HP TextEngineer Technical Writing Guide - Manual (Page 3)

Company Writer's Guide
[For Illustration Only] 1-3
3. Make sure that your graphics clearly support information in the text. Have you chosen the
most illustrative graphics in each section? Is there a difficult passage of text that you could
elucidate with a figure?
Verb Tenses
As a general rule, use the present tense. For example, “our design includes” (not “will include” or
“included”); “our Project Team is ready” (not “will be ready”). However, use future tense when
describing project activities still to be performed. Also, use future tense in outline revisions when
describing what completed sections will contain.
Use past tense when discussing completed project activities, observations from walkdowns, and the
results of studies and tests already performed. “The controls analysis showed that…”
Active versus Passive Voice
Use active voice to raise impact. Examples include:
Passive: Procedures were initiated to reduce plant accidents.
Active: The company initiated procedures to reduce plant accidents.
Passive voice is acceptable, and is used often in customer documents, in a particular situation –
when the object in the sentence must have emphasis over the subject.
Example: The Quality Plan must be followed by all subcontractors.
Additional Guidance
1. Avoid pathetic fallacy, that is, giving inanimate objects actions or responsibilities. Examples
include:
•
The Management Plan ensures . . . (a plan cannot ensure)
• The program is enjoying success . . . (a program cannot enjoy)
• The site must consider . . . (a site cannot consider)
2. The word “comprise” means to include or to be made up of. A large entity cannot “be
comprised of” smaller things. It comprises them.