Problem words
This section lists words that are frequently misused. Avoid using the words marked with the hazard icon
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accelerator key
Use keyboard shortcut.
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Access, as a verb, is usually too general. Use a more specific word.
Problem: Access the application.
Example: Start the application.
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Affect is generally used as a verb.
Example: Changing weather affects my sinuses.
See effect.
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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.
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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.
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Use is displayed instead of appears.
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Use appendixes instead of appendices.
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One word, no hyphen. Initial cap.
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Use display or open instead of bring up.
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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.
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Use submenu.
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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.
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Avoid using choose. Select is usually more explicit.
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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.
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Use has instead of consists of.
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Criterion is singular; criteria are plural.
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The word data is singular.
Example: Data is stored on tape.
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One word. No space, no hyphen.
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Two words. No hyphen.
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There is no desire in technical documentation. Use want instead of desire.
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The background on the screen where all windows and icons are displayed.
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A list of choices displayed when the user clicks the right mouse button with the mouse pointer positioned on the desktop.
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Hyphenate double-click when used as a verb.
Example: Double-click the left mouse button.
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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.
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Use for example instead of e.g.
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Effect is generally used as a noun.
Example: One effect of changing weather is aching sinuses.
See affect.
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Use email, no hyphen, no capital letter.
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Two words. No hyphen unless used as an adjective.
See also superuser.
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Use type for text that the user inputs.
Example: Type the name on the command line.
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Use and so on or and the like instead of etc.
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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.
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A part of the interface where users can type information to add data to or search a database.
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One word.
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Gray is American English; grey is British. Use gray.
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One word as an adjective; two words as a noun.
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One word.
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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.
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Two words.
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Definition: A graphical representation of an object that users can select and open, such as a minimized application window.
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Use ID as the abbreviation for identification.
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Use that is instead of i.e.
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Do not use impact as a verb. Use affect instead.
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Use indexes instead of indices.
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Use open or start instead of invoke.
Example: Start the screen saver by pressing Esc.
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Do not use is designed to.
Problem: The software is designed to sort tables.
Example: The software sorts tables.
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A key or sequence of keys used to perform actions like displaying menus or dismissing windows.
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Use labeled and labeling.
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Avoid using launch. Use start or open when appropriate.
Problem: Launch the application.
Example: Start the application.
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Use left.
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See fewer vs. less.
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Two words. List is also acceptable.
Definition: A box containing a list of items users can select.
See also drop-down list box.
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Do not use main window.
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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.
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May implies permission. Use can when appropriate.
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Use menus, not menu bar.
Definition: A list from which the user can select choices to execute associated commands.
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Do not use menu bar.
Problem: Select File from the menu bar and choose Open.
Example: Select the File menu, then Open.
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Use menu choice for items listed on menus, not menu pick or menu option.
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Use choice for things on menus.
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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.
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Use modeled and modeling.
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No hyphen. See The Chicago Manual of Style for exceptions.
Example: multimedia, multitasking
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Use online, no hyphen.
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Use onscreen, no hyphen.
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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.
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Parenthesis is singular; parentheses is plural. Usually used in plural form.
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Use choice for things on menus.
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Avoid in user documentation and in training materials. Use display, or rewrite the sentence.
Use of populate in system documentation is acceptable.
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No hyphen. See The Chicago Manual of Style for exceptions.
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A menu that is displayed when the user right-clicks on a designated part of the interface, such as the desktop menu.
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No hyphen. See The Chicago Manual of Style for exceptions.
Example: predefined
press (verb)
Use press for keyboard actions. Use select for GUI actions.
Example: Press Enter to continue.
Example: Select the Apply button.
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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.
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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.
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No hyphen, unless the word is confusing without it.
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One word. No hyphen.
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Use right.
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As a noun, use two words. Hyphenate when using as an adjective.
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Use screen only to describe the panel on the front of the monitor. Always use window to describe a part of the GUI.
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Two words.
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Do not use.
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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.
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Use keyboard shortcut.
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Do not use simple or simply to describe a feature or step.
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Use click instead of single-click.
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Use to describe the GUI object that the user slides back and forth to adjust a numeric value.
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Use space bar to refer to the space bar on the keyboard.
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Hyphenated.
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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.
status lineDefinition: 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.
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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.
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A choice you select from a submenu.
Example: From the Group menu, select the List submenu, then By Skills.
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One word. See also end user.
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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.
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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.
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One word.
Definition: Toolbars have one or more buttons and may include other window items such as status lines and fields.
typeUse type instead of enter.
Example: Type your name to start the program.
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Always put periods in the abbreviation for United States.
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Use use instead of utilize.
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Two words. No caps. If interface shows term as one word, use one word.
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Two words.
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All lowercase.
Definition: This button, in the upper left corner of most windows, displays a list of window control choices
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Use want instead of wish.
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One word. No hyphen.
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One word. No hyphen.

