear, concise, and active?

Yes the style is clear.

9.    Are the instructions free from disconcerting mechanical errors, such as spelling and grammatical mistakes?

I did not notice any mechanical errors in the instructions.

http://www.slideshare.net/mrschapa/finalized-project-3-1116016

Steph Vargas.

Project 3 - Reflection

· Who is your audience?

My audience for my MLA format instructions is geared towards college students that will be writing a paper that is required to be in MLA format.

· What visuals did you choose to include Why? If you included a visual, why did you choose to include this particular visual?

The visuals that I chose to include in my instructions powerpoint were screen shots of my word2007 paper.

I chose to use these visuals in particular because I felt it was the best way to help guide the reader exactly where to click as they were following the instructions.

· What are the important or essential design elements of your set of instructions?

 I chose to keep the design of my set of instructions really simple. I felt that keeping the instructions simple would help the reader to not be distracted and it would make the instructions easier to follow.

· In which medium do you anticipate these instructions would be used?

I would anticipate for these instructions to be used either in a class setting or on a possible website where this tutorial could be available to guide students through the MLA format process whenever they would need the help.

· How would you change the presentation of your instructions if you had to physically present them to a user?

I don’t think I would change the presentation of my instructions if I had to physically present them to someone. The thing I would possibly change is remove the text and have the images if I would be guiding them through the steps.

Conclusion

Now that you have successfully formatted a paper in MLA style you will be able to make sure that the papers you turn in will have the correct format needed. The more papers that you write during your time in college the easier it will be to remember how to format a paper in MLA style. This is a valuable piece of information that any college student needs in order to complete the MLA format requirements a professor will expect.

Introduction

This is an instruction guide to format a paper in MLA style in word 2007. This set of instructions while guide you and cover everything that must be needed in order to format an MLA paper in word 2007 properly in simple and easy steps.

The only thing that you will need for this set of instructions is a computer and word 2007.

There are no previous requirements that you will need to be familiar with before this set of instructions since this easy instruction guide will be able to help you navigate around word 2007.

Format

I will be doing the instructions assignment on powerpoint.
I will use screen shots from my word 2007 as images to show instructions reader a step by step how to.

Instructions Draft

Step One:

Open Microsoft Office Word 2007

Step Two:

Set margins to 1” all around by clicking on page layout

Then going to margins and selecting “Normal” option

Step Three

Go back to home and Click on Paragraph

Step Four

Set Line Spacing to Double

Step Five

Click on Insert

Step six

In header  & footer section click on page number

Step Seven

Click on top of page option and select Plain Number 3

Step 8

Type last name next to page number then select close header and footer

Step 9

Set Font to Times New Roman 12pt

Step 10

Type First name last name

Instructor Name

Course Name

Step 10

Enter European Style date under course name by going to insert/date & time and selecting option

Step 11

Center title

Step 12

Indent first paragraph

Design

I picked the whitepaper-effective websites design. I think that this design will work with my white paper because it has a space for the graphics and a clean design. I like that it has a section where you can have a side to side comparison of information. I also like how it is numbered, which would be good to list reasons for renting books.

Images for white paper

Proposal Draft

https://acrobat.com/#d=9T6ElPFlqmF5nOzmlmS84Q

buzzword.com

The email address that I used to sign up for buzzword is denisetstc@hotmail.com

Research Questions Draft

1.       How much on average do you spend on books per semester?

2.       Do you keep the books after the semester is over?

3.       Do you sell your books after the semester is over?

4.       Would you be interested in a book rental service that lets you rent books for the semester?

5.       Do you rely on financial aid to pay for your books for the semester?

6.       Does buying book affect your budget for the semester?

7.       Do you think that college text book prices are fair?

8.       Do you think that college text book prices are unreasonable?

9.       Do you purchase used text books at the campus book store?

10.   Do you try to look for your books at other places other then your campus book store for better rates?

Quiz Questions

1.     What is the goal or purpose of the white paper? The goal or purpose of the white paper is for college students to be intoduced to the web tool.

2.     Who is your audience for the white paper? The audience for the white paper is Ms. Santoy, Ms. Becker, college students.

3.     What do you have to do before you can write the white paper?

1.      Write a proposal

2.     Plan the design of the white paper.

4.     What is the goal of the proposal? To get permission to write white paper.

5.     Who the audience for the proposal? Ms. Becker, Ms. Santoy

6.     What do you have to do before you can write the proposal? Have an understanding of the web tool that you have chosen to write about.

Audience Analysis

· Describe your intended audience—who are these readers? Ms. Santoy

· Describe your intended audience in terms of the organization they work for and their position or title. Works for Texas State Technical College Harlingen.

· Describe your intended audience in terms of their occupation, profession, or field. MS. Santoy is the professor of a Technical Business Writing Class.

· Describe your intended audience in terms of their needs for or interest in the information you plan to include in this writing project. I will be introducing a tool that will help college students save money on their textbooks.

· Describe how your intended audience will use the information you include in this writing project. This tool will help save college students money.

· Describe the technical background of your intended audience–what do they know and not know about your topic? what are their technical limitations in relation to this writing project? Most college students make education their main focus which leads to many not working or having a part time job, even students with full time jobs find it difficult to pay for the books required for class.

Task #3 Twitter

The person that I have chosen to follow is albrechtjn. I was interested in following her because her bio states that she is a speech therapist. She works with children and the elderly, which is something that I would be interested in doing.

Task #3

The blog that I have chosen is www.temptalia.com. This is a blog that is dedicated to makeup. It reviews new collections and it shows methods of applying the cosmetics as well. I’m really interested in fashion and beauty so this blog really appealed to me. This blog would appeal to people that are interested in makeup and wanting to either know information about a collection that is being released, or just to have information about a certain makeup product, or how to apply them. The design is simple and easy to navigate. I like the grading system that she uses to review the products and the honesty that she has to say that a product might not be as good as it is advertised to be.

Task #2

The blog that I chose was www.maystardesigns.com, which is the official site of Maystar Band. The blog is directed to the fans of the band. The central focus of this blog would be to share news that the band has and events that the band will be attending. The theme of the blog is pretty busy with graphics but I like that the part that contains actually information is in white. It is easier to read and even though the layout does contain pictures that do grab your attention it is pretty easy to read the information. I think that this blog is well designed. The design catches your attention and it comes off as a fun interesting blog. I like the design of the blog, I just think that making the frame that has the actual information a bit wider would eliminate the side scroll and it would make it look better. As far as information I think that the blog has everything that someone that would be interested in that band would need.

Introduction.

Hi everyone! My name is Denise Dosal and I’m from Brownsville, Texas. I’m currently enrolled in my last semester here at TSTC, where I will be finishing up the EA program. For the spring semester my plan is to move to Kingsville and attend Texas A&M University Kingsville to pursue a bachelors degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Once I graduate from TAMUK I plan on doing contract therapy. Contract therapy will allow me to move around a bit and let me explore other cities and states which is something that I want to do before I settle down. I’m not sure what my long term career plan is yet but, I would like to either work at a school or at a clinic, but I do know that I want to work with children. I think that communicating effectively will be extremely important in the profession that I have chosen. If I am going to be a Speech Therapist then it would only be right for me to know how to communicate effectively so that I could help the children that I will be working with. It is also important to have good written skills in this profession because I will have to write reports on their progress. Communication skills are also very important in the job that I currently have now , I work in customer service, so understanding what the customer’s issue is, is very important. I also need to be able to communicate with the customer well, so that I can give them the best answer possible to resolve their issue. I think that this course will help me achieve my goals by teaching me and helping me to understand how to write reports and other documents that I would need to write in my profession.