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.
RE: Usage of second person or third person when writing procedures
Subject:RE: Usage of second person or third person when writing procedures From:"Nancy Osterhout" <bluetwilight -at- home -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sat, 1 Sep 2001 20:10:22 -0700
Though, it's best to give the reasons ("Life is uncertain.") in the
Purpose section (NOT the Procedure section) of the procedure document.
I avoid passive voice because that engenders lack of action because
nobody is targeted as the actor.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Love, and you will know God.
~~ Fr. Airton Freire (Friends of Rubbish Street, Brazil)
<><><><><><><><><><>
Cindy Hill asked:
"Need a little help. Our style guide is almost finished but have
conflicting source references as to second or third person usage.
When writing instructions, use the implied second or third person?
Example...Eat dinner before eating dessert or Dinner should be eaten
before dessert. Does anyone know which is correct when writing
procedures?"
Here's my 2 cents (as a policy & procedure writer):
Give reason for acting prior to giving the command -- in active voice.
Of course, the actor (title of the person who is to do the task) is
named in one column of the page while the action is told in the column
next to the actor, so this is a non-question for the kind of writing
that I do.
Example:
Eater Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.
HTH.
<-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><->
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
~~Theodore Roosevelt
A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
+++ Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation. See us at +++
+++ Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion +++
+++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.comhttp://www.miramo.com +++
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
