#27417
This article investigates a method of providing client-side form validation through the DOM, and ensures that it works as expected with screen readers. Modern screen readers work relatively well with scripting, but it's the extra steps required to inform screen reader users that the content has changed that needs addressing.
Lemon, Gez. Juicy Studio (2006). Design>Web Design>Assessment
#27680
Don't Be a Slave to the Web Stats
Web stats are a tool and you need to know how to you that tool. Otherwise, you aren't accomplishing anything. At the very simplest level, your web stats should help you to figure out this overused business truism: 'Do more of what works. Do less of what doesn't.' But if you really want to derive value, you need to delve deeper. You need to understand what the numbers are telling you.
Improving Customer Experience (2006). Design>Web Design>Assessment>Log Analysis
#27703
Dynamics of Iterative Reader Feedback: An Analysis of Two Successive Plus-Minus Evaluation Studies 
A brochure that had been revised on the basis of feedback from readers using the plus-minus evaluation method was evaluated again using the same method. This article compares the results of these two successive evaluation studies to examine the dynamics of evaluating and revising using a troubleshooting method based on verbal self-reports. The findings show that the plus-minus method does not necessarily lead to a decrease in the number of problems readers find in a revised document. But the types of problems readers find are significantly different. For example, after the brochure was revised, it had fewer clarity and structural problems, and readers could focus more on credibility issues.
de Jong, Menno D.T. and Rijnks, D. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2006). Articles>Writing>Assessment
#18775
E-education: Design and Evaluation for Teaching and Learning
Recent technological developments have provided a powerful stimulus for the production of a range of electronic materials for education. A number of products and prototypes to assist teaching and learning have been produced and educational materials have been extensively published electronically, but it is still unclear to what extent all of this is of use to students and lecturers/tutors when it comes to real teaching and learning. Looking at the example of electronic books indicates not only the main reasons why electronic materials have not completely replaced the physical counterpart, but more importantly suggests how to improve the quality of the materials and tools currently available.
Landoni, Monica and Paloma Diaz. Journal of Digital Information (2003). Articles>Education>Online>Assessment
#14522
Effects Of Documentation Errors On User Perception Of Interactive Programs: Conclusions And Results 
Defining the quality of information has long been a controversial item. Many different theories and methodologies have been brought forward; almost all share at least one common basis— Typographical errors lower the perceived quality of information. In this experiment, the first of a planned, series, we examined the effects of typographical on the user’s perception of the quality of the product and documentation. The conclusions of this first study, and the implications we can make draw them, are presented in this paper.
See, Edward J.P. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Documentation>Assessment
#14520
Effects Of Documentation Errors On User Perception Of Interactive Programs: Results
It would be useful to determine how much effect errors in product documentation have on users, if errors do not seriously interfere with product use. In an effort to start collecting information on this issue, we designed an experiment to explore the reactions of users to a simple interactive program with flawed documentation. We hypothesized that the product quality would be judged in part by the quality of the documentation, if the errors in the documentation interfered with task performance. We also hypothesized that some but not all users would be sensitive to documentation errors and would downgrade their rating of the program and the documentation based on these errors. The results of our experiment are presented in this paper.
Ridgway, Richard K. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Documentation>Assessment
#14126
Effects of Technical Editing in Biomedical Journals: A Systematic Review
The 11 studies on technical editing indicate that it improves the readability of articles slightly (as measured by Gunning Fog and Flesch reading ease scores), may improve other aspects of their quality, can increase the accuracy of references and quotations, and raises the quality of abstracts. Supplying authors with abstract preparation instructions had no discernible effect.
Wager, Elizabeth and Philippa Middleton. JAMA (2002). Articles>Scientific Communication>Assessment
#31982
Eight Issues to Consider When Developing Metrics for Your Technical Communication Group
Wondering how you can assess the effectiveness and productivity of your work? Admittedly, it’s not easy and there are no simple approaches. But it can be done. As you develop a program, consider these issues, which arose from a review of literature on the metrics used to assess the productivity and effectiveness of software engineering, training, marketing communications, and technical communication.
Carliner, Saul. STC Quality SIG (2003). Articles>TC>Quality>Assessment
#23650
Electronic Resources and Aids for Writing, Editing, and Translation
The popularity of online dictionaries is growing, so new criteria for evaluating these reference works should be established to help technical communicators evaluate their choices. These criteria could come from the following sources: (1) the criteria that have been used for the evaluation of printed dictionaries, (2) the criteria derived from the characteristics of the electronic form of the online dictionaries, and (3) the studies of the ways technical communicators use online dictionaries. This paper addresses all three of these issues.
Menagarishvili, Olga and William O. Coggin. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Language>Software>Assessment
#10279
Empirical Evaluation of Concept Mapping: A Job Performance Aid for Writers
The usefulness of concept mapping as a job performance aid for writers of technical documents was examined. Thirty-four writers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received 2 hours of training in the use of concept mapping. Both groups revised the same chapter from a computer manual, and an experienced technical editor blindly evaluated each revision. In part two of the study, revised texts were given to two groups of users. One group received a concept-mapped revision, while the other group received a text revised by a writer who had used conventional revision techniques. Readers' comprehension was tested and compared. Revision time was not significantly different between groups, and the editor's ratings of quality were not different. However, readers' comprehension was significantly higher with the concept-mapped versions. These results suggest that concept mapping is a useful revision tool for writers.
Crandell, Thomas L., Naomi A. Kleid and Candace Soderston. Technical Communication Online (1996). Articles>Information Design>Writing>Assessment
#29772
Encouraging Innovation in Your Organization
In today's environment we often find ourselves drowning in our work. We don't take the time to stop and assess what we are doing. Are there better ways to do what we do? Are we making the biggest and best contribution we can make? Can you manage innovation? This paper will discuss the importance of innovation and one method we used to drive innovation.
Crawford, Vanadis, Angela Pitts, Rosalind Radcliffe and Leah Ann Seifert. STC Proceedings (2004). Careers>Workplace>Project Management>Assessment
#13289
An End-to-End Process for Creating and Validating Scenario-Driven Documentation
This paper describes the end-to-end approach we used to create and validate scenario-driven information for a new product. This approach focuses as much on designing and testing information as it does on writing the information.
Newman-Collins, Ann and Linda Streitfeld. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Documentation>Assessment
#23653
Evaluating and Choosing a Service Provider
Small- to middle-sized companies are often dependent on third-party service providers to complete tasks related to documentation production. Formally evaluating service providers is one way for documentation managers to ensure that their company and documentation team are getting maximum service, top quality, and competitive prices. Evaluations must be carefully planned and implemented in order to produce reliable results. The planning phase lets the documentation managers “set the stage” for an evaluation by defining and communicating the main objectives. The subsequent implementation phase lets participants gather the key information required to select the best service provider.
Weirich, Margaret. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Documentation>Outsourcing>Assessment
#31587
Evaluating and Managing Surveys
While surveys aren't the only research tool available to HR managers, they are the most useful one when 'hard' numbers are needed on how many people see things a certain way and when it's important to track differences among subgroups or improvement over time.
Sinickas, Angela D. Sinickas Communications (2004). Careers>Management>Assessment>Surveys
#14076
Evaluating Distance Learning in Graduate Programs 
Distance learning technologies make graduate programs available to technical communicators almost everywhere. Do these programs provide an education that is as rigorous and rewarding as those provided by traditional on-campus programs?
Hayhoe, George F. Bigglobe.jp. Articles>Education>Assessment>Online
#29568
Scholarly communication through Open Access (OA) journals has become a global phenomenon. This article reports on a study that measures the value of OA journals based on citation counts (ISI's Journal Impact Factor). It compares three highly ranked commercial electronic journals to five OA electronic journals. The non-OA journals are MIS Quarterly, Journal of American Medication Informatics Association, and Annual Review of Information Science and Technology; the five OA journals are Ariadne, D-Lib Magazine, First Monday, Information Research, and Information Technology and Disabilities. The criteria are established by ten major databases: Thompson's ISI, American Psychological Association's PsycInfo, Latin American and Canadian Health Science's LILCS, National Medical Library's MEDLINE, Scientific Electronic Library's SciELO, The IOWA Guide, CSA's LISA, EBSCO's LISTA, H.W. Wilson's Library Literature and Information Science, and R.R. Bowker's Ulrich International Periodical Directory. These basic criteria are categorized under 11 broad issues: availability, authority and review policy, scope and coverage, exhaustiveness of articles, page format, availability of hyperlinks, currency, updating policy, search facility, and other miscellaneous issues. Ten years' growth of Library and Information Science (LIS) OA journals has been measured by counting articles manually. During the last ten years the highest number of articles was published by First Monday, followed by D-Lib Magazine and Ariadne; the average number of articles per issue reported in Ariadne ranks first.
Mukherjee, Bhaskar. Journal of Electronic Publishing (2007). Articles>Publishing>Research>Assessment
#26594
Perhaps the most obvious example of innovation in faculty performance is the adoption of new technologies for research. Both administrators and faculty have expressed concern about the role that electronic publications play in their research evaluation systems, particularly in Business Schools, where scholarly publication is often emphasized over other activities. Yet, there appears to be no empirical evidence for the way that electronic journals, conference proceedings, and abstracts are evaluated compared to printed paper versions. Therefore, this study sought to determine how Business School Deans regard the physical form in which their faculty are publishing.
Hynes, Geraldine E. and Robert Stretcher. Association for Business Communication (2005). Articles>Publishing>Online>Assessment
#23096
Evaluating Information Architecture
This white paper explores the why's, what's, and how's of evaluating a web site's information architecture. It aims to raise consciousness about the evaluation of IA and to provide: 1) Web site owners and other decision-makers with an understanding of evaluation issues; and 2) Information architects with a synthesis of evaluation techniques.
Toub, Steve. Argus Center (2000). Articles>Information Design>Assessment
#31833
Online help excels in providing quick access to concise information - but only when the users choose to access it. Delivering high-quality online help that satisfies all users is a hard task. Several good help authoring tools make help generation and maintenance easier, but to create good content that is highly effective is still a huge challenge. Experience shows that even after following quality guidelines or best practices, the final output may still not be good enough to satisfy the needs of your users. Heuristic evaluation of an online help system provides an initial assessment of both quality and usability. This article presents a summary of key points for evaluating online help, though you will likely want to expand the heuristics with company or product-centric metrics suitable to your application.
Dalvi, Meghashri. Usability Interface (2008). Articles>Documentation>Help>Assessment
#28543
Evaluating Online Sources: A Tutorial by Roger Munger
This tutorial presents a brief overview of the reasons to evaluate information you find on the Internet, offers guidelines to assist you in the process, and helps you assess the information found on sample Web pages. Although the principles presented here apply to all kinds of information found on the Internet, the primary focus is on sites from organizations and companies-sites that you will likely visit while conducting research-rather than on personal Web sites.
Munger, Roger H. Bedford-St. Martin's (2007). Articles>Research>Online>Assessment
#10763
Evaluating Sources of Information
We live in an information age. The quantity of information available is so staggeringly huge that we cannot know everything about a subject. For example, it's estimated that anyone attempting to research what's known about depression would have to read over 100,000 studies on the subject. And there's the problem of trying to decide which studies have produced reliable results.
#23006
Evaluating Training Workshops in a Writing Across the Curriculum Program: Method and Analysis
Program directors could use data from protocols and interviews to identify 'natural sources of resistance', and 'translation and follow-up problems'.
Blakeslee, Ann M., John R. Hayes and Richard Young. LLAD (2002). Articles>Education>Writing>Assessment
#25634
Evaluating Writing Programs: What an Outside Evaluator Looks For
In many colleges, evaluation remains an in-house affair. But...
Lindemann, Erika. Council of Writing Program Administrators, The (1979). Articles>Education>Assessment
#15131
Assesses three methods of evaluating Web sites: guest books, hit counters, and log analyzers.
Archee, Raymond K. Intercom (2001). Design>Web Design>Assessment
#20324
Evaluating Your Web Site's Content
Whether a web site is in its creation stages or it has been in place for a while, it can benefit from evaluation. Like all technical communicators, web authors must determine who their audience groups are, determine their needs, and determine the strengths and weaknesses of the site based on the needs of the audience groups.
Funkhouser, LaVonna F. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Web Design>Assessment
