This document provides an overview of informative communication and the genre of fact sheets. It discusses (1) what constitutes informative communication, distinguishing between informatory and explanatory styles; (2) the elements of effective instructions and explanations; and (3) the typical organization, purpose, expectations and process of creating a fact sheet as a genre of informative communication. The goal is to teach students how to communicate technical information to lay audiences through different written formats.

1. Informative
Communication
Lecture 5.2
University of Alberta
ALES 204
Nancy Bray
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2. Housekeeping
Next week labs: Arts 118
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3. Lecture Outline
1. What is informative communication?
2. The art of explanation
3. Learning a new genre (Example: fact sheets)
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4. 1. What is informative
communication?
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5. Beaufort model of
writing expertise
Writing Subject
process matter
knowledge knowledge
Discourse
community
knowledge
Rhetorical Genre
knowledge knowledge
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6. What is
rhetoric?
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7. What is informative
communication?
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8. You will have
to..
Give diabetics instructions on
how to follow a good diet
Explain ecosystems and
conservation principles to
tourists
Instruct new employees on
how to conduct food science
experiments
Explain complicated medical
conditions to pet owners
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9. Audience and goal
Representation of real world
Expert Lay
Audience
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10. Why bother?
Textbooks written using
research-proven principles
help students learn better
By practising good informing
and explaining techniques,
medical professional are able to
diagnose better
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11. If it goes wrong...
Mars Climate Orbiter 1999
Lockheed Martin engineers
sent navigation information in
“pounds of force”
NASA computers were
programmed for “newtons”
Orbiter flew too close to
surface and disintegrated
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12. Types of informative
communication
Informatory =
Explanatory =
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13. Genres of informative
communication
Explanatory Informatory
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14. Four components of effective
instructions (informatory)
1. Desired state =
2. Prerequisite state =
3. Interim state =
4. Unwanted states =
Based on Farkas (1999)
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15. Example: Desired State
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16. Example: Prerequisite State
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17. Example: Interim State
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18. Example: Unwanted State
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19. 2. The art of explanation
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20. Steps for an effective explanation
1. Define concepts by their essential, not associated, meaning
2. Give an array of varied examples
3. Offer “non-examples”, i.e., closely related, but distinct concepts
4. Encourage learners to practice
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21. 1. Essential
meaning
Explain what familiar, but
misunderstood, concepts mean
and don’t mean
Example:
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22. 2. Give a variety of examples
Example:
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23. 3. Offer non-examples
Example:
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24. 4. Encourage learners to practice
Workbooks
Online tutorials
Apply a concept in different contexts
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25. Things that can go wrong
Source: LeFever (2012) The Art of Explanation
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26. 4. Learning a new genre
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27. What to think about
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28. Purpose and audience: fact sheet
Representation of real world
Expert Lay
Audience
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29. Expectations of genre: fact sheet
Paper document (now can be found on web)
Can be informatory or explanatory
Combines texts and visuals
Uses plain language
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30. Organization
Organization
name & logo
name & logo
Title
Title
Sub-titles
Sub-titles
Copy / text
Visuals
Visuals
For more information
For more information
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31. Organization
name
Every organization you work
for will have a style sheet on
how to include its logo
Don’t need this for your
assignment
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32. Title / Point of
Entry
Visual starting point of the fact
sheet
Shouldn’t be empty, i.e. “fact
sheet”
Text near point of entry should
explain why reader should care
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33. Body
Includes visual and text
elements
Should not overpower title
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34. Subtitles
Short and direct
Should be able to understand
the purpose of the fact sheet by
looking at subtitles alone
Should have some sort of order
Can be used as a tool to “make
it stick”
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35. Copy / text
Written in plain English
Limited to only the essential
Usually formal tone, but not
impersonal
Avoid large blocks of text
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36. Visual
elements
Enhance message, but do not
overwhelm
Draw in the eye so should tell
the reader the topic of a fact
sheet at a glance
Need to be relevant
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37. For more
information
Always give reader a place to
get more information
Can make this up for your
assignment
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38. Process: fact sheet
Write
copy & Revise
Test Design
consider Finalize copy
visuals
Proofs Publication
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39. Take away
What is informative
communication
What is the difference between
informatory and explanatory
Elements of good instructions
and good explanations
Steps to follow when learning a
new genre
Elements of a fact sheet
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40. Photo Credits
Aristotle from Wikipedia
textbooks by greenasian
doctor by edenpictures
Mars Climate Orbiter from Wikipedia
Explanation by Wonderlane
ag inspectors by CIMMYT
man at computer by Victor1558
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