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How-To GuidesExplaining a Process,

Giving Advice

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A How-To Guide to How-To’s A “how-to” guide is a style of

writing in which the author tries to explain to an audience how to do something –anything really. It could be something very very simple like “How to Tie Your Shoes” to something extremely difficult like “How to Learn the Classical Guitar.”

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An Example

Read the following article for comprehension and style. . . .

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How to Save a Wet Cell Phone Ever dropped your cell phone in

the sink, or even worse, the toilet? Did you ever leave it in your pocket

and run it through the washer? It usually means you have to

replace your phone, but sometimes if you're fast, you can save the phone!

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Or worse?

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STEPS

Just follow a few easy steps. . .

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One

Get it out of the water as soon Get it out of the water as soon as possible.as possible.

The plastic covers on cell phones are fairly tight, but water can enter the phone over time.

But this time may be quite short - 20 seconds or less. So grab your phone quickly!

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Two

Remove the battery.Remove the battery. This is one of the most important steps.

Don't take time to think about it; electricity and water do not mix.

Cutting power to your phone is a crucial first step in saving it.

Many circuits inside the phone will survive immersion in water provided they are not attached to a power source when wet.

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Three

Remove your SIM card.Remove your SIM card. Some or all of your valuable contacts

(along with other data) could be stored on your SIM. To some people this could be more worth saving than the phone itself.

SIM cards can survive water damage, Just pat it dry and leave it aside until you need to connect your phone to your cellular network.

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Four

Dry your phone.Dry your phone. Obviously you need to remove as

much of the water as soon as possible, so you can prevent it from getting into the phone.

Use a towel or paper towel to remove as much of the water as possible.

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Five

Allow the phone to dry.Allow the phone to dry. Since you do not want to ruin your phone

or lose all of the numbers in your phone book, you need to allow the phone to dry.

Also, ring-tones and graphics stay with the phone - not the SIM.

Don't try putting the battery back on to see if it works as this would risk damaging the phone with a short circuit.

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Six

Wait. This is the hardest part - leaving your

phone alone, with battery and SIM card out, while it dries slowly.

A trick like putting your phone in dry rice can help speed up the process.

Otherwise just put it someplace reasonably warm and dry, uncovered so water can evaporate, and wait.

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Seven

Test your phone. After you have waited 3 days, make sure

everything is clean and dry looking and re-attach the battery to the phone and see if it works.

If your phone does not work, try plugging it into its charger without the battery, if this works, you need a new battery, if not, wait another few days.

If it still won't work, try taking your cell phone to a dealer or repair shop. Sometimes they can fix it.

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Now you know. . .

So let’s brainstorm some other possible “how-to” topics:

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More Examples

How to draw a comic book character How to light a fire without a match or

lighter How to cook a delicious dish (recipe) How to do origami How to fix a broken friendship /

relationship How to keep a pet (dog, cat, fish etc.)

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Now it’s your turn.

Work with a partner to create your own How-To Guide.

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Presentation Checklist

Do I have an introduction? Why is my guide useful? Who can benefit? Do I have clear, easy to follow

instructions? Do I have a conclusion? Are there any questions?