Re: active vs. passive voice

Subject: Re: active vs. passive voice
From: Janice Gelb <Janice -dot- Gelb -at- Sun -dot- COM>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:37:23 +1100

Leonard C. Porrello wrote:
> Good question. I was assuming the reader would read both sentences
> before carrying out the directions. In other words, he's going to read,
> "1. Click <New Entry>. The New Entry window will appear" in its entirety
> before he gets around to actually clicking <New Entry>. So, the event
> that takes place after he clicks <New Entry> actually occurs in the
> future. Hence, the way I formulated the sentence is most mimetic of
> reality (according to my assumption). And although I do not have strong
> objections to what I think you are suggesting, namely, "1. Click <New
> Entry>. The New Entry window appears," it seems to me that this
> formulation does not represent reality quite as well (as it is entirely
> in the present).

One could equally assume that readers are doing the
action when you tell them to do so and that they they
read the result after they've performed the action.
(As we all know, sometimes users just perform actions
by guesswork without reading any documentation at all!)

I think it's dangerous to assume that readers read the
explanatory text before they commit themselves to
performing an action. I often ask writers to move any
warning or information that it's important for the
reader to know before performing an action to a location
prior to the imperative instruction to avoid a situation
where the reader clicks first and then finds out later
that this action wasn't appropriate for the situation.

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb | The only connection Sun has with
janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com | this message is the return address

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
active vs. passive voice: From: Michelle Vina-Baltsas
Re: active vs. passive voice: From: Mike Starr
Re: active vs. passive voice: From: Suzette Leeming
Re: active vs. passive voice: From: Bastette
RE: active vs. passive voice: From: Leonard C. Porrello
RE: active vs. passive voice: From: Fred Ridder
RE: active vs. passive voice: From: Leonard C. Porrello

Previous by Author: Re: active vs. passive voice
Next by Author: Re: active vs. passive voice
Previous by Thread: RE: active vs. passive voice
Next by Thread: RE: active vs. passive voice


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads