Beginning topic titles with "How to..."?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Deborah Slutzky wondered: <<... how folks feel about beginning topic  
titles with "How to..." I'm used to beginning them with a gerund...>>

Although the phrasing isn't wrong, there are two strikes against "how  
to": First, it's two words longer than necessary. It's not the length  
that's an issue, since deleting "how to" and adding "ing" to the verb  
only saves you 3 to 4 characters. Instead, it's the need to mentally  
prune out the two words. Again, not a huge concern, but why bother?

The large issue is that if you standardize on "how to X", all topics  
begin with "how to", not with the verb. That looks really bad in a  
table of contents because the repetition creates rivers of white  
space and draws attention towards the repeating pattern and away from  
the actual verb.

Gerunds have become the standard because they're simple,  
straightforward, and effective. Why mess with success?


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.