Re: Procedural Steps

[Parks Bev <parksb -at- HUACHUCA-EMH8 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

Eric J. Ray [SMTP:ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM] asked about writing procedural
steps:
>>
I've been doing some research into using procedural
steps, as in:

1. Select some text.
2. Click the B button.
3. Do something else.
<snip>
I've always assumed that each numbered step should
reflect an action on the part of the reader. That is,
if there are three things the reader must do,
there should be three steps. I've found that many
books present the information as
1.      Select some text.
2.      The text will appear highlighted on the screen.
3.      Click the B button.
4.      The text will be boldfaced.
5.      Do something else.
<snip>
<<

=====
I use a combination of the two examples you gave. Like you, I believe the
numbered steps should reflect action, but the results should be included
as well. Like this:

1.      Select some text.
            The text will appear highlighted on the screen.

2.      Click the B button.
            The text will be boldfaced.

3..      Do something else.
            Something else happens.

The steps are usually in a larger, perhaps bolder, font. The results are
in whatever normal font I'm using for paragraphs.


Bev Parks
parksb -at- huachuca-emh8 -dot- army -dot- mil
(Delete the attachment; it is meaningless and beyond my control.)