TO:

Professor Priscilla Sneff

FROM:

Janista Frank

SUBJECT:

Analysis of the Science Experiment Booklet

DATE:

January 26, 2016

The purpose of this memo is to present my rhetorical analysis of the science experiment booklet based on
the six characteristics of a technical document: addresses particular readers, helps readers solve problems,
reflect organizations goals and culture, is produced collaboratively, uses design to increase readability,
and consists of words or images or both.
Summary
After reviewing the booklet, I thought it was very well-written and organized. It addressed its primary
audience, and the general context accommodates to anyone who picked up the booklet because they were
interested in the cause. The booklet used language and images that helped improve the quality of the
reading for the audience. The document followed a logical flow and reflected greatly on the agencys
goals and culture. There were different parts that needed small adjustments, but generally it was a
successful technical document.
Discussion
The booklet was intended as a guide for teachers and middle school students who were interested in
conducting science experiments in order to further their understanding about the reduce, reuse, recycle
process. In the notes section of the booklet, it was stated that the agency was writing this booklet under
the assumption that the readers do have a basic understanding in environmental science. I found that the
booklet was written with simple vocabulary, making it very easy to understand for the younger students.
The writer also used pictures to accompany most of the sections; thus, greatly helped to students for
whom English is not their native language. The booklet also has a glossary and a reference section in the
back of the booklet, which is helpful to readers who might not have a strong background in science.
Those sections provide reliable information and resources so that they could further their understandings.
The structure of the booklet was easy to follow. It has a table of content allowing the readers to choose
which sections to read instead of reading from the very beginning. I thought that the booklet provided
sufficient information about the reduce, reuse, recycle process and how to conduct a standard science
experiment. It was enough for students to get started in their project and not too much that they would not
want to read it. However, I thought that they did not provide enough information on the sample
experiments.
The booklet definitely achieved some of its purposes; however, some sections needed improvement. The
introduction and the steps to conducting a science experiment were effective. The writer clearly explained
the importance of the reduce, reuse, recycle process and how to efficiently use the booklet. It was easy to
read and understand. Each step to conducting a science experiment was well written and it was also
accompanied by a picture, which made the booklet more interesting and helped capture the younger
readers attention. The information in these sections was very useful. It provided a lot of background
information, and it also explained to the students why they should care about environmental science.
Unfortunately, I think that the agency needs to improve their sample experiments/projects section. The
explanation for each experiment/project was very vague. It was hard to follow and understand the purpose
of the experiment; for example, the soap box opera project. The description of the project was clear, but
its purpose was confusing. It looked more like an explanation one would read on a brochure that promotes
environmental awareness. Personally, I did not consider the soap box project to be an experiment because
there was no clear hypothesis. The majority of the experiments in this booklet lack clear hypothesis. The

students would not understand why they are doing a particular experiment and what they are trying to
prove.
The booklet reflects greatly on the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Based on the
booklets content, it was obvious that this booklet was written by an institution that care deeply about the
environment. The booklet talked extensively about the importance of reduce, reuse, and recycling. Its
choice of target audience also showed that they want to raise awareness about the environmental issues to
the younger students who are ultimately the future of mankind, and that the agency truly cares about the
environment. Additionally, the booklet demonstrates the agencys view on the education of children. The
content was kids-friendly and fun to read. Their detailed reference section also showed the organizations
pride for their work and their credibility.
This booklet was definitely not the work of one person. You can see that based on the various components
on the booklet. The graphics team carefully chose pictures and graphics to accompany each section of the
booklet. They also put each element of this booklet together so that it looks aesthetically pleasing and
easy to follow. The research team thoroughly researched for necessary information about the reduce,
reuse, and recycle process, and many experiments and projects that demonstrated its importance and raise
environmental awareness. A team of writers also allowed all of the researches together and reproduced the
information in a manner that is easy for the younger student to read and understand, and also keep them
engaged in the environmental issues. Overall, I think that each team worked really well together to create
an educational and fascinating booklet.
The booklet looked suitable for its intended audience. It was grammatically correct. There was no typos
that I could find while reading it. The color of the booklet seemed off putting. Everything was either
white, black, or orange. I think that if there were a variety of colors in this booklet, it would be more
aesthetically pleasing. The heading and other important words were very easy to spot because they were
written in bold orange and were bigger than the rest of the content. The only exception was the fine print
on the very last page that said, Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber. I
thought that the message should have been more emphasized because it would be a great example of
recycling that the students can physically see and feel. The booklet was very easy to read and follow.
Each section was well organized. There was sufficient spacing between the topic and its respective
paragraph and between paragraphs. Most of the content was concise, which helped keep readers engaged.
The experiment section could be improved by using bullet points for the steps to conduct the experiment
so that they stand out more and are easier to follow. The font size was well-chosen. All of the words were
legible from a reading distant. The booklet as a whole left me with a positive impression of the
environmental sciences and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
This booklet utilized both words and images. A lot of the images in the booklet were used to accompany
concepts. It made the booklet look more attractive and easier to read because they gave the readers eyes a
break from reading many long paragraphs. It also helped explain some concepts that may be difficult to
understand to younger, less experience students and or students for whom English is not their native
language. I personally think that colors of these image should be more realistic. For instance the recycling
can on the table of content is orange, while the actual recycling bin students would see in their daily life is
green. This might be confusing to younger students. Another example is the scale on the very front page.
It was mechanically incorrect. Lastly, the images on the very last page seemed unnecessary and irrelevant.
The three objects (a gallon, a banana peel, and a trash bag) did not logically go together.
Overall, the booklet was well-written and organized. It served its intended purposes to both its primary
audience and other readers who happened to pick up the booklet due to interest in the cause. The booklet
used language and images that were accommodating to its audience. The document had a logical flow and
reflected greatly on the agencys goals and culture. There were different parts that needed small
adjustments, but generally it was a successful technical document.