Sometimes when activists have decided to take action, they jump straight into that action with great enthusiasm and passion. This is a sign of the right issue meeting the right person at the right time. It's important, however, to investigate the issue and, as we said earlier, to remember that it's not always necessary to "re-invent the wheel." Although it may be the first time that a particular individual has collected signatures for a petition, it's certainly not the first time a petition has been created. There are lessons to be learned from those who have gone before us, and it's always acceptable to ask for help. In this activity,youare going to offer that help to someone else who has decided to take action. You will be creating a helpful "how-to guide" to help. Before diving in, though, it's time to learn more about how to make the ultimate "how-to guide." How to Write a "How to" Guide 1. Know your topic Of course, it goes without saying that unless you know a lot about a topic, you have no business writing a manual telling other people what to do. Even if you have a lot of personal experience with the form of action you'll be writing about, make sure you do plenty of investigating so that you are familiar with all aspects of your topic. Knowledge is power. 2. Think about your target audience Are you writing this for adults, teens, children, or professionals with an existing skill set? The style of writing you use may change considerably depending on your answer to this question. Make sure that your tone is appropriate for your target audience. Avoid "talking down" to them, but be sure not to "talk over their heads." 3. Write clearly and concisely Keep your language simple and straightforward and avoid overly technical terms. If you must use important technical terms, make sure you explain them clearly. You should also keep in mind that many people "skim" when they read manuals, so they may not read every single word you write. Use bullet points orbold textandunderliningto draw their attention to the key points.

4. Break it down into steps Try to break down the task into small, manageable pieces instead of overwhelming readers with something so large that it seems impossible. Make sure the explanation for each step is roughly the same length. If one step seems to be much longer than all the others, think about breaking that step down further. 5. Make it visually appealing Be sure to add in pictures or diagrams where appropriate. Visual cues are an excellent way to re-enforce your message, and can help attract the reader's attention to the points you are trying to make. Your pictures and diagrams should be labelled. If your guide does need to be text-heavy at times, make sure your layout and design is appealing to the eye. 6. Address potential problems in advance In your guide, try to anticipate some of the challenges that your readers may face. Provide tips and tricks to help them to either avoid these problems before they start, or to troubleshoot them once they happen. 7. Provide examples As a student, you know that seeing an example of a finished product can be an invaluable tool for those still trying to comprehend what exactly it is that they need to do. When you move on to the assignment page and learn about your next task, you will likely return to this page as a reference. Try to include a concrete example of the finished taskincluding links and/or samples to help your readers know what is expected of them. Background investigation Imagine that you've been hired by a stakeholder group that's working to create change on a civic issue that you care about. In this Culminating Activity, your task will be to create a "how to" guide for supporters, teaching them how to take action on the issue however, you will need to know the background information for your chosen issue. please choose a civic issue you wanna do. Before you begin writing the guide, take some time to answer the questions below: 1. What is the civic issue you will be working on or helping people with? 2. Which level of government is responsible for this issue? 3. What are the two opposing points of view on this issue? 4. What are the names of some of the stakeholder groups that are involved with the issue and their contact information? 5. Are there any individuals who might be able to help you to learn more about this issue?