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: Use of "You" From:John Wilcox <jwilcox -at- tcsi -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 29 Nov 1999 09:37:50 -0800
Joanne Meehl wrote:
> Two of the instructors in my Tech Writing program at Northeastern Univ. say
> "NEVER use 'you' in technical documentation". They don't mean the writer
> should eliminate the implied "you", as in "Click the right mouse button".
> They just don't like the sound of "you"--they say it's too casual or
> familiar.
I suppose they say never use active voice, too.
When writing user guides, I am writing directly to the user, not to a
third person. Therefore, I address him in the second person. When
writing a system administrator guide, I use "you" when speaking of the
reader (the sysadmin) and "the user" when speaking of the end user of
the system if that is someone other than the sysadmin. I believe this
is both logically and practically correct.
I would like to know your instructors' reasoning.
--
Regards,
John Wilcox -- Senior Technical Writer
TCSI Corp. -- Bothell, WA 425-487-8594
