Topic titles: what verb form?
by Marcia Poulsen, member, CNY chapter and Online SIG
Should writers use gerunds in topic titles, for example, “Balancing the Checkbook”?
There’s been some excellent, thought-provoking discussion on STC’s Online SIG list on this question recently. It’s a question that I’ve wrestled with for a while, not just for online Help but for topic-based writing in any medium. I’ve read everything I could get my hands on about topic-based (modular) writing, I’ve studied examples of online Help, and I’ve debated this question with anyone who’s interested.
Some people like gerunds in titles (I’m one), some hate them passionately, some don’t care. There are legitimate arguments for each point of view.
There doesn’t seem to be a consensus other than to be consistent within a particular Help system or document set. I’ve seen helpful documentation that uses gerunds and helpful documentation that doesn’t. However, in my unscientific observations, gerunds seem less ubiquitous than they used to be and imperatives (“Balance the Checkbook”) more common.
Screen size is a factor. If you’re dealing with a handheld device, for example, the space that the “ing” takes up is not trivial. In that case, using the imperative makes economical sense. When users will be reading from a larger screen, I prefer the gerund because the heading itself is not yet telling someone to “do something now,” which is what an imperative is all about. I admit that this is a purist argument. People do understand that an imperative in a title is not a direct command.
It has been said that gerunds can be problematic for translators. It has also been said that any adequate translator knows how to translate gerunds.
Syntax might affect search rankings. The title “Balancing the Checkbook” is not an exact match for the search entry “balance checkbook.” I don’t know which syntax is more common in search entries, but I’d guess that most people don’t bother with “ing.” Anyone have data on this issue?
Some people argue for the shortest possible title even for tasks, for example, “Checkbook.” I’m a believer that task titles should start with some kind of verb, either gerund or imperative or infinitive. Readers can scan more quickly for what they want if each title’s syntax gives cues about information type: Is this a concept topic? A task topic? A reference topic? Well-formed topics will generally be one of these three types. (Kurt Ament’s book “Single Sourcing: Building Modular Documentation” has a good discussion of the importance of a title’s syntax for communicating information type.) There is a lot to say about developing good topics. Heading syntax is just one characteristic. My presentation on the three core topic types is posted on this site.
One common choice for task heading syntax (my favorite approach where space allows) uses all three verb forms in a meaningful way: the gerund signals the top-level topic title, the infinitive signals “Here’s where the steps begin,” and the imperative tells you “do something now.” This combination approach is particularly helpful when a task topic includes several subtasks that fit under the main topic heading, as shown in Example 2.
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Example 1:
BALANCING THE CHECKBOOK
[One or more sentences go here to clarify the context for this topic. Must add value and not just restate the title.]
To Balance the Checkbook
1. Do this.
2. Do that.
3. Do the other.
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Example 2:
RECORDING A VIDEO
[One or more context-setting sentences.]
To Start Recording Using the Menus
1. Do this.
2. Do that.
3. Do the other.
To Quick-Record Bypassing the Menus
1. Do this.
2. Do that.To Pause Recording
Do this. [No number needed for single action.]
To Stop Recording
Do this.
———————————-
There you have it, the results of my research and thinking. To “ing” or not to “ing,” that’s now your question.
August 25th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
With Neil Perlin’s permission, I’m sharing here a comment he e-mailed on Aug. 25:
I largely agree with your points re infinitive vs. gerund vs. imperative in titles. I haven’t used the full infinitive - “To balance your checkbook” - for years because the “To” is a waste of screen space and adds nothing by way of meaning. I use the gerund, though I can’t give you a reason why other than personal preference. (Your point about the “ing” wasting space on handheld device screens is a good one that may move me away from the gerund over time.) I’ve avoided the imperative form for the same reason you suggest - some readers may take it literally. In a nutshell, I agree with the “keep it simple and consistent” approach.