ABSTRACT
Analysis of cognitive rules provides the basis for the design of procedural information and, if applicable, part-task practice. This chapter focuses on analyzing cognitive rules for solving recurrent aspects of new tasks. It explains the specification of IF-THEN rules in a rule-based analysis and the specification of procedures in an information-processing analysis. The chapter discusses the analysis of typical errors and so-called 'malrules' because these incorrect rules and procedural steps can interfere with acquiring their correct counterparts. It also describes the use of IF-THEN rules and procedures in the instructional design process. IF-THEN rules and procedures describe how the recurrent aspects of a complex task, or recurrent constituent skills, are correctly performed. Information-processing analysis focuses on the overt and/or covert decisions and actions made by the task performer and yields a procedure that is typically represented as a flowchart. Typical errors often reflect the intention to apply the correct rule but still having things go wrong.
