Help:Classification worksheet

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Key words

Find a noun

Choose labels that will spell navigation paths and aid navigation.

• What is the subject of this document?
  
• How else could it be called? (Subject synonyms)

What?

What should I know and why should I know it?

Look for truths, facts or principles.
The mistake that people make is to not have a proper information gathering stage. You have to take the time to ascertain the facts for themselves, observe and receive without preconception, before starting any kind of analysis. Rather than doing that, people make assumptions.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What is the physical reality that you are referring to?
  
• What fact/characteristic about that are you eluding to?
  

Each paragraph should cover one clear idea.

• What characteristic of the subject is covered in the paragraph?

- why: function / role / task / idea

- how: usage / utilization

- who: subject / topic / owner / person / group / audience / relationship

- what: identity / characteristics / facts / pattern / trend

- where: geography / coutry / state / city / campus / office / room

- when: chronology / order / event /

• What is the fact about the characteristic?
  

If you can not answer this, chances are your paragraph will not be clear. Does the paragraph cover the idea?

Keep proof and evidence: document your sources.

Informationize

This is a term I personally coined a few years ago (it's OK if you fell it's a new word, because it is). It pertains to the act of turning data (mere facts) into meaningful input that you can actually make sense of.

What do the facts that you are presenting mean to the user? They have to mean something.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What is it that you want to make people know? What's the message?
• What is the audience?
  True audience definition consists of who the users are and their goals and objectives.
• How to best communicate this? How will they know (what are the presuppositions)? Based on the audience, what is the best way to present it?

Index

Create an ideas index vs alphabetical index. Keep it logical and chronological.

Keep it in context

It helps the thinking process, gives ideas, and provides answers

• What is it for?
• What are the questions people ask about the subject?
• What do people wonder?

• How do I make this easy to access?
• What is the logical approach to getting to it?
• How will I easily find this?

• Where does it belong/fit?
• What does it relate to?
• What does it answer?=subject

Be exhaustive: express all multiplicity in indexes.

Avoid duplications

Add to existing articles.

• What is the underlying theme?
• What is common?

Only create new articles if the subject has not yet been covered.