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Re: "the following" or nothing -- what is IM's preference? (was:"Next" or "the following"... )

Subject: Re: "the following" or nothing -- what is IM's preference? (was:"Next" or "the following"... )
From: "Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "Chinell, David F (GE Indust, Security)" <David -dot- Chinell -at- ge -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:00:04 -0500

IMHO, I do think they do refer to spatial position, and we obviously
disagree about that. Being literal is part of my technical writer talent. I
still don't use "above" and "below" in written documentation.

Not one employer that I have worked for in the last 15 years that has had
written standards used "above" and "below" in technical documentation. All
have considered it a maintenance issue, because of the reasons I already
mentioned. That's true even if the Chicago Manual of Style does imply that
it's okay.

Maybe it's a regional preference, I am not sure. Of course, most of my
documentation has been created with an eye toward online use--not for hard
copy only.

However, I have used it in scientific publications (journals and such, like
"Geophysics"). Their requirement for using "above" and "below" for a
graphic, table, or reference, was that the paragraph with the statement and
the referred to object be shown on the *same page.* But that's just them, I
bet ;-)

**** But back to my "original" question about using "following" or "next"
****
>>>>>> "Following" won hands down.<<<<<<<<<<

END of question.

PT


On 12/11/06, Chinell, David F (GE Indust, Security) <David -dot- Chinell -at- ge -dot- com>
wrote:


PT:

When used to cross-reference material in the same work, "above" and
"below" don't refer to spatial position. The mean the same as "earlier" and
"later."

MW 11 includes this definition of below: "5 : lower on the same page or on
a following page"

This convention is so well-established, that CMS doesn't even treat it.
Open to any page to find such cross-references as:

"8.85 What to capitalize
... Terms lowercased below may appropriately be capitalized in certain
works if done consistently. ..."

In other words, you don't have to revise anything to account for page
breaks. If this still bothers you, you could follow the MS MoS suggestion
and use "earlier" and "later."

Bear





--
PT
pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com
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References:
Re: "the following" or nothing -- what is IM's preference? (was:"Next" or "the following"... ): From: Pro TechWriter
RE: "the following" or nothing -- what is IM's preference? (was:"Next" or "the following"... ): From: Chinell, David F \(GE Indust, Security\)

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