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A Visual analysis of a Hamilton Beach instruction manual for a Microwave

A summary of the Rhetorical situation

Hamilton Beach is a manufacturing company known for distributing home appliances and commercial restaurant equipment. In this assessment, you will find a visual outline of what to expect from the Hamilton Beach owner’s manual for microwave oven operation. The owner’s manual is intended to be an invaluable aid for any new owner of a Hamilton Beach microwave. The owner’s guide will come with the microwave upon purchase. It is for anyone who wishes to have the Hamilton Beach microwave operated safely and effectively. Users may contact the seller or manufacturer if one of the booklets is omitted. For the user’s reference, on the first page are the model number(s) compatible with the guide. The guide is designed for anyone purchasing a new microwave product for in-home use, and it may be read and used by all age groups. Furthermore, anyone without microwave experience should be able to read the owner’s manual without any problems. The manual is an excellent guide and comes in the form of a minor (10-page booklet).

The Visual Language

Proper and safe operation of the Hamilton Beach microwave is the primary purpose of this guide. When users look at the owner’s manual, they will notice that the phrase READ BEFORE USE is printed on the first page, in addition to a sketch of the completed product. The booklet follows logically, from safety guidelines to installation to operating guidelines. When starting the guidebook, users will first turn to the precautions page, which will be in large bold headlines. These bold headlines are eye-catching and will draw anyone’s attention. Within the precautions page, users will learn to avoid exposure to excessive microwave energy. Users must take care not to tamper (accidentally or purposefully) with the safety locks. It is also necessary to note that the manufacturer must include the microwave’s specifications. Within the specifications box are essential details about the microwave, including the following information: the model, the voltage, the rated input and output power, and the weight. This comes in the form of a chart.

The safety recommendations will be the instructions for operating and setting up the microwave. The summary includes graphic pictures, which are depicted for clarification purposes. As microwaves deal with power in watts, it is essential to be careful of electrical short circuits. Grounding will reduce the risk of electric shock, personal injury, and death. Warnings are printed in bold print to stand out in the text. Fonts such as Calibri or Times New Roman will be used, and further along, the instructions include a section on what kind of containers to use and what type to avoid. Most materials are listed in a chart format, including Aluminum foil, plastic, wax paper, and glassware. On the installation page, users are guided to complete the microwave installation. A graphic photo of the microwave is included again for best operating practices. A kitchen schematic is included in the installation section; this will help users identify the proper place to install the microwave. Dimensions of the microwave and guidelines for how much clearance to leave above the microwave oven are included. It states that microwave ovens shouldn’t be placed near a heating source ( 13-24 inches generally).

6 Cognate Strategies

The small guide booklet is simple and intuitive. Furthermore, it makes sense from a user’s perspective that it goes from safety guidelines to instructions to user operating guidelines. The safety guidelines in bold come first. These stand out and are necessary to prevent new user injury. Recent headlines also follow in bold, making the guidelines very well-organized. Graphics, charts, and lists describe each step in the instructions. The text is in a basic font such as Calibri, and the summaries are small compared to the headlines. The language is professional, specific, and to the point throughout the guide. There is nothing superfluous or showy about the language. The features on the control panel page are blown up in photographs to emphasize what users will be looking at visually. In particular, the microwave is designed for simplicity, making it a valuable document. The guide gives users a detailed page on specific power levels (1 to 10). Lastly, the microwave operation sections detail how to set the clock and the timer. A photo of the clock will be visible on the page, along with detailed instructions for changing the time and using the clock. In conclusion, the Hamilton Beach microwave oven document is very effective as a guide for users in installing, upkeep, and running new microwave products.

References

Hamilton Beach Brands. (2021, January 01). Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Beach_Brands