RE: for general discussion

Subject: RE: for general discussion
From: "Tulloch, Michael" <mtullo01 -at- harris -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 08:20:22 -0400




Chris said...

>The more interesting aspects aside, according to the most cursory glance
>I gave the article, it appears that determination has been made. Isn't
>the personal pronoun up there with procedural writing and active voice
>in the tech writing canon? I quote the article: "For example, Koppel's
>group found that the single biggest difference is that women are far
>more likely than men to use personal pronouns-''I'', ''you'', ''she'',
>''myself'', or ''yourself'' and the like."

I went to the STC conference a few years back now ('01 in Chicago, USA) and one
of the workshops was on how to reduce the distance between the writer and the
audience. The way that the speaker recommended was to use the pronoun "you". Our
team has since incorporated that suggestion and the resulting docs are a lot
more friendly. (To wit, "If you need to do X, then..." beats the poopy pants off
of "If the user needs to do this, then he or she needs to...")

>Dare I ask about the male/female ratio in STC? Please, no flames - at
>the stake or otherwise... Posing a question does not necessarily reveal
>the opinions of the poser.

There's never enough babes around and when there are, they're taken already!
(Note: babe is a general form of Southern-cum-West-coast appreciation for any
attractive female).

~Mike


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