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Subject:the in captions? From:Cyndy Davis <kivrin -at- ZDNETMAIL -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 13 Jul 1998 09:52:22 -0700
Personally, I do not see why "the" is necessary in a caption. Since you are identifying the item with a short title (File dialog), the title is not a sentence and is not subject to the requirements of a sentence.
Any time that I am debating on a word, I ask myself, "What meaning does the word convey to the reader?" If the word is necessary for comprehension, aids in clarifying the idea or is mandated by grammar, then I include it. If not, I remove it. I would ask what is the true difference in these statements:
Figure 1: The File dialog
Figure 1: File dialog
The first one takes up more space. They both mean the same thing. The reader will not be insulted if you give her fewer letters to read and comprehend.
Just my take,
Cyndy Davis
Technical Writer
Lenexa, KS
