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--- Fred Hone <frederickhone -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Are there any specific rules that you follow when
> writing such literature and why?
My 'rules', if you can call them that, are first, the writer must actually DO the
procedure being written. This rule works well for software, though I think there are
some circumstances where this rule would have to be modified. For example, I
wouldn't want to DO a nuclear reactor core dump just to get the procedure right.
Imagine what could occur if I screwed it up! <g> Still, wherever possible DO the
procedure you're writing. If that isn't possible, witness the procedure actually
being performed and ask lots of questions.
Second rule, keep it simple. One action per step; one step per action. Use the
simplest, most direct language needed to convey what needs to be done. I don't care
if the language is active or passive as long as it meets the test, though I prefer
active voice in these situations.
Third rule, don't write down to your audience. The audience isn't stupid; they just
don't know how to do this procedure, yet, or they know another way to do it.
> Since most technical manuals use specific or complex
> language and terms in them do you use a readability
> formula to see if your wriitng is on 'target' or not?
>
> If you don't why not?
I don't use a readability formula, primarily because I don't know of any that are
accurate and broadly useful. This may be due to my own ignorance, but that is the
way I see it at the moment. That said, I feel I've had pretty good success with my
rules as outlined above.
Pontificatingly Yours, <g>
=====
Tom Murrell mailto:trmurrell -at- yahoo -dot- com http://home.columbus.rr.com/murrell/index.html Last Updated 03/11/2003
Whether you're dead right or dead wrong, sooner or later you're dead. You might as well die doing what you think is right.
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