Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers
Dissertation (MA(Development Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2005.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Published: |
University of Pretoria
2013
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613449863823360 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Snyman, Maritha |
| author_browse | Snyman, Maritha |
| author_facet | Snyman, Maritha |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2003, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MA(Development Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2005. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/29328 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:19.976Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/29328 The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers Snyman, Maritha upetd@up.ac.za Chaka, Mpho Phillip South african Information booket. communication Rural farmers UCTD Dissertation (MA(Development Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2005. The study attempts to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of an agricultural information booklet known as Sunflower production: A concise guide targeted at small-scale rural farmers in a South African developmental context. The main objectives are to establish the target audience’s current knowledge of printed information as well as to examine the elements of the text such as appreciation, comprehension, and acceptance. This study also attempts to explore demographics and socio-economic factors as possible barriers to the effectiveness of communication in a developmental context. The argument is that the viability of, and prospects for effective communication with the small-scale rural farmers depend on two interrelated aspects vis-à-vis usability and effectiveness. Firstly, usability is the extent to which a communication ‘product’ such as the information booklet can be used by specific users to achieve specific goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context such as agricultural development. Secondly, effectiveness is the completeness and the accuracy with which users achieve specified goals. It often relies on the presentation of information in a way that is understandable to the users. Doak and Doak (1996: 73) argue that although many types of material are suitable, most current information documents have shortcomings that make them difficult to understand. A serious shortcoming includes too much information in the document, which discourages poor readers and tends to obscure the priority of information for all readers. Sometimes the readability levels become too high for the average person. The reader is not asked to interact with the material, so the opportunity for learning and recall is lost. In most instances, difficult, uncommon words are seldom explained through examples. This is an empirical study that attempts to approach the world of research subjects, in this case small-scale rural farmers, with the minimum of preconceived ideas and to look at the phenomenon under discussion, namely usability and effectiveness. It has a predominantly descriptive nature and is focused on the distinguishing characteristics of text focus, expert judgement and reader/user focus. These issues were investigated during the research conducted among small-scale rural farmers in the North West province of South Africa. The booklet was also evaluated with the intention to establish which meaning the receivers find in the booklet on sunflower production and whether these messages really communicate the desired information. The research established that the material is not suitable for the target audience. The findings of the study provided valuable information for development communication message design. It is clear that the dissemination of development information in the rural context must be revised to ensure effectiveness. This study supports the hypothesis that if the presentation of information is not appropriate for a specific target audience, the communication will not be effective. Information Science unrestricted 2013-09-07T15:25:24Z 2004-11-09 2013-09-07T15:25:24Z 2003-12-28 2005-11-09 2004-11-09 Dissertation Chaka, MP 2003, The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers, MA(Development Communication) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11092004-100255 / > http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29328 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11092004-100255/ © 2003, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | South african Information booket. communication Rural farmers UCTD The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title | The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title_full | The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title_fullStr | The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title_full_unstemmed | The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title_short | The usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet : a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers |
| title_sort | usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet a survey amongst small scale rural farmers |
| topic | South african Information booket. communication Rural farmers UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29328 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11092004-100255/ |