TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
In article <2FF44D48 -at- smtp_gate -dot- canada -dot- cdev -dot- com>,
Cheverie, Paul [Cont] <paul -dot- cheverie -at- canada -dot- cdev -dot- com> wrote:
>If I understand them correctly, the milspecs used by the USAF (upon which
>Canadian military pubs spec are based) require that if notes, cautions or
>warnings are required in text, that these notes, cautions or warnings must
>precede the text they refer to.
The DOE standard (which our style guide is based upon) requires notes,
cautions, and warnings to preced the text they refer to. The warning or
caution is done as a cause-effect, and the step that follows the caution
or warning is the action to take to prevent the undesired occurrence.
Our style guide also calls for steps to be in the active voice, w/o any
narrative added in.
