HP TextEngineer Technical Writing Guide - Manual (Page 4)

Company Writer's Guide
[For Illustration Only] 1-4
3. Be assertive in your writing. Examples include:
•
Use “will” not “may,” “plan to,” or “would.” Use “plan” only as a noun or in the strict
sense of planning and scheduling.
•
Use “shall” only in discussing project or regulatory requirements.
•
Use “ensure,” not “insure.” “Assure” is not as forceful as “ensure.” However, use
“assure” in quality assurance discussions.
4. Avoid a tutorial writing style. “First one must . . . then one does . . . and after these steps,
one logically progresses to. . .”
5. Be consistent with terminology. Use terms as agreed with the customer in commercial
agreements and elsewhere. Defer to customer terminology, not ours.
1.2 ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, TRADEMARKS, AND SYMBOLS
Abbreviations, acronyms, trademarks, and symbols should be consistent throughout the
deliverables and consistent with generally accepted usage. Acronyms should be used sparingly in
the text, particularly in international projects. Acronyms are used in parentheses following the
spelled-out form in the first reference.
A team may produce a list of the most common acronyms for their project.
Appendix A contains the most commonly used trademark references. Initial uses of trademarked
names appear with “®” or “™” as appropriate.
Appendix B provides a list of company-approved abbreviations and symbols.
Use only those abbreviations, acronyms, or symbols that are common in our industry and that are
defined.
When using “a” or “an” before an abbreviation or acronym, make sure that the article agrees with
the initial sound of the term as it is normally pronounced. The article “a” precedes a consonant
sound, and “an” precedes a vowel sound.