Chapter 1 – Development Process – covers the whole process of writing a manual from beginning to end, including deciding on what type of manual you should be writing, planning the manual, writing and reviewing drafts, and reviewing and approving the final draft. In Appendix C, we’ve also included a checklist of steps covering the process from beginning to end.
Chapter 2 – Structure and Organization – covers the different ways you can structure and organize a revisable manual, including
modularizing the contents, methods of organization, establishing the text and heading hierarchy, using numbering systems, and cross-referencing.
Chapter 3 – Standard Contents – covers the standard sections at the front and back of manuals including the title page, Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) page, table of contents, list of figures, index, introduction, glossary, appendices, and reader feedback card.
Chapter 4 – Page Design and Layout – covers page design options, headers and footers, headings, and the standard typographic conventions used in manuals.
Chapter 5 – Methods of Presentation – covers the alternatives to narrative text (writing in sentences and paragraphs), including when to use bullet lists, tables, step-by-step procedures, illustrations and other forms of graphics.
Chapter 6 – Writing Style – covers word choice, use of acronyms and abbreviations, sentence length and syntax, verb choice and form, gender inclusiveness, and some common usage errors. In Appendix E, we’ve included lists of words, idioms, compound prepositions, overly formal phrases, and redundant expressions to avoid, as well as their plain language equivalents.
Chapter 7 – Word Processing – covers using your word processor to best advantage, including maintaining files, creating tables of contents, indexes and cross-references, and some tips on formatting.
Chapter 8 – Printing and Binding – covers producing manuals including methods of reproduction, preparing a camera-ready copy, preparing the printing specifications, having the manual printed, and obtaining binders and divider tabs.
Chapter 9 – Distribution and Maintenance – covers deciding who should get a copy of the manual, preparing the distribution list and distributing the manual, keeping the manual up-to-date, and preparing online manuals.
Appendix A – Bibliography on Writing Manuals – contains a list of publications covering subjects of interest to manual writers.
Appendix B – Checklist of Manual Development Process – contains a checklist of steps in developing a manual.
Appendix C – Manual Templates – contains a series of templates that you can download and use for your manual, and instructions for using them. The templates cover chapter-level, 2-level, and 3-level manuals, and are provided in Word for Windows, Word for the Macintosh, and WordPerfect versions.
Appendix D – Plain Language Alternatives – contains lists of words, idioms, compound prepositions, overly formal phrases, and redundant expressions to avoid, as well as their plain language equivalents.
Appendix E – Quick Reference – contains an alphabetically organized list of rules covering word usage, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, typographic conventions, units of measurement and writing style.
Appendix F – Binders and Tabs – contains an o-ring and d-ring binder capacity table.
Glossary – an alphabetical list of technical terms relating to preparing manuals and their definitions. Many of the words listed have been italicized and defined in the text.
Index – an alphabetical list of topics, keywords, and synonyms used in this guidebook.
