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| Adams, Douglas. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" N.D. Public Domain. |
Quick reference guides have very similar conventions to blogging, however QRGs provide more information and normally quote from sources. QRGs utilize media and graphics to draw readers in, along with headings. Short paragraphs are used however the length of the articles themselves are long.
How are those conventions defined by the author's formatting and design choices?
The authors use photographs and graphics to draw readers in to their article. Headings that separate the article into separate clusters of information make the article easier to read to find the information that you want. Short paragraphs are more appealing to read, and using pull quotes and colors (like in the e cig example) make the article likable and not too complex to navigate.
What does the purpose of these QRGs seem to be?
QRGs are designed to be easily scanned for the information a reader is interested in learning more about. QRGs are very informative and try to give information from all sides of a certain controversy.
Who is the intended audience for these different QRGs?
QRGs assume their readers have a general idea about the information they are writing about however they provide more in depth answers to any questions readers might have. Each QRG caters to readers interested in the specific topic/controversy they are writing about while still remaining easy enough to read that someone who is not familiar with the topic can enjoy the article, too. From Bernie Sanders to internet bullying QRGs try to find a reader who is interested.
How do the QRGs use imagery or visuals?
QRGs are designed to be easily navigable while portraying specific information about their topic. A popular saying is that pictures are worth a thousand words. Pictures draw readers into the article by exploring and portraying ethos or specific data. Once readers are drawn into the article, pictures further explain or prove the article's point. Sometimes videos are used, like in the Bernie Sanders article. It always comes back to educating readers.
Reflection:
After viewing QRG Blog posts from Jayni and Carter I learned that our class has a very good understanding of the conventions of a quick reference guide. Their posts talked about almost exactly what I mentioned, and Jayni did a good job of using the 5 examples we were given as examples in her own blog post.
You did a good job of taking what we discussed in class, and then adding more detail and explanation about why each element is used. We both said that QRGs are mostly for someone close to the topic, but are easy enough to follow that someone without any previous knowledge could read and understand it.
ReplyDeleteAlways a great time reading your blog posts. You've presented the breakdown of a quick reference guide in an easy to understand manner. I've got to say, I agree with everything you have stated in this post. Keep up the fantastic work!
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