Introducing Procedures, a Discussion List Summary Article

Abby Kasper

As writers, we are constantly challenged to rethink our writing styles and improve the way we present information to global audiences. Recently, the following question stimulated an animated discussion in the discussion list community.
We are considering changing the style we use to introduce a procedure. Does anyone have thoughts about the pros and cons of either of the following styles:

OR

Most writers who responded to this query expressed a willingness to use both styles but preferred to introduce a procedure with an infinitive phrase. They then described how they use this style to address two important issues: creating documentation that is easy to translate and documenting procedures concisely.

Writing for Translation

Infinitive phrases have a valuable place in technical writing, but they must be used carefully. The infinitive phrase used by an English-speaking writer may be reduced to a single word when it is translated to another language. As a result, separating the word “to” from the verb associated with it can cause structural problems, so it is important to keep the components of an infinitive phrase together. For example, the following list would translate poorly:

Writing Concisely

Using a short but descriptive infinitive phrase to introduce a procedure can reduce the word count of a document and provide visual cues that help the user locate the information required.

Introducing a procedure with an infinitive phrase can reduce the word count of a document by eliminating frequently used phrases such as “Use the following procedure.” Contextual clues (such as numbers) indicate that the user must perform an action, so the clarity of the instructions is not harmed.

To further enhance the clarity of a document, some writers create a heading for product overview information and also format the infinitive phrase as a heading. These visual cues quickly lead users to the information that is most useful to them. A user who needs basic conceptual information about a function of a product can read the overview information before beginning the procedure, and an experienced user trying to remember the first step of a procedure can easily skip the overview information and locate the procedural information.

Conclusion

In conclusion, most technical communicators who responded to this style question prefer to introduce procedures with carefully constructed infinitive phrases, but were willing to use descriptive, complete sentences if the audience needs justified that choice.