Choose short, everyday words. In general, use the simplest word that conveys your meaning (for example, "get" can work just as well as "obtain.") Avoid using a phrase where a single word will do.
Avoid using jargon and buzzwords. If you need to introduce a technical term, italicize it and provide a brief explanation when you first use it. For all modular manuals, repeat the explanation the first time the word is used in each module. All technical terms that need an explanation should also be in the glossary.
Minimize the use of acronyms as much as possible. They confuse novices, and even experts sometimes forget what they mean. When you do use them, spell them out the first time in each module with the acronym in parentheses [for example, "what-you-see-is-what-you-get (wysiwyg)"]. Don’t capitalize the spelled-out term unless the term would normally be capitalized.
Avoid abbreviations except where the abbreviated form is more commonly used than the full term (for example, "am" and "pm") For common abbreviations such as "e.g.," "i.e.," and "etc.," the English equivalent is preferred. Don’t mix the two.
| Abbreviation | English equivalent |
|
e.g. (exempli gratia) |
for example |
|
i.e. (id est) |
that is |
|
etc. (et cetera) |
and so on, and so forth |
If you choose to use these abbreviations, use lower case and separate the abbreviation from the following text by a comma (e.g., like this).
