Writing Style
Although all authors can be encouraged to
develop some personal writing styles, it is important that study materials be
written in a conversational rather than literary or scholarly tone. This means
using the first person rather than the third, and using as simple a vocabulary
as the subject and level of student allows. The study guide is meant to
substitute for the normal explanations given by an instructor in a classroom or
instructor ’s office, and the language
should reflect this. The way in which difficult concepts are recognized as
such, the use of per-zonal anecdotes or examples, comments reflecting different
opinions or disagree-mint with the text or readings, and the raising of
questions for students to think about, all help to establish a more
conversational atmosphere in the study guide. Ideally, the design team can
project an instructor ’ s personality into the study guide, so the
students have a sense of being “ taught
” by a specific individual.
Although this may appear to be inconsistent with the point made earlier about
distance education course being taught by a team, it is not (Moore & Kearsley
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