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Use keyboard shortcut.
Access, as a verb, is
usually too general. Use a more specific word.
Problem: Access the application.
Example: Start the application.
Affect is generally
used as a verb.
Example: Changing weather affects
my sinuses.
See effect.
Avoid using allow when
referring to software features.
Problem: The software allows
you to adjust the color of a photo.
Example: Using the software,
you can adjust the color of a photo.
Use between when describing
two things.
Example: I couldn't decide
between this and that.
Use among when describing
three or more things.
Example: I couldn't decide
among all these choices.
Use is displayed instead
of appears.
Use appendixes instead
of appendices.
One word, no hyphen. Initial
cap.
Use display or open
instead of bring up.
Definition: A mechanism on
a pointing device, such as a mouse, that users use to perform actions.
A graphical device on the interface that lets the user perform an action
with one click. See also radio button.
Use submenu.
Two words. No hyphen.
Definition: A square, button-like
box associated with a user-selectable option. When selected, the box may
be filled, checked, contain an "x" or appear pushed in. Check boxes may
be grouped together in a box with a title. More than one check box can
be checked.
Example: Check the Clear All Change Bars check box.
Avoid using choose.
Select is usually more explicit.
Use click to describe
mouse actions only. Use select to describe
GUI actions.
Example: Click the right mouse
button to display the pop-up menu.
Use has instead of consists
of.
Criterion is singular;
criteria are plural.
The word data is singular.
Example: Data is stored on
tape.
One word. No space, no hyphen.
Two words. No hyphen.
There is no desire in technical
documentation. Use want instead of desire.
The background on the screen
where all windows and icons are displayed.
A list of choices displayed
when the user clicks the right mouse button with the mouse pointer positioned
on the desktop.
Hyphenate double-click
when used as a verb.
Example: Double-click the left
mouse button.
Hyphenate. Drop-down
may be omitted if there are no plain list boxes on the window.
Definition: A list box displayed
on the GUI as a rectangle with an activation button on the right side.
When users select this button, a list is displayed. After users select
an item from the list, the list box collapses to a rectangle that displays
the selection.
Use for example instead
of e.g.
Effect is generally
used as a noun.
Example: One effect of changing
weather is aching sinuses.
See affect.
electronic mail (contraction)
back to top
Use email, no hyphen,
no capital letter.
Two words. No hyphen unless
used as an adjective.
See also superuser.
Use type
for text that the user inputs.
Example: Type the name on the
command line.
Use and so on or and
the like instead of etc.
Use fewer when referring
to specific numbers and measurements, and use less when referring
to general amounts.
Examples:
If a customer orders fewer
than 10 CDs but more than five, the customer receives a free CD. NOT:
If a customer orders less than 10 CDs ...
It takes less time to fill
orders when your company uses our application.
A part of the interface where
users can type information to add data to or search a database.
One word.
Gray is American English;
grey is British. Use gray.
One word as an adjective; two
words as a noun.
One word.
Use press or select
instead of hit. Use press for keyboard
actions and select for GUI operations.
Problem: Hit the Enter key.
Examples: Press Enter.
Select the File menu, then Open.
Two words.
Definition: A graphical representation
of an object that users can select and open, such as a minimized application
window.
Use ID as the abbreviation
for identification.
Use that is instead
of i.e.
Do not use impact as
a verb. Use affect instead.
Use indexes instead
of indices.
Use open or start
instead of invoke.
Example: Start the screen saver
by pressing Esc.
Do not use is designed to.
Problem: The software is designed
to sort tables.
Example: The software sorts
tables.
A key or sequence of keys used
to perform actions like displaying menus or dismissing windows.
labeled, labeling vs. labelled,
labelling back to top
Use labeled and labeling.
Avoid using launch.
Use start or open when appropriate.
Problem: Launch the application.
Example: Start the application.
Use left.
See fewer
vs. less.
Two words. List is also
acceptable.
Definition: A box containing
a list of items users can select.
See also
drop-down list box.
Do not use main window.
Definition: The button that
is in the top right corner of the window and is to the right of the minimize
button. It expands a window to its maximum size.
May implies permission.
Use can when appropriate.
Use menus, not menu
bar.
Definition: A list from which
the user can select choices to execute associated commands.
Do not use menu bar.
Problem: Select File
from the menu bar and choose Open.
Example: Select the File
menu, then Open.
Use menu choice for
items listed on menus, not menu pick or menu option.
Use choice
for things on menus.
Definition: The button that
is in the top right corner of the window and is to the left of the maximize
button. It reduces a window to an icon.
modeled, modeling vs. modelled,
modelling back to top
Use modeled and modeling.
No hyphen. See The Chicago
Manual of Style for exceptions.
Example: multimedia, multitasking
Use online, no hyphen.
Use onscreen, no hyphen.
An area of the window used
to group window items by function. Panes are often enclosed by a titled
box or shading that makes the pane appear raised.
parenthesis/parentheses back
to top
Parenthesis is singular;
parentheses is plural. Usually used in plural form.
Use choice
for things on menus.
Avoid in user documentation
and in training materials. Use display, or rewrite the sentence.
Use of populate in system
documentation is acceptable.
No hyphen. See The Chicago
Manual of Style for exceptions.
A menu that is displayed when
the user right-clicks on a designated part of the interface, such as the
desktop menu.
No hyphen. See The Chicago
Manual of Style for exceptions.
Example: predefined
Use press for keyboard
actions. Use select for GUI actions.
Example: Press Enter
to continue.
Example: Select the Apply
button.
Do not use pull-down menu,
just menu. (All menus are pull-down menus--unless they're pop-up
menus.) Use drop-down for lists.
Definition: A round button
assigned to a user-selectable option. Only one button in a group of radio
buttons can be selected. Radio buttons may be grouped together by type.
If they are displayed in a box with a title, the box should not be called
a pane.
Example: On the ChangeAddress
window, select one of the Requested By radio buttons.
Problem: From the Requested
By pane, select the Customer radio button.
Example: Select the Requested By Customer radio button.
No hyphen, unless the word
is confusing without it.
One word. No hyphen.
Use right.
As a noun, use two words. Hyphenate
when using as an adjective.
Use screen only to describe
the panel on the front of the monitor. Always use window to describe
a part of the GUI.
Two words.
Do not use.
Use for GUI actions. Use press
for keyboard actions. Use click only to
describe using a mouse button.
Example: Select the Apply
button.
Example: Press Enter
to continue.
Use keyboard
shortcut.
Do not use simple or
simply to describe a feature or step.
Use click
instead of single-click.
Use to describe the GUI object
that the user slides back and forth to adjust a numeric value.
Use space bar to refer
to the space bar on the keyboard.
Hyphenated.
Noun form is one word: "The
configuration file is read at startup."
Adjectival form is hyphenated:
"The names are in the start-up file."
Note that the verb form should
be start, not start up.
Definition: An area of the
window that displays system messages. The status line may be part of a
toolbar or it may stand alone.
If there are buttons on either
side of the status line, only the area where messages are displayed is
called a status line. The buttons and status line together are called
a toolbar.
A menu that you select from
another menu. The menu choice with an arrow beside it is the submenu name.
Example: From the Group
menu, select the List submenu, then By Skills.
A choice you select from a
submenu.
Example: From the Group
menu, select the List submenu, then By Skills.
One word. See also end
user.
Definition: A part of the interface
that looks like the name area on a file folder. It is used to group window
items by function. When the user selects a tab, it is displayed in front
of all other tabs.
Do not use as gender-neutral
singular. Instead, rewrite the sentence so that it doesn't require a pronoun,
or make it plural. See also gender.
Problem: When the user looks
at their screen, they crash the system.
Example: Look at your screen
to crash the system.
Example: When users look at
their screens, they crash the system.
One word.
Definition: Toolbars have one
or more buttons and may include other window items such as status lines
and fields.
Use type instead of
enter.
Example: Type your name to
start the program.
Always put periods in the abbreviation
for United States.
Use use instead of utilize.
user name
Two words. No caps. If interface
shows term as one word, use one word.
web site
Two words.
All lowercase.
Definition: This button, in
the upper left corner of most windows, displays a list of window control
choices
Use want instead of
wish.
One word. No hyphen.
One word. No hyphen.
Copyright © 1997-2001
Scriptorium Publishing Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last update: May 29, 2001.
Maintained by Alan Pringle.
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