RE: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question

Subject: RE: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question
From: "Janoff, Steve" <Steve -dot- Janoff2 -at- Teradata -dot- com>
To: "Robert Courtney" <bobsc1 -at- earthlink -dot- net>, <TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:39:37 -0400

Your second method seems consistent with DITA, as I understand it:
Question is just right for the leading concept topic, then gerunds for
the 3 task topics that follow.

You could accuse it of being dull, but OTOH, having every toc item be a
question can get to you after a while. ;) (Also, repeating "How do I"
over and over just gets in the way, it seems.)

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+steve -dot- janoff2=teradata -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+steve -dot- janoff2=teradata -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
On Behalf Of Robert Courtney
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 12:02 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question

I have usually used questions in my help files on how to do things. I
use sentence headings for some things such as objects that I need to
discuss. Such as:

Time Cards
What is a Time Card?
How do I Create Time Card?
How do I View A Time Card?
How do I Search a Time Card?

VS

Time Cards
What is a Time Card?
Creating a Time Card
Viewing a Time Card
Searching a Time Card

Is there really a preference to using a sentence TOC and headings vs
questions to accomplish tasks?

--
Robert Courtney
Technical Writer
PDSI - Principal Decision Systems International
O: (800) 850-7374 ext 1283
F: (714) 703-3000
E: robertcourtney -at- pdsi-software -dot- com
www.pdsi-software.com

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/

Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual authors
and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write once, publish
to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control!
http://www.helpandmanual.com/

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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/

Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/

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References:
Help file TOC Sentence VS Question: From: Robert Courtney

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