RE: Choosing a base style guide

["Robart, Kay" <Kay -dot- Robart -at- tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us>]

I work in software, and I use both. However, I'm not sure the Microsoft would be very helpful for some of the types of documents you mentioned. Its benefit is mostly in having rules to handle items that aren't mentioned in most style guides, related directly to software. However, you should look at both of them to see what you think. You can have more than one style guide. You just have to pick which one will be your primary.

Kay

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+kay -dot- robart=tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kay -dot- robart=tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Kelly Smith
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2014 5:28 AM
To: techwr-l List
Subject: Choosing a base style guide

Hi all,

I've started a new job where tech writing is my only duty. In the past I've always had other roles (QA, business analysis etc.) I'm working with the other new tech writer (we both started last Monday in different branches of the IT department) and we're trying to decide on a base style guide.

We'll be writing docs for disaster recovery, test planning, FAQs, and business processes among other things. This company has never had tech writers before, so we kind of have free rein.

My question is, does anyone have strong opinions about a good, general style guide? We are leaning roward CMS because we're both familiar with it, but wondered if something like the Microsoft manual of style would be better suited to the more technical documents.

I told her I'd ask here. If there's no clear consensus, we'll likely use CMS and then create an internal style sheet for things not covered in it.

Thanks!

Kelly Smith

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