The document provides guidelines for writing effective instructional steps, including: 1) Steps should proceed in a logical order without backtracking. 2) Each step should begin with an active verb in the imperative mood. 3) Use short, simple sentences for each step. 4) Emphasize cautions, warnings, and dangers to avoid injury or damage. 5) Explanations can follow steps in parentheses or notes.

1. GIVE AND RESPOND
TO INSTUCTIONS
Write instructional steps that include explanatory
notes/caution/warning/danger so that a reader is able
to perform a task.

2. NOTICES

3. ILLUSTRATIONS AND WORDS

4. BAKING STEPS

5. Directions
on how to do
something
In a
sequence
of steps
Written
for an
audience
Can also be
explanatory
notes and
cautions
A SET OF
INSTRUCTION
S

6. 1) Make sure steps proceed forward, with no
backtracking.
GREEN BLUE
1) Pick the product
you want.
2) Agree to terms.
3) Choose your
bank.
1) Choose your bank.
2) Pick the product
you want.
3) Agree to terms.

7. 2) Begin each step with an activeverb
in imperative mood.
Which one is an instruction?
(A) The waste paper needs to be stored.
or
(B) Store the waste paper.

8. 3) Use short sentences.
4) Write only one (1) instruction for each step.
Instead of :
Hang the banner and distribute the brochures.
Why not?
1 )Hang the banner.
2 )Distribute the brochures.

9. 5) Emphasize on CAUTIONS/ WARNINGS or
DANGERS
Cautions: Possibility of damage
to equipment or materials.
Warnings: Possibility of injury
To people
Dangers: Probability of injury
or death to people.

10. 6) Place explanation after the step (if you need
an explanation)
Make sure you don’t expose your computer to
direct sun.
Note: Strong heat might destroy the
microchips.
Explanation is an extension of the step it
explains and written immediately after the step.

11. 7) Finally, conduct a field test.
Always field test your
instructions by asking several
people to try
them out.

12. REFERENCES
•
www.eslflow.com
•
http://howto.wired.com/wiki/

13. GROUP TASK
Imagine you are going to market a product. To
market the product, you need to :
i)Decide on a product you want to market.
ii)Come out with instructions to use your
product.
Note: You may need to highlight the benefits of
your product.