A series of hints should be able to help a reader to get things done quickly, efficiently, and successfully. To write instructions, you must write down all the necessary details. If you forget something or make a mistake, your readers will be confused. Use the following guidelines to write a set of instructions.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Write Instructions
Step 1. Get to know your readers
The first thing you should do before writing a lead is get to know your reader. Who are you writing this guide for? Are your readers experts or lay people? Knowing your readers will help you choose your words, structure your clues, and determine how much detail you need to provide.
- For example, if you're explaining how to bake bread to a professional chef, you don't need to explain how to fold the dough, why it's important to put the eggs at room temperature, or the difference between all-purpose flour and self-rising flour.). If you're explaining this to someone who doesn't know how to cook, the definitions and explanations can really help them make a great cake.
- If you want to be safe, just assume your readers are ordinary people. This way, your instructions will be clear and easy to follow.
Step 2. Determine the equipment needed
Before you begin, you must clearly state what is required to complete the instructions properly. This can be in the form of a list of required materials or a list of equipment.
Step 3. Carry out the process
One way to write clear instructions is to follow the process yourself. That way, you can write down specific steps. If you're just trying to write it down based on what you remember, you might accidentally forget something. After that, you can ask someone else to do the process based on what you wrote. Ask for feedback from them. Ask if any steps are confusing or unclear.
- Be careful not to forget something. If you miss an important step, it will be impossible for your readers to complete the procedure successfully. Also, you have to make sure the steps are in the right order.
- For example, if you wrote, “Mix the ingredients with a mixer. Put it in the oven at 121 degrees,” readers will probably assume that they should also put their mixing bowl in the oven.
Part 2 of 4: Writing Instructions
Step 1. Write briefly and concisely
Effective instructions are always written concisely and concisely. Don't use long, convoluted paragraphs. Just use short and clear sentences, bullet points, and pictures or props.
Step 2. Use the active verb
Instructions should always use active verbs and descriptive words. Begin your clue with a verb. This gives the reader one clear action they must take. Each step must be written in the form of a command sentence.
- When providing definitions or explanations, use descriptive language as clearly as possible.
- For example, say, "Add two eggs," instead of, "Two eggs should be added to the cake batter."
Step 3. Write down only the required information
When you write down additional information, make sure that you only add what is needed. Ask yourself, “Do readers need to know these definitions to understand clues?” or “Do readers need this advice to complete the procedure properly?”
Don't add unneeded information. This will only confuse your readers and make it difficult for them to follow directions
Step 4. Talk to your readers
When writing directions, you should speak directly to your readers. Do this using the word “you”. This will help guide the reader personally through the steps.
Step 5. Write clearly and specifically
When writing instructions, you need to be as specific as possible. Describe exactly what they should do. This includes which way they should turn their wrench, how many meters they should walk, or what the texture of the cake should be when it's finished.
- Write down the measurements correctly. If the reader has to cut a 1.6-centimeter long board, write it down.
- For example, if you're showing how to bake a cake, don't wait until step four to say, "Before mixing the ingredients, sift the flour and put the eggs at room temperature."
Step 6. Use sequence markers and timing links
Connecting words will help connect one step to the next, and also connect the ideas in your writing. In hint writing, you will use sequence markers and timing links. This will help the reader to understand the step by step instructions.
Some of the commonly used conjunctions are: first, after, then, then, last, and before that
Part 3 of 4: Composing Hints
Step 1. Write an introduction
Before you begin to explain the instructions in detail, you need to give the reader a brief introduction. This introduction explains what the reader will learn in the instructions, as well as outlines the procedure. This introduction should be written in clear and simple language.
- Write down the purpose of the instructions, who should read these instructions, and what conditions will require the procedures listed here.
- You can also add what is not included in this procedure.
- You can enter basic information here.
- In the introduction, you can also mention any important warnings or information that the reader needs before starting the process. But remember that most people will skip this introduction, so don't include anything important that you didn't cover elsewhere.
- For example, “These instructions explain how to bake a chocolate cake. The first part explains how to mix dry and wet ingredients, and the second part explains how to cook properly."
- Arrange the steps in chronological order. Instructions must be written in a certain order. The steps should logically follow each other. Step 1 must be completed before the reader can proceed to step 2. This arrangement is important in writing instructions.
- If the order doesn't matter, list the most important first.
Step 2. Arrange the steps according to what to do first
Instructions consist of a series of interconnected steps. Before you start writing instructions, you need to determine which steps to take first. This means you have to decide which one to do first to get the whole job done.
For example, if you're baking a cake, you'll need to preheat the oven, mix the ingredients, and make the icing sugar before you can finish the cake
Step 3. Share the instructions in specific steps
Most instructions must consist of several steps that must be completed before the procedure is complete. Dividing your guide into sections for each action to take will make the instructions clear to the reader.
- For example, if you're repairing a car, there's a lot you need to do before you can start working on the engine. You will have to jack up the car, remove other parts of your car, or remove the covers. Each of these actions requires its own instructions. You have to divide each action into specific parts with its own set of instructions.
- These sections, like the steps, must be arranged in a certain order. You cannot remove the engine cover before jacking up the car or removing other parts of the cover. These sections should be arranged according to which one should be completed first.
- Try to keep each action consisting of only 10 steps. If there are more than 10 steps, divide them into sections or other steps.
- This helps readers to repeat and monitor their progress. They can tell when they have successfully completed a section. Moreover, if they made a mistake, they could step back and correct it without having to redo the entire clue.
Step 4. Label each step clearly
To help readers understand the instructions, clearly label each section. The title of each section should give an idea of what will be done in that section. Readers must understand the action they are going to study before they begin to study it.
Step 5. Write one step in one sentence
Sentences should be short and include only one step. That way, you'll break down the task that needs to be done into specific actions instead of creating a single step consisting of many actions.
If one step is related to another and must be completed together, describe it in the correct order in the same sentence. For example, “Before pouring the batter into the frying pan, coat the pan with cooking spray” or “Coat the frying pan with cooking spray, then pour the batter into the frying pan.”
Step 6. Make sure the steps you write down can be easily followed and monitored
An important key to writing guides is to help your readers monitor their progress. Write down steps that can help them see if they're doing everything right. The format could be something like this: “When you have _, the result will look like _.”
For example, “After the cake is done, stick a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick is still clean after pulling it back out, the cake is completely done.”
Step 7. Write down the alternative steps
For certain steps, there may be several ways to do the same thing. Make sure you explain the different ways.
- If there are certain conditions that make certain methods more suitable, make sure you discuss them.
- If a particular method is easier, cheaper, or effective, make sure you explain it.
Step 8. Use step children if necessary
For some procedures, you may need to divide a step into multiple child steps. Step children should only be used if the action is too small to be a single step alone. Step children help to divide a step into several parts.
Write additional information on the step children. Additional information like this explains more detail about the step, such as how the item in progress will look before and after it, or why the step is important
Step 9. Write down the warnings and conditions at the beginning
If there are things the reader should know, do, or understand before starting, make sure you've said them at the beginning.
Step 10. Anticipate problems
Think of areas where readers might run into problems, and then make suggestions for dealing with those problems. You can also provide examples of problems that can arise if they don't do a step correctly.
This step is very important. If you've done the instructions yourself, you'll know which parts might be causing trouble. This is why it is so important that you go through the process as you write the instructions
Step 11. Complete the instructions
This is very important. Some clues are not finished when the last nail is in place or when the cake is removed from the oven. Think about what other things readers still need to do. If you can still think, "So what now?", this means you still have more steps to add.
Part 4 of 4: Completing Hints
Step 1. Set the hint format
When writing instructions, make sure you set the format clearly. This will help the reader understand how to read your instructions correctly, without getting confused.
- Use headings to label each section of the clue.
- Use numbers when you write down the steps in the order they are.
- Use bullet points to write down alternative steps, additional information, or anything else that falls under a step.
- Visually separate the steps. Add blank spaces between steps to make them look different.
Step 2. Choose an effective title
The title should provide an overview of what is described in your guide.
For example, "Instructions for Baking an Eggless Chocolate Cake" is much clearer than "Chocolate Cake"
Step 3. Use pictures and diagrams if necessary
Some clues require diagrams, pictures, tables, or other visualizations to help the reader understand what is being explained. Add visualizations like this if needed. Visualization should only repeat the ideas contained in the writing, not provide any new information, because this is only supplementary material.
