RE: Procedural syntax: "Click to expand" vs. "Expand by clicking"

Subject: RE: Procedural syntax: "Click to expand" vs. "Expand by clicking"
From: Peter Sturgeon <prsturgeon -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 09:02:52 -0500 (EST)

Actually, they're both in active voice:

"Click the plus sign..."

is as active as

"Expand the folder..."

The second one provides a purpose.

Peter Sturgeon

--- "Dubin, David" <David -dot- Dubin -at- sage -dot- com> wrote:

> Personally, I like [A] because it is in active voice. I am strongly
against the flagrant use of passive voice in technical communications.
Since most technical communications with regard to software and/or
hardware is designed to instruct the user how to do something, I
believe it is best to speak to the user/learner in the same voice as
you would if he/she were in front of you.
>
> David B. Dubin, PHR

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References:
RE: Procedural syntax: "Click to expand" vs. "Expand by clicking": From: Dubin, David

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