At the beginning of the semester, we discussed that one of the definitions of technical writing is writing that solves problems. Websites are one of the most frequently used visited types of “texts” that we use for solving problems. For this post, I want you to evaluate a website and its effectiveness in solving a problem (or answering a question) for its users. I have listed a few problems that people try to solve by using a particular website:
a community college student who is planning to transfer to a specific university and needs to find out the steps for applying and the transferability of the courses already taken
a student who wants an internship with a large company
parents who are trying to make a decision about online v. in-person learning for the school district in which their child resides
a student who is considering filling out a financial aid application for college
While you do not have to use one of my suggested topics, you can if you want to.
For your post, include the following:
an introductory paragraph that explains the audience and purpose of the website (feel free to use yourself as the audience) and a summary statement (thesis) of the effectiveness of the website in helping users solve the problem.
three body paragraphs that evaluate how the site exemplifies or violates at least three (3) of the following design principles discussed in chapter 5.8 of your textbook: contrast, repetition, alignment, and/or proximity.
a concluding paragraph that summarizes whether or not the website addresses the needs of its users.
a link to the website you evaluated
