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Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry, Third Edition, 3rd Edition
- By Sun Technical Publications
- Published Dec 17, 2009 by Pearson.
Book
- Sorry, this book is no longer in print.
Description
- Copyright 2010
- Dimensions: 7-1/2" x 9"
- Pages: 464
- Edition: 3rd
- Book
- ISBN-10: 0-13-705826-8
- ISBN-13: 978-0-13-705826-6
The definitive reference for technical writers, editors, and documentation managers, Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry, Third Edition,has been revised and updated to cover everything from creating screencasts and referencing web sites to writing for wikis.
This award-winning guide to creating clear, consistent, and easy-to-understand documentation covers everything from grammar and writing style to typographic and legal guidelines. The authors, who are senior editors and writers at Sun Microsystems, share their extensive experience and provide practical tips and recommendations, including guidance on hiring writers, working with illustrators, managing schedules and workflow, and more.
The third edition of Read Me First features new chapters on:
- Writing for wikis and encouraging wiki collaboration
- Creating screencasts, using screencast terminology, and guidelines for writing narration
- Creating alternative text for nontext elements such as screen captures, multimedia content, illustrations, and diagrams
Sample Content
Table of Contents
Preface 21
Chapter 1: Mechanics of Writing 25
Capitalization 25
Contractions 29
Gerunds and Participles 29
Numbers and Numerals 31
Pronouns 34
Technical Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Units of Measurement 35
Punctuation 39
Chapter 2: Constructing Text 57
Headings 58
Lists 62
Tables 70
Code Examples 75
Error Messages 76
Cross-References 77
Endnotes, Footnotes, and Bibliographies 79
Notes, Cautions, and Tips 82
Key Name Conventions 84
Symbol Name Conventions 87
Chapter 3: Writing Style 89
Why Is Style Important? 89
Stylistic Principles 90
Some Basic Elements of Style 90
Construct Scannable Paragraphs, Headings, and Lists 95
Write for the Reader 99
Avoid Style That Could Offend the Reader 102
Common Writing Problems to Avoid 105
Chapter 4: Structuring Information 113
Organization Schemes 113
Writing Short, Self-Contained Sections 118
Chapter 5: Online Writing Style 121
About These Guidelines 121
Solving Online Writing Problems 122
Creating an Effective Online Document Structure 122
Writing Online Topics 124
Constructing Scannable Text in Online Documents 124
Preserving Context in Online Documents 125
Chapter 6: Constructing Links 127
About These Guidelines 127
Where to Place Links 128
General Linking Strategies 129
Guidelines for Crafting Link Text 135
Chapter 7: Writing Tasks, Procedures, and Steps 139
Understanding the Relationship Among Tasks, Procedures, and Steps 139
Developing Task Information 140
Writing Procedures 149
Writing Steps 153
Checking for Structural Problems 162
Chapter 8: Writing for an International Audience 165
Guidelines for Writing for Translation 166
Cultural and Geographic Sensitivity 166
Definitions and Word Choice &nb