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.
Subject:Re: Guide name quandary...nay...quagmire From:Jeff Jungblut <jeff -at- PORT-CHARLES -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 18 May 1999 10:11:12 -0700
On 5/18/99 9:33 AM, Darren Barefoot (dbarefoot -at- MPS-CANADA -dot- COM) wrote:
>What should we call the end-user manual:
>
>Users Guide
>-or-
>User's Guide
>-or-
>Users' Guide
>-or-
>User Guide
>
>I couldn't find a standard anywhere, and we're at our wit's end. Well,
>certainly toward our wit's end. Past the halfway point of our wit, at least.
In looking through my boxes of software manuals, the most common usage I
found was "User's Guide." Apple and Claris manuals use this form and
it's what I prefer. I found one each from Adobe and UMAX named "User
Guide" ("User Manual" seems to be fairly common also). I don't have any
named "Users Guide" or "Users' Guide."
