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Our #WeekendWatch is a little different this week. Specifically, it’s longer than usual, with a lot of options for you to choose among. Let me explain. Since we only have a few days left in the term, I want to share all the resources that you can use as you work on your final exam. That way, any of you with the time to work ahead can do so.

I created a playlist Final Exam Resources on Performance Reviews, comprised of three short Lynda.com courses, 31 videos total. If you watched everything, it would take 1h 21m (but I really don’t expect you to watch every minute of every video).

Here is the table of contents for each of the courses (copied directly from Lynda.com). Watch the parts that you have questions about as you work on your final.

Note: These videos have closed captioning, so they do not need transcript.

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When you are not writing letters or email messages, you will often find yourself writing memos. Today’s #WeekendWatch reviews the characteristics of memos, which are typically internal messages sent to colleagues within your organization.

Like all correspondence, memos should be clear and well-organized with document design features that help readers find the information that is important to them. You can use headings, bulleted lists, and numbered lists to make details stand out.

In addition to general memos, you may find that you use specific memos in the workplace. For instance, you might use a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a kind of contract, where you and other parties agree to specific terms. MoUs are often created by a lawyer or the organization’s legal department. If you write such a memo yourself, it will probably need to go through a legal review before it is sent to the recipient.

For details on the basic memos you are likely to write, watch the Lynda.com video Special Considerations for Memos (3m52s) to learn more:

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

Since today is Veterans Day, I have a video progress report Charlie, a service dog in training to work with a U.S. veteran who has a disability. The Today Show is working with America’s VetDogs to follow the work that goes into preparing a service dog and highlight how the animals help veterans.

This Today Show video is a very informal progress report. It would not work for every audience; but it does demonstrate Charlie’s progress very well.

From The Today Show: Checking In With Charlie

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

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If you use Microsoft Word, you can take advantage of the program’s built-in tools for managing your citations and bibliography. Tools are available in both the Mac and Windows versions. There are some slight differences between the two platforms, but the basic capabilities are the same.

Our #WeekendWatch is a series of Lynda.com videos that demonstrates how the tools work in Word 2013. The series “Including Citations and Bibliographies” will take 16m28s overall to view. It includes

• Inserting a citation (6m6s)
• Working with citations (4m18s)
• Managing sources (4m34s)
• Creating a bibliography (1m30s)

Watch any or all of the videos. You might watch the first three now, and then come back later in the month to focus on the last video.

If you prefer reading your instructions to watching videos, the support page Add a citation and create a bibliography on the Office website tells you how to complete all the steps. These instructions apply to Word 2016, 2013, 2010. and 2007.

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

So you know comma splices are a problem to avoid, but do you know what they are? Watch this tutorial video from Texas A&M (2m14s) to find out!

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On Thursday, our #InfographicInspiration explained background information on Gantt Charts, identified their basic characteristics, and outlined their strengths. As you probably recall, Gantt charts are one of the ways that you can organize the schedule for your project to make the details clear and easy to follow.

Today’s #WeekendWatch is a Lynda.com video that explains, step-by-step, how to use Excel 2016 to Create Gantt charts (7m55s). Videos are also available for these versions of Excel:

• Excel 2013
• Excel for Mac 2016
• Excel for Mac 2011

After watching the video, check out the contents for Excel 2016: Charts in Depth, the course that the Gantt Charts video is part of. It includes details on several other kinds of charts and more advanced information on using Excel to create charts.

If you are curious about Gantt charts, you can also watch the Lynda.com video Learning Gantt Charts (1h17m).

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

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Lynda.com videos are free to Virginia Tech students with your VT.EDU login. Start at the VT.EDU login page to access these resources.

Today’s #WeekendWatch demonstrates how Reader-Friendly Design (4m40s) can improve a proposal, making it more likely that readers will consider the document fully.

The video shows a before and after version of a chunk of text from a proposal and walks through the changes that make the original document easier to read. The video shows why it’s important to pay attention to paragraphing, headings, and document structures like bullet lists for a reader-friendly design.

Watch the video for more information on strategies that you can apply in your short proposal.

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

This Auburn University Writing Center video demonstrates how to change that setting in Microsoft Word for Mac. The process for Windows is similar, so it’s still worth watching the video if you’re a Windows person.

If you use Windows, use the instructions from Microsoft to make the change.

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

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Lynda.com videos are free to Virginia Tech students with your VT.EDU login. Start at the VT.EDU login page to access these resources.

Our #WeekendWatch shares one more way that you can improve your table for the Analysis project: Spend some time making your table accessible to people who use magnification or screen readers.

Here’s an example of why accessibility matters in a table. If a table is not set up properly, the screen reader will read the information as if the columns follow one another like sentences in a paragraph. The reader moves through the document from left to right and top to bottom. To make a table more accessible, you need to identify table headers. Once you do, the screen reader will read the column header and then the content of the cell.

The Lynda.com video below demonstrates how the process of Using the Accessibility Checker, which is built into Microsoft Word. The simple tool will suggest ways that you can change your document to make it more accessible.

You can learn more about accessibility in Word by watching all of Chapter 2: Creating Accessible Word Documents on Lynda.com. In addition to the Lynda.com videos, you can find more information in the resources linked below:

• Make your Word documents accessible, from Microsoft.

• Video: Find and fix accessibility issues in Word 2016, from Microsoft.

• Microsoft Word: Creating Accessible Documents, from WebAIM: Web Accessibility In Mind.

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.

I’m sharing this video today because you can apply these ideas to your Analysis project. In some of the columns of your table, you will most likely use fragments. Here’s an example for the kinds of writing I do:

The verbs in the Description column strengthen the document. Just as a reminder: Your tables should include more information than just description.

Find out more about how to revise for strong verbs by watching the video (2m10s).

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.