Re: Cross-references on same page

Subject: Re: Cross-references on same page
From: Doug Nickerson <doug_nickerson -at- ONSETCOMP -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 09:23:35 -0400

I've been writing a User's Guide in WORD, recently for what seems like
months now. Oh... it *has* been months now.

With changes to the software, and constant review by the marketing
department, a few pages have moved around. I was using actual pages
numbers as cross-references. I've settled on a plan for cross-referencing
as follows: the phrase "Somewhere else in this User's Guide."

Example:
For more information on this topic, see "somewhere else in this User's
Guide"

Global replace all cross-references with this phrase to solve the problem.
:-)

On a more serious note: they brought in a real technical writer this week
to go over what I have written. In addition to changing my future tense to
present tense, and changing an occasional passive construction to active,
and telling me one of my pages was 'half-assed,' she advocated this for
cross-references:

For more information, see the section "Off-loading Data."

It doesn't avoid the issue entirely, but sidesteps it.
What do you think?

Regards.

Doug

Doug Nickerson
Author: "Official Netscape JavaBeans Developer's Guide"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1566048257/qid%3D923421687/002-4111747-2039447
"Five Tips to Improve your Tech Writing"
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Thinktank/2503/fivetips.htm

Brierley -at- quodata -dot- com writes:
> I am comfortable leving cross-references to items on the same page,
>despite the fact that it does look a little screwy.
>
>One of the reasons I do this is because updates or edits to the book often
>move sections. Another reason if for ease of use by my hypertexting PDF
>users, who might not see the entire page at once.

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