Responses for Module 4 and Module 5

          

            Module 4 is titled “Planning, Writing, and Revising.”  One of the topics discussed in this section was “What is revision?  How do I do it?”, and it advised that good writers are able to make their drafts better by revising, editing and proofreading.  Revising entails the making of changes that will better satisfy the writer’s purpose and his audience.  Editing is defined as making surface-level changes that will make the document grammatically correct.  Proofreading requires the checking of the document to insure it does not contain any typographical errors.  Another topic discussed in Module 4 was “What planning should I do before I begin writing or speaking?”.  The text recommended that the writer talk to his audience.  By talking to his internal or external audience, the writer is able to involve the readers in the planning process.  The writer is also able to gain some added insight about his audience.  This should reduce the number of revisions that would be required for document.

            Module 4 advised that research has shown that one of the differences between expert and novice writers is that your expert writers do a much better job of identifying and analyzing the initial problem more effectively.  In addition to talking to your audience a person can also brainstorm, freewrite, and utilize a cluster to improve his writing or speaking.  The text also recommended the use of a storyboard when using lots of visuals.

            Module 5 is titled “Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens.”  The text advised that good document design will save time and money, reduce legal problems, and builds goodwill.  One technique recommended was the use of “white space”, which makes your material easier to read by emphasizing the material that it separates from the rest of the text.  The text also recommended the use of headings, mix of paragraph length, use of bullets, tabs and indents, and utilizing numbered lists.  All of these techniques help to organize your document and make it easier to read.  The text also recommended that the writer limit the use of words set in capital letters, and use no more than two fonts in a single document.  When designing presentation slides, the text recommended using a big font, and utilizing bullet points rather than complete sentences.  It also recommended making only three to five points on each slide and customizing your slide to make it look more professional.