STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

[Tammy Sudol <tammy -at- M3ISYSTEMS -dot- QC -dot- CA>]

At 9:02 AM 3/24/95, Bev Parks wrote:
>[snip]
>1. Do *you* read front matter?

I wouldn't say that I read prefaces and introductions but I do scan them for
useful information. However, that being said, the more technical a manual
is, the less likely I am to read the preface.  If it's a user's guide, I
find that the preface or forword can give me hints on the best way to
approach the manual (how the book is organized).  I tend to read more of the
manual.

If it's a very technical manual, I try to read as little of the book as
possible and normally, refer to the table of contents or index for the exact
location of the information.

>2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
>   prefaces or introductions?

Yes, I do.  Unfortunately, I have found that most people don't even read the
manuals as well, unless they're in dire straits.

>2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?

Yes, I use a preface and introduction in my manuals.  In my forword, I
explain how to use the manual and what its purpose is.  I BRIEFLY describe
the setup of the information.  I also include (on the next page) the
conventions.

My chapter one is entitled, The Basics.  I describe the startup and exiting
sequences, the appearance of the software, and how to navigate within the
software.

>   Why or why not?

I find that in using this method, I'm preparing the reader to use my manual.
If the reader chooses to skip this information (perhaps, s/he already knows
the basics and couldn't care less about the setup) that's fine but s/he may
wish to flip back to this information at a later stage, and I feel that the
information is easy to find and is in logical places.


************************************************
Tammy Sudol
Technical Writer - MOSAIC Department
M3i Systems Inc.
tammy -at- m3isystems -dot- qc -dot- ca
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