Assistants, documentation

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Use the following terms and phrases. Also, note the given spellings.

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Assistants, wizards

You can use either assistant or wizard. When in doubt, use the term assistant because it’s less idiomatic.

Capitalize the words assistant and wizard only when the word is part of a name.

Yes:

Use the Print Assistant to ….

Yes:

Use the assistant to ….

An assistant or wizard consists of a sequence of pages.

Yes:

On the first page of the wizard, ….

Tips

When the user holds the pointer over a button or other control, a tip may appear.
Don’t use: tooltip, infotip

Yes:

The tip explains ….

Help

In general, use the short form help rather than the lengthy form online help. Use online help only if you want to point out the difference to a printed manual.

Capitalize only when referring to the complete name of a program’s help.

No:

See online help for more information.

Yes:

See help for more information.

Yes:

See DemoSoft Help for more information.

The button that users can press to open help is the Help button.
Don’t use: ?, question mark, ?-button, question-mark button

Don’t use how-to as a noun.

No:

Help provides how-tos on ….

Yes:

Help provides how-to information on ….

Manuals

In general, avoid the term manual as a synonym for book, guide, or other specific terms referring to product documentation.

When possible, use the title of the book itself.

No:

See the manual for more information.

Yes:

See the DemoSoft User’s Guide for more information.

Chapters, topics

Only use the term chapter in a printed manual. In online help, use topic.

When generating printed manuals and online help from the same text base (single source publishing), use topic, which is the more neutral term. Topic is acceptable for both printed manuals and online help. However, often the best solution is to avoid the terms chapter and topic altogether.
Don’t use: entry, article

Yes:

The topic “Customizing the layout” provides further information.

Top:

For more information, see “Customizing the layout.”

Screen shots, screen captures

Avoid the terms screen shot, screen capture , and screen dump in user documentation. Use picture.

Tip:
If you need to explicitly mention a particular picture within your text, this is often an indicator that you should restructure the topic. Position the picture closer to the text that talks about the picture. Consider adding visual clues or callouts to the picture that point out the elements that you’re talking about. Then, you don’t have to mention the picture in your text at all because it’s evident what you mean.

No:

As you can see in the screen shot, the text is now bold.

Yes:

As you can see in the picture, the text is now bold.

Top:

The text is now bold. (On the picture, add an arrow that points to the bold text, or add a callout that says, “Text is now bold.”)