EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS MECHANICAL DESCRIPTION-EXPERIMENT III.
Abstract
The effects of three variables on the effectiveness of a written technical communication were tested in a 3x2x2 factorial experiment. The subject matter was a description of a simple mechanism. The variables were (1) the manner in which the size and shape of the machine were presented (drawings alone, drawings with verbal description, verbal description alone), (2) introduction (present or absent), and (3) internal orienting material (present or absent). The effectiveness of the message was measured by (1) comprehension, (2) reading time, (3) the reader's impression of the author's knowledge of the subject matter, and (4) the reader's impression of the author's competence as a writer. The two audiences tested were (1) 186 very bright men with known technical interests who had been instructed in technical writing and (2) 112 very bright men with known technical interests who had not been instructed in technical writing. The twelve versions of the reading passage were assigned to the subjects in each audience on a random basis. Each subject read his passage, recorded his reading time, completed the comprehension test, and made the two judgments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0641251
Entities
People
- Richard M. Davis
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology