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Subject:CLARITY: Writing instructional steps From:Peggy Thomson <Peggy_Thompson -at- CCMAIL -dot- OSTI -dot- GOV> Date:Wed, 23 Aug 1995 11:01:00 -0400
Excellent thread--how to word instructional steps!! Please let's
pursue it--and back it up with references when possible. Most of
what I do on the sentence level is based on my own personal
quirks. Can anyone CITE AUTHORITES on SENTENCE-LEVEL
ORGANIZATION?
I DON'T WRITE: I DO WRITE:
Press Enter to delete all files. To delete all files,
press Enter.
[when the user
action has a
significant
consequence]
Select Open from the File menu. From the file menu,
select Open.
[within the step, I
try to preserve
chronological
order]
Otherwise, I begin instructional steps with a verb. Somebody
said they were taught to ALWAYS begin with a verb. But I kind of
like the periodic sentence for instruction--the action at the
end of the sentence, where it's the last thing to imprint on the
user's brain.