TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
So, it's a one line paragraph usually flanked by longer paragraphs.
The usual dingbat that visually clues you a procedure follows is
missing. The step gets lost.
What's the happy medium here? Is a one step procedure "legal"? I don't
want to use a bullet.
Kelly,
In my experience as a writer and editor of training manulas and user's guides, I
have *never* seen steps in only paragraph form; they are *always* numbered. In
that case, a
stand-alone step without an introductory statement is perfectly acceptable. I
don't believe in fluffing up writing to satisfy conventions-- whatever makes it
clearest to the reader.