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Subject:Gerunds in titles and headings From:cdavidso -at- IONLINE -dot- NET Date:Tue, 12 Jan 1999 11:50:00 -0500
I'm one week into a new job as the sole technical writer in a medium-
sized company that has just begun to document their policies and
procedures in print and in online Help. The style guide, developed by a
consultant before I arrived, calls for the avoidance of gerunds in
titles in favour of imperatives (e.g., "Add a note" instead of "Adding a
note"). I understand that they want to use a strong, directive tone in
their manuals, but I'm concerned that consistent use of the imperative
may cause readers to "Add a note" (for example) where it's not
appropriate.
At my previous company we routinely used gerunds in headings, and I'm
not sure if I'm balking simply because this is new and different. I'm
hoping that since they're not too far along in the process that there
may be some room for negotiation. Is there a good reason to use or avoid
the gerund? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Carolyn Davidson
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