RE: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question

[<kathleen -at- writefortheuser -dot- com>]

So long as it says what is being created, grouped, etc. It also depends
on whether you're talking about help or print/pdf output. I don't think
it helps a reader to look in the index and see Create by itself,
presuming that there are a number of things that could be created. Then
you have a list of pages (or links) that relate to completely different
topics. That type of organization would make it just as easy to thumb
through the material looking for items, or do a search.

Kathleen

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question
> From: Robert Lauriston <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>
> Date: Tue, October 27, 2009 3:41 pm
> To: TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> 
> 
> I don't see any problem with an index section such as:
> 
> Create
>   group
>   project
>   schedule
>   time cards
>   user
> 
> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 1:15 PM,  <kathleen -at- writefortheuser -dot- com> wrote:
> >
> > I think it's a fine idea to list the thing that is being created,
> > viewed, etc. for each heading. I've seen indexes with 6 or more
> > instances of "create," etc. I suppose if you're certain your index will
> > never do that, it would be ok to leave the topic off, but ...
> >
> > Kathleen
> >
> >> -------- Original Message --------
> >> Subject: RE: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question
> >> From: "Leonard C. Porrello" <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com>
> >> Date: Tue, October 27, 2009 3:03 pm
> >> To: "Robert Lauriston" <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>,
> >> <TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>, "Robert Courtney" <bobsc1 -at- earthlink -dot- net>
> >>
> >>
> >> What Lauriston says. Otherwise, the reader has to scan a gazillion instances of "How do I." AND, be careful not to mix verbs and nouns. Some people would say you should use either ...
> >>
> >> Â Understanding Time Cards
> >> Â Creating a Time Card
> >> Â Viewing a Time Card
> >> Â Finding a Time Card
> >>
> >> or ...
> >>
> >> Â Understand Time Cards
> >> Â Create a Time Card
> >> Â View a Time Card
> >> Â Find a Time Card
> >>
> >> You might also consider the following:
> >>
> >> Time Cards
> >> Â Â Â Understanding
> >> Â Â Â Creating
> >> Â Â Â Viewing
> >> Â Â Â Finding
> >>
> >>
> >> Leonard
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
> >> Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 12:12 PM
> >> To: TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >> Subject: Re: Help file TOC Sentence VS Question
> >>
> >> I prefer to put the relevant verb first:
> >>
> >> Time Cards
> >> Â Understanding Time Cards
> >> Â Create a Time Card
> >> Â View a Time Card
> >> Â Find a Time Card
> >>
> >> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Robert Courtney <bobsc1 -at- earthlink -dot- net> wrote:
> >> > I have usually used questions in my help files on how to do things. I
> >> > use sentence headings for some things such as objects that I need to
> >> > discuss. Such as:
> >> >
> >> > Time Cards
> >> > Â ÂWhat is a Time Card?
> >> > Â ÂHow do I Create Time Card?
> >> > Â ÂHow do I View A Time Card?
> >> > Â ÂHow do I Search a Time Card?
> >> >
> >> > VS
> >> >
> >> > Time Cards
> >> > Â ÂWhat is a Time Card?
> >> > Â ÂCreating a Time Card
> >> > Â ÂViewing a Time Card
> >> > Â ÂSearching a Time Card
> >> >
> >> > Is there really a preference to using a sentence TOC and headings vs
> >> > questions to accomplish tasks?
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >>
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >>
> >> Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
> >> Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
> >> 2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
> >> http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
> >>
> >> Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
> >> authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
> >> once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
> >>
> >> ---
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
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> >>
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> >
> >
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
> Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help  
> 2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
> http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
> 
> Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
> authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
> once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
> 
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as kathleen -at- writefortheuser -dot- com -dot- 
> 
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
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> 
> 
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> 
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
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> 
> Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat

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

Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help  
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/

Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/

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