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Subject:Re: Multiple options for action? From:Jane Bergen <janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 17 Oct 1995 15:54:41 +0000
> brianb wonders...
> > I am writing a manual where there are three different ways to
> > perform an action. For example:
> >
> > To Create a New File
> > --------------------
> >
> > Select New from the File menu, or click the New icon in the
> > toolbar, or press Ctrl+N.
> >
> > An editor has crossed out the "or" before the second option.
> > I want to keep it.
> >
> > I realize that there are rules dictating that one should only
> > use "or" for the final item in a comma-separated list, but I
> > *really* want to highlight that these are separate actions,
> > not additional steps of the same action.
Sue Gallagher says:
> The standard rules of English usage say that the first 'or' is
> unnecessary, but when you're writing instructions, it's much more
> important to be clear than it is to be grammatically correct. I
> always use multiple 'or's when documenting multiple alternative
> steps, but I break each alternative onto it's own line...
> Select File > New from the menu.
> Or,
> Click the New toolbar button
> Or,
> Press Ctrl+N
(snip, snip....)
We do it like this:
1. From the File menu, select New.
Or, in the toolbar, click the New icon.
The user sees the File menu BEFORE s/he sees the New menu item. The
"or" is included on the line with the second option. While I prefer
the > character, our marketers say no way. Still, I do use it when it
leads to a menu that cascades sideways, such as a Print menu item
that cascades to To File or To Printer:
1. From the File menu, select Print>To File
Just one more approach......
Jane Bergen
............................................................................
Jane Bergen
Technical Writer
janeb -at- answersoft -dot- com or janeb -at- iadfw -dot- net
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word
is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug" (Mark Twain)
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