In general, what guidelines should you follow as you work on projects in Microsoft Office 2013?

What will be an ideal response?

First, determine the project's purpose. Clearly define why you are undertaking it, and begin to draft ideas of how best to communicate information by handwriting ideas on paper; composing directly on a laptop, tablet, or mobile device; or developing a strategy that fits your particular thinking and writing style.

Then, analyze your audience. Learn about the people who will read, analyze, or view your work. Determine their interests and needs so that you can present the information they need to know and omit the information they already possess. Form a mental picture of these people or find photos of people who fit this profile so that you can develop a project with the audience in mind.

Next, gather possible content. Locate existing information that may reside in spreadsheets, databases, or other files. Conduct a web search to find relevant websites. Read pamphlets, magazine and newspaper articles, and books to gain insights into how others have approached your topic. Conduct personal interviews to obtain perspectives not available by any other means. Consider video and audio clips as potential sources for material that might complement or support the factual data you uncover.

Finally, determine what content to present to your audience. Write three or four major ideas you want an audience member to remember after reading or viewing your project. Envision your project's endpoint, the key fact you wish to emphasize, so that all project elements lead to this final element. Determine relevant time factors, such as the length of time to develop the project, how long readers will spend reviewing your project, or the amount of time allocated for your speaking engagement. Decide whether a graph, photo, or artistic element can express or enhance a particular concept. Be mindful of the order in which you plan to present the content, and place the most important material at the top or bottom of the page, because readers and audience members generally remember the first and last pieces of information they see and hear.