Rusty English 3450

 I found that there is a gap in research analyzing the content of music notation software manuals and instructional material. There is a lack of knowledge and on the unique challenges that music notation software pose to professional and technical writers. More specifically, there is a gap in whether the already established principles of effective technical communication apply in the same way, because it has not been tested or explored in depth (an empirical gap as well as a practical gap).

For my research topic I've decided to evaluate the effectiveness of help/user guide feature for Dorico Pro, which is a professional music notation program from the company Steinberg. I found that, while collecting possible sources, getting a understanding of the underlying principles will be key to formulating a strong research plan. Here are a few sources that seem relevant and credible. Comparative User-focused Evaluation of User Guides: A Case Study -Franck Ganier, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication vol 37 issue 3 Evaluating the Effect of Iconic Linkage on the Usability of Software User Guides -Jody Byrne, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication vol 35 issue 2 Guided by Delight: Music Apps and the Politics of User Interface Design in the IOS platform -Victoria Simon Television and New Media vol 21 issue 1 Interleaving reading and acting while following procedural instructions -G B Duggan, S J Payne Creating Content That Influences People: C...

 What to write about?     For me, my whole self, and the "I", f inding out what to write about is always the most difficult step of the writing process. Unless I find a topic I am intrinsically motivated to research and write about, I will struggle to write with quality and punctuality. I also find that it is difficult to find a unique perspective on a topic, which is something that I value when creating anything new.      I usually default to a topic I am knowledgeable about (almost always music) because it cuts down research time and I have strong opinions formulated on my personal experience. So my thought process is to find the intersections between music and technical and professional communication.     Thankfully, I do have some questions in regard to technical communication regarding Musescore, which is a popular website for sharing sheet music arrangements and original works. There is a comment feature that doesn't get much utilization and...