In order to communicate how to do something, like in a wikiHow article, there are many ways to effectively get the point across. A lot of people might think a wikiHow article is just writing down steps and an explanation to those steps. A problem with this could be forgetting a step or even multiple steps. There is also the issue of not having a good flow of these steps. If the article has too many, or not enough steps, the writer could run into a problem. The article can’t be too long, but it also can’t be too short. The writer’s job is to find a happy middle for the steps and the words that are included in the descriptions.
Only writing down steps and an explanation can be effective but it also doesn’t hold the attention of the reader. To intrigue the reader for a longer span of time, it is best to write the article in concise sentences. These sentences should be short but informative. The reader doesn't want to read a wordy four sentence paragraph that explains how to do the step in the first sentence. Avoid repetition of points and remove any excess verbiage. Some ways to help with this is to reread the article after it has been written. It is also a great idea to have another person, or multiple people, read the article as well. These people can help check for errors in grammar or help come up with ideas to add to the article. They can also help make sure the steps written down make sense and that there aren’t any steps missing.
A great way to write a wikiHow article is to choose a topic that has a personal aspect. This means to choose a topic with which the writer has had a personal experience. This experience could be something generic that many people may have experienced (ie. going on vacation) or something not well known (ie. a family recipe). It is also a good idea to talk to someone else who may have had a similar experience. Having two sides of an experience can help the writer bounce ideas off of the other person. Another place to look for information is the Internet.
The Internet has a bunch of articles to help come up with steps or to research a topic. The Internet is full of people who have had experiences. Sending out a Tweet or posting on Facebook and asking for help can bring in a bunch of people with knowledge of the subject. This is a good way to come up with steps or ideas that the writer may not have considered the first time. It is recommended to try multiple social medias, who knows what kind of people are out there. If using a website or another source of information, make sure to include a reference to the source to avoid plagiarism. The source should be relevant to the article. For example, if the article is about enjoying vacation, the source can list the items that the reader may want to consider bringing for the vacation.
Another good way to communicate information in a wikiHow article is to add pictures. These pictures can’t just be of anything, they should correspond with the message in the step that is being talked about. For example, if the first step is to prepare items for a recipe, it would be best to include a photo of all of the utensils and/or ingredients needed for the recipe. It is not necessary to have a photo for every step but it could be helpful to get the point across. Also, having a photo for every step helps create order in the article to help it flow.
In order to make any project for school, it is best to have good time management skills. These skills help the writer stay on track with due dates, especially the date that the project is due. By working on the project a little every day, it can help the writer feel like they are getting closer to the finished product. If it is hard to work on the project a little every day, it is okay to plan a few hours of the day to work on it. As long as the writer feels happy with the finished product, and it is handed in on time, then the times and days worked on it become insignificant. The writer should also remember to share the article and link people to it. This helps spread the word of the article and it also may help another person who needs help: https://www.wikihow.com/Enjoy-Vacation
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