RE: Procedural syntax: "Click to expand" vs. "Expand by clicking"

[Peter Sturgeon <prsturgeon -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Actually, they're both in active voice:

"Click the plus sign..."

is as active as

"Expand the folder..."

The second one provides a purpose.

Peter Sturgeon

--- "Dubin, David" <David -dot- Dubin -at- sage -dot- com> wrote:

> Personally, I like [A] because it is in active voice. I am strongly
against the flagrant use of passive voice in technical communications.
Since most technical communications with regard to software and/or
hardware is designed  to instruct the user how to do something, I
believe it is best to speak to the user/learner in the same voice as
you would if he/she were in  front of you.
> 
> David B. Dubin, PHR 

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

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help includes a one-click RoboHelp project converter. It's that easy.  Watch the demo at http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -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%40infoinfocus.com

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

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