|
READER ANALYSIS SURVEY
----------------------
This questionnaire studies the ways that people read and process
information. The results will be used to help technical writers ensure
that the documentation is well designed and meets the needs of potential
users. Specifically, the purposes of this questionnaire are to find out:
-- How you process information.
-- What your style and content preferences are.
-- How familiar you are with printed material.
-- What your learning styles are.
Please complete the following questions by January 18th and return this
form to:
LEZAH::Scanlon or Tara Scanlon MRO1-1/S43
It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete this questionnaire. Your
help is greatly appreciated.
I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have about this
questionnaire. Please write or call. My DTN is 297-4816.
Sincerely,
Tara Scanlon, Corporate User Publications
===========================================================================
For parts 1 through 4, put an "X" next to your response to each statement.
SA = Strongly Agree N = Neutral D = Disagree
A = Agree SD = Strongly Disagree
===========================================================================
_______________________________
PART 1. INFORMATION PROCESSING
1. I remember important conversations word for SA A N D SD
word.
2. I can remember long passages of poetry or SA A N D SD
other text.
3. I would rather read the book than see the SA A N D SD
movie.
4. When I dream, I can never describe the places SA A N D SD
I've seen when I wake up.
5. I can never find my way back to a place I've SA A N D SD
been taken to by someone else.
6. I enjoy very dramatic movies and television SA A N D SD
shows with careful characterizations but
without much action or movement.
7. I do not enjoy movies and television shows SA A N D SD
with vivid scenery and wild action sequences.
8. I believe that technical communication places SA A N D SD
too much emphasis on illustrations, screen
displays, and video.
9. I read very well and I read constantly. SA A N D SD
10. When I read fiction, I hear characters SA A N D SD
speaking in my head.
(Part 1 is excerpted from "That's My Style," by P. Caernarven-Smith
(second-quarter 1986 issue of Technical Communication).)
____________________________________
PART 2. PREFERRED STYLE AND CONTENT
1. I do not read text entirely; I skim SA A N D SD
headings and key words.
2. I am not accustomed to using tables of SA A N D SD
contents and indexes to find information in
a book.
3. I am confused and bored by too much text, so SA A N D SD
I look for illustrations and lists of items.
4. If I run into a problem that is documented in SA A N D SD
a book, I will ask someone for a solution
instead of looking in the book.
5. Counted all together, I read fewer than five SA A N D SD
newspapers, books and magazines per month.
6. If I do not understand a paragraph of text, I SA A N D SD
skip it instead of rereading it.
__________________________________________
PART 3. FAMILIARITY WITH PRINTED MATERIAL
1. I prefer material that uses contractions, SA A N D SD
such as "don't" instead of "do not."
2. I do not believe that simple sentences talk SA A N D SD
down to me.
3. I prefer imperative sentences such as "press SA A N D SD
F3" instead of "you must press F3."
4. I like humorous, friendly writing. SA A N D SD
5. It is never necessary to use long, complex SA A N D SD
sentences to describe a complex process.
6. I like to read sentences that "sound" like I SA A N D SD
speak.
7. It is more important for material to be SA A N D SD
clearly written than it is for it to be
technically accurate.
8. Informal style is appropriate in business SA A N D SD
correspondence.
9. I am not interested in why something works, SA A N D SD
just how.
10. I want more than just details; I want the SA A N D SD
"whole picture."
(Parts 2 and 3 are excerpted from "A Writer's Reader: Who Are They and
What Do They Want?," by Heather Keeler (first-quarter 1989 issue of
Technical Communication).)
_____________________________
PART 4. LEARNING PREFERENCES
1. I find I learn best when I work alone. SA A N D SD
2. I find that working in a group helps because SA A N D SD
I see other peoples' views.
3. Learning by doing has always been a good way SA A N D SD
for me to learn.
4. To me, a picture is definitely worth a SA A N D SD
thousand words.
5. Lots of examples makes learning easier for SA A N D SD
me.
6. Being able to ask a lot of questions helps me SA A N D SD
grasp new and difficult ideas.
7. If I can tinker with a thing and read the SA A N D SD
manual, I can usually figure it out.
8. I prefer very specific instructions to SA A N D SD
general guidelines and concepts.
9. I like to know a lot about the principles SA A N D SD
behind a thing before I try putting it into
practice.
(Part 4 is excerpted from Computer-Literacy Needs Assessment: A
Trainer's Guide by Ron Zemeke (Reading MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing
Company, Inc. 1985).)
___________________________
PART 5. RESPONDENT PROFILE
Job Title (i.e. Software engineer) _______________________________________
How many years have you been in this field? _______________________________
Approximately how much of your work week do you spend programming? (Please
check one answer.)
___ 0 to 10 percent
___ 10 to 40 percent
___ 40 to 70 percent
___ More than 70 percent
Do you consider yourself a "computer hacker"?
___ Yes
___ No
For a copy of the report (when it is finished), please specify your name
and mailing address:
|