Style

Style encompasses diction, rhythm, voice, tone, and the writer's attitude toward the subject and the audience. Technical prose can be crafted in different ways. When selecting an appropriate style. The writer considers audience, subject matter, writer's purpose, and various other conditions.

The principles of good writing style are the same for electronic documents as they are for paper documents, but applying these principles is more difficult in an electronic environment. It is important to maintain a consistence style throughout, since inconsistency confuses readers. And while the principles of good writing style are the same for electronic documents as they are for paper documents, applying these principles is more difficult in an electronic environment.

To ensure that the document achieves the communication goals:

• Use short, simple, familiar words
• Use concrete terms
• Create effective sentences
  • Write active sentences
  • Make positive assertions
  • Keep sentences simple
• Avoid unnecessary jargon or computer terminology
• Express ideas precisely
• Write for the literal-minded reader
• Consider cultural and language differences
• Assume nonsequential scanning of material
• Keep paragraphs short

To write computer-accessed documents, it is necessary to apply the principles of clear, concise writing while accounting for the difference between electronic and paper documentation.