RE: Writing conventions

[Jim Shaeffer <jims -at- spsi -dot- com>]

When our sentences get complex, we should stop thinking 
about sentences. We should try to think in terms of: 

Diagrams
Illustrations
Tables
Lists.

(Not that I am so great at following my own advice.)

In defense of the "rule of 7":
The original quote from the style guide called it a "rule of 
thumb", not a "rule." I'd say, if the number of 

items in a list, 
rows in a table, 
steps in a procedure 
or bullet points on a slide 

grows above 7 (plus or minus 2), take a closer look.
 
In my work, I can usually find logical "break points" for 
sub-headings, at least. If I can't find those "break 
points", at least I know I've tried for simplicity. I 
don't argue that this application of the rule has deep 
psychological significance. It's just a convenient check 
that I'm not trying to jam in too much content at once. 

Jim Shaeffer (jims -at- spsi -dot- com)

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