RE: Displays versus Appears-Which One?

Subject: RE: Displays versus Appears-Which One?
From: "Michael West" <mike -dot- west -at- oz -dot- quest -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 18:08:17 +1100



John Posada wrote:

> In the instructions, every procedure is
> followed by the result .... However, I AM
> interested in your thoughts.


My thoughts are that it is:

1. Unnecessary except when writing for novices
to tell them that when they click 'xyz' something
called 'xyz' will appear on the screen -- especially
when the next instruction ASSUMES the presence
of the 'xyz' thing.

2. Inconsistent with good structured writing
practice to insert things that are not instructions
into a list of instructions.

3. Better to recast the information in the form
of an instruction, thus serving the dual purposes
of guiding the user's expectation and guiding the
user's next action in a single, streamlined, beautifully
groomed, sentence.

T'anks fer askin!

--
Michael West
Technical Writer
Melbourne, Australia



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY.
http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.

Take XML and Tech Writing courses online! Our instructor-led courses
(4-6 hrs/wk) give you "hands on" experience at your convenience. STC members
get 20% off! http://www.online-learning.com/index.html.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: RE: Displays versus Appears-Which One?
Next by Author: RE: Features of a well-written procedure
Previous by Thread: RE: Displays versus Appears-Which One?
Next by Thread: Re: Displays versus Appears-Which One?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads