Use imperative mood verbs.<\/strong> Speak directly to your reader and offer clear, straightforward commands. \"Do this.\" Effective instruction sentences sound like these:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Avoid passive voice.<\/strong>\u00a0(This applies to all types of writing). Below are examples of passive-voice instructions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Do not omit articles.<\/strong>\u00a0Below are examples of de-articled sentences. Awkward.<\/p>\r\n\r\n It may seem efficient to cut down the word count of an instruction set by omitting articles, but doing this only makes instructions difficult to follow. Include all articles (a, an, the) and other such words that we normally use.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n As in most technical writing documents, headings and subheadings should be used to indicate the various sections of the instruction set in a logical, coherent order.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Instructions typically make heavy use of lists\u2014particularly numbered vertical lists for the actual step-by-step explanations. Simple vertical lists or two-column lists are usually good for the equipment and supplies section.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Graphics are crucial for instructions. Sometimes, words simply cannot explain the step. Illustrations are often critical to readers' ability to visualize what they are supposed to do. Using the principle of proximity<\/em>, place graphics close to the instruction step to which they refer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Instructions must alert readers to situations or conditions in which they may damage equipment, waste supplies, botch the procedure, or injure themselves or others\u2014seriously or even fatally. Companies have been sued for lack of these special notices, for poorly written special notices, or for special notices that were out of place. Figure 2, below, shows the four standard special notice types and the situations in which they should be used.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_913\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"724\"] Instructions use many numbers, abbreviations, and symbols. In technical contexts, we use numerals\u2014even those below 10\u2014in text if they are critical values. In other words, we break the rules that are taught in regular writing courses and that are used in normal publishing and copyediting practice. Most of those writing situations call for writing out numbers 1\u201310 and using numerals for numbers above ten. But in the technical and scientific context, documents often include large numbers of numbers; we frequently work with statistics and measurements. Using numerals makes sense.<\/p>\r\n The rules may vary depending on your employer or the particular type of writing you are doing, but there are some conventions that usually apply. You should use numerals, not words, when the number is a key value, an exact measurement value, or both. For example, in the sentence \"Our computer backup system uses 4 mm tape,\" the numeral is in order. The numeral is also correct in \"This recipe calls for 4 cups of unbleached flour.\" But consider this one: \"There are four key elements that define a desktop publishing system.\" A word, not a numeral, is preferable here because the number of elements is exact, but it's not critical. Someone from a competing company may claim that there are five key elements that define a desktop publishing system. Either way, it's not a critical issue: the desktop publishing system will still function no matter who claims what about how many elements comprise it. But the number 4 is critical in the two earlier sentences; it is an exact measurement in the recipe and in the tape size.<\/p>\r\n\r\n To summarize the rules that we normally apply to writing numbers in technical documents:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Sentence by sentence, effective written instructions may seem to contradict what previous writing classes have taught you. But instructions have a very specific purpose and there are explicit writing strategies that serve that purpose. Below are standard sentence style elements for instructions.<\/p>\n Use imperative mood verbs.<\/strong> Speak directly to your reader and offer clear, straightforward commands. “Do this.” Effective instruction sentences sound like these:<\/p>\n Avoid passive voice.<\/strong>\u00a0(This applies to all types of writing). Below are examples of passive-voice instructions.<\/p>\n Avoid third-person point of view.<\/strong>\u00a0Below is an example of what not to do.<\/p>\n Do not omit articles.<\/strong>\u00a0Below are examples of de-articled sentences. Awkward.<\/p>\n It may seem efficient to cut down the word count of an instruction set by omitting articles, but doing this only makes instructions difficult to follow. Include all articles (a, an, the) and other such words that we normally use.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As in most technical writing documents, headings and subheadings should be used to indicate the various sections of the instruction set in a logical, coherent order.<\/p>\n Instructions typically make heavy use of lists\u2014particularly numbered vertical lists for the actual step-by-step explanations. Simple vertical lists or two-column lists are usually good for the equipment and supplies section.<\/p>\n Graphics are crucial for instructions. Sometimes, words simply cannot explain the step. Illustrations are often critical to readers’ ability to visualize what they are supposed to do. Using the principle of proximity<\/em>, place graphics close to the instruction step to which they refer.<\/p>\n Instructions must alert readers to situations or conditions in which they may damage equipment, waste supplies, botch the procedure, or injure themselves or others\u2014seriously or even fatally. Companies have been sued for lack of these special notices, for poorly written special notices, or for special notices that were out of place. Figure 2, below, shows the four standard special notice types and the situations in which they should be used.<\/p>\n Figure 2. Standard signal warnings and situations requiring their use. Image by UbikwitusThey is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Instructions use many numbers, abbreviations, and symbols. In technical contexts, we use numerals\u2014even those below 10\u2014in text if they are critical values. In other words, we break the rules that are taught in regular writing courses and that are used in normal publishing and copyediting practice. Most of those writing situations call for writing out numbers 1\u201310 and using numerals for numbers above ten. But in the technical and scientific context, documents often include large numbers of numbers; we frequently work with statistics and measurements. Using numerals makes sense.<\/p>\n The rules may vary depending on your employer or the particular type of writing you are doing, but there are some conventions that usually apply. You should use numerals, not words, when the number is a key value, an exact measurement value, or both. For example, in the sentence “Our computer backup system uses 4 mm tape,” the numeral is in order. The numeral is also correct in “This recipe calls for 4 cups of unbleached flour.” But consider this one: “There are four key elements that define a desktop publishing system.” A word, not a numeral, is preferable here because the number of elements is exact, but it’s not critical. Someone from a competing company may claim that there are five key elements that define a desktop publishing system. Either way, it’s not a critical issue: the desktop publishing system will still function no matter who claims what about how many elements comprise it. But the number 4 is critical in the two earlier sentences; it is an exact measurement in the recipe and in the tape size.<\/p>\n To summarize the rules that we normally apply to writing numbers in technical documents:<\/p>\n When using abbreviations in your documents, keep in mind that abbreviations may be useful, but can also be confusing. Use them with caution and be sure your readers will understand them.<\/p>\n As with abbreviations, consider your audience and use symbols carefully to avoid creating confusion.<\/p>\n Effective technical writing is not about impressing your audience with your knowledge of arcane information, symbols, and jargon. It is about making information available to your audience in a way that’s easy for them to understand.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t \r\n \t
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Figure 2. Standard signal warnings and situations requiring their use. Image by UbikwitusThey is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.[\/caption]\r\nNUMBERS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS<\/h2>\r\n
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