Homework for Week #6

Week #6: Handout Project #1

• This will be the first of two handouts you will create.  I would encourage you to keep the first one simple.  You should consider doing one on either something we have covered in class (Wellness, exercise, nutrition, stress, hierarchy of needs, etc.) or a topic you have some prior understanding of or intense interest to explore.  Don't be too general.  Try to narrow down your topic.  For example, "exercise" would be too general because there are three basic "types" of exercise: cardio, strength, and flexibility.  However, if you did a "Fast Five Stretches for TV Commercials" for flexibility exercises that would interest a lot of people and be focused to one specific area.

• Requirements for Rough Draft: (Due next Monday)

  • Typed with .12 font (for general text portion but title and some sections might be larger or smaller)

  • 1 page/1 side maximum (this will force you to be very clear and to simplify)

  • Standard font for text portions (like Arial, times, Helvetica, etc.)  I prefer using Arial because it is so universal and it is easy to read--but this is up to you.  *Note: If you use a custom font for your title that I don't have on my computer it will "default" to Times Roman if you send it to me for conversion to a PDF.  Make sure I have the font style installed that you want to use before we get to the final draft version.

  • Limit your clipart to just one or two small images.  For example, you might put one image right under your title to add some white space around the title so it is easier to read.

  • Things to consider when creating your handout: art of simplification, art of presentation, topic, title, white space, graphics, font style and sizes, columns vs. standard formatting, justification of text, color of text, use of boxes, italics, bolding, bullets and bullet styles, parentheses, GRAMMAR and SPELLING!

  • Grammar and Spelling: If no one can read or understand your handout then it is powerless as a health education tool.  Pay attention to quality regarding spelling, grammar, and clarity of what you are trying to say.  If you need some great (and simple!) handouts on grammar and writing, see our class "Handout" section.  I have linked some of my English handouts to assist you with writing.

  • References: You can use your text book, any of my class handouts, and 1-2 websites listed on the Class Weblink section.  You MUST use at least one web reference listed, but do NOT use your own sources!  If you have a special website you want to use, send me the link for my review and permission.  However, I really want you to use the ones I have linked for the projects.

  • Credibility: You obtain credibility for a broad audience by having professional experience, a college degree, or professional certifications.  As undergraduate students, your credibility is somewhat limited as "health experts" to people that might know you as a good student.  How do we get credibility for your project?  If people know you are a college student, they will find you more credible.  If people know you did the handout for a class project this will make it more credible.  If you use quality web resources that are cited on your handout, this will make the project more credible.  I'll give you ideas in the sample.

  • Sample Topics? Fast Food Salads, Holiday Meal Tips, Body Art Piercing, Spiritual Health, Couch Exercises, What is Fat?, Food Safety for BBQing, Setting Your SMART Goals for New Years, What is Wellness?, Stress Relief in Five Minutes, Ethnic Nutrition, STDS: The Basics Everyone Needs to Know, Eat More to Weigh Less!, How to Read a Blood Test, What Every Parent Needs to Know About Steroid Abuse in High School, What is Fiber?, How to Positively Fail at Exercise! (This is a great topic and title! You could then use my class handout on Exercise Adherence and your knowledge of SMART Goals to list all the mistakes usually made by people in January like: too hard too fast, unrealistic, no real specific goal, no plan for measurement, not thinking it through in terms of obstacles and strategies to overcome them, picking an exercise you hate just because everyone else is doing it, hiring a bozo trainer that is clueless!, trying to take pills and other junk instead of slowly changing for life, not picking the right time or day for your exercise, not picking the right environment for your exercise (too hot, too cold, too trendy, too crowded, etc.), not sticking with it for at least 21 days (time required to form a new habit), not sticking with it for 6 months (time required for "permanent" behavior change), or approaching exercise as only a "quick fix" instead of a lifestyle change.  All the above will likely lead to failure.

  • Handout Samples: (These are great examples of clarity, white space, easy to read, etc. by my communications and graphics friend and BC instructor John Lotze)

    • Communication Tips for Positive Public Relations (JohnLotze.Org)

    • Byte Back! A Guide to Understanding Computer Files (JohnLotze.Org)

    • Avoid the Graphic Traffic Jam: A Guide to Computer Graphic Files (JohnLotze.Org)

  • Below is a sample of what your rough draft should resemble on Monday:

   

  Fast Five Couch Stretches! (Ron Jones, Bakersfield College, Principles of Health Education, Fall 2003) "Stretching makes you feel good." --Sally Stretchmaster [Sometimes adding a quote is cool--it makes you look more educated plus you use someone else that is an expert or highly regarded to give more credibility to your work] [insert small graphic here?] You need some sort of catchy introduction to get people interested in reading further.  For my topic, I would want people to know these are easy to do and they don't take much time.  I'd also inform people that sitting for extended periods of time causes "blood pooling" in your lower extremities that can lead to leg problems and even heart attacks in some people (there are more heart attacks on Super Bowl Sunday than almost any other day of the year!). Next I would probably make a section on the basics of static stretching. For example, I would tell people to just "lightly stretch" because they don't have a warm up coming off the couch for deep stretching.  Next I would describe what "light" stretching feels like which is "mild discomfort without real pain."  I would tell them to hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds (static stretching) and not to bounce or jerk (ballistic stretching). [white space to separate intro from main text?] Side Stretch (I would bold or use a slightly different font like the Arial Black listed here) In general for each stretch would list some very SIMPLE instructions with different levels so everyone can participate.  For example, some people cannot lift their legs high enough to put them onto a desk or table for a Hamstring Stretch.  They might only be able to place their heel on the ground and lean forward to slightly stretch out their butt and hamstrings (back of upper leg) muscles. These five stretches are all pretty easy to perform and explain.  I would not attempt anything complicated and too difficult to verbally explain. Back Extension Stretch Directions: Stand up straight with feet in shoulder width position.  Extend arms straight over shoulders.  Look up slightly then extend (or lean back) as you allow arms to go towards the ceiling then the rear of your body.  Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds then relax by taking three deep breaths before starting stretch #3. Modifications: If you can't raise arms directly over shoulders due to joint restrictions, just raise them up to where they are comfortable.  You should not have any pain no matter what arm position you choose. Hamstrings Stretch Calf Stretch Shoulder Stretch References: Core Concepts in Health by Insel & Roth;  www.couchstretches.com; www.WebMD.com.

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(Last Updated 10-8-03 @ 10:45 AM)

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