This document provides guidance on how to structure instructions or a tutorial. It recommends including a title page with a descriptive title, an introduction establishing context and scope, prerequisites for any required background knowledge, a list of required equipment and supplies, and warnings about any dangers or cautions. It also provides examples of well-structured instruction introductions and sources for more information.

1. Opening / introductionDrafting Instructions

2. Title PageBe descriptiveReader should have a clear idea about tutorial just by reading the titleThink about YouTube and other searchesCreative titles are “creative” but may not make it easier for user to know by reading title what the tutorial covers

3. IntroductionEstablish the context, Purpose, and Organization of the instructions.

4. IntroductionPlan the introduction to your instructions carefully. Indicate specific tasks or procedure to be explained as well as the scope of coverage (what won’t be covered).Indicate what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand the instructions.Give a general idea of the procedure and what it accomplishes.Indicate the conditions when these instructions should (or should not) be used.Give an overview of the contents of the instructions.

5. PrerequisitesTechnical background or theory.What knowledge or skills does user need before beginningbackground related to the procedure. To really understand what you’re doing, you may need some background on topic.

6. Requirements: Equipment & suppliesInclude a list of the things you need to gather before you start the procedure. equipment, the tools you use in the procedure (such as mixing bowls, spoons, bread pans, hammers, drills, and saws) andsupplies, the things that are consumed in the procedure (such as wood, paint, oil, flour, and nails). typically listed either in a simple vertical list or in a two-column list. Use the two-column list if you need to add some specifications to some or all of the items—for example, brand names, sizes, amounts, types, model numbers, and so on.

7. Dangers, Cautions, NotesAlert readers to the possibility of ruining their equipment, screwing up the procedure, and hurting themselves. emphasize key points or exceptions. For these situations, you use special notices—note, warning, caution, and danger notices. Warn userphysical, (can they get harmed physically)personal safety (will they need to protect personal information)Property safety (will they need to protect software or other personal belongings)

8. Examples of Instruction Introductionshttp://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/instrxx2c.html — good text example; gives you sense of introductionhttp://bf.memphis.edu/spectrum/introduction.php — very good and detailed introduction; provides quite a bit of background

9. ExamplesSee web example (html example) or another example (Google Pages Example).

10. SourcesMcMurrey, David A. Online Technical Writing: Online Textbook — Contents