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.
Subject:RE: Question marks in titles? From:"Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 1 Feb 2005 09:39:56 -0500
> > Well, question titles certainly make sense in FAQs--which
> > aren't, after
> > all, "frequently stated imperative declarations using present
> > participles". <g>
>
> But, how helpful is a FAQ that simply regurgitates questions as asked?
>
They are helpful because users who are carrying around a specific question
in their heads about something can find that question (and the accompanying
answer) incredibly quickly when text contains the exact question they are
carrying around in their short-term memory. They are "hunting" and are
focused on the question. Elements of the answer to the question are
remarkably *meaningless* to someone who doesn't know what he or she doesn't
know. All they know is that they need to know where or why or how.
Whenever we look for some information, we have a question in our heads.
Answers that are floating in the ozone and expressed as declarative
statements do not match up to our question if we have no knowledge about the
subject.
> Shouldn't a FAQ about printer configuration be structured and
> titled in
> the same manner as a quick reference card to be more useful?
>
No, because users who consult FAQS have *questions* in their heads. They
don't recognize factual headings as germane to their question if they have
NO information at all. They match their question to the question on the page
to find their answer.
> IMO, to be truly useful, a FAQ should be something akin to an
> index or
> quick reference card. The only difference is the organisation as more
> importance needs to be given to more frequent problems.
>
A useful FAQ allows a user to match his or her question to one of those
listed in the FAQ and thus find the answer.
> Actually, that raises the question: with a good index, is
> there any need
> for a FAQ?
>
FAQs are for the lost. They have limited resources with regard to methods of
finding their answers. They have just a question that they are carrying
around in their heads.
Bonnie Granat | www.GranatEdit.com
bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT - EDIT AND REVIEW, REDEFINED
Accelerate the document lifecycle with full online discussions and unique feedback-management capabilities. Unlimited, efficient reviews for Word
and FrameMaker authors. Live, online demo: http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
Technical Communication Certificate online - Malaspina-University College, Canada. Online training in technical writing, software (FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Dreamweaver, Acrobat), document & web design, writing manuals, job search. www.pr.mala.bc.ca/tech_comm.htm for details.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
