Effective writing

The University publishes a wide range of material, from annual reports to websites, invitations to marketing brochures. All of them are more effective if the writing is clear and consistent. Here are our top 10 tips for writing clear and effective English:

1. Use the style guide.
   Remember that when writing for a University publication you are representing the University. Refer to the University's Editorial Style Guide. to ensure your text is consistent with our recommended style. University publications, both in print and online, will perform most effectively if they are written in a consistent style, just as they should share a common visual style.
2. Consult Web and Print Production before you start writing.
   Often we may be able to provide you with generic text that saves you from writing introductory material about the University and its core activities.
3. Be relevant.
   Ask yourself "so what?" Is the information you are providing vital to the publication? Would your message be simpler if some text was omitted?
4. Engage your reader immediately.
   Whether you're writing a course prospectus or a newsletter, whether online or in print, it is important to provide the reader with the key information as soon as possible.
   Try listing 10 words that are crucial to your message. That list will provide you with the key to your opening sentences, which should include most of your chosen words.
5. Think about structure.
   The "inverted pyramid" method – ordering your text in declining order of importance – is often used by journalists and can also be useful when writing University publications so that a prospective student, for example, immediately knows whether the publication or website is relevant.
6. Be logical.
   Make sure your text has a logical progression, so that each sentence and paragraph moves on to the next like a link in a chain. One way is to use subheadings or a short "signpost" sentence which summarises your next theme.
7. Be clear and simple.
   Always choose your language with your audience in mind. The University has many terms and acronyms that may appear mysterious to external readers or prospective students. For example, many people would not understand this sentence: "SEG will discuss how it manages the University's links with SUPRA and its input into the SWOT program".
8. Avoid using excessive words.
   A short, simple sentence is easy to read and communicates an idea clearly. Long phrases, peppered with needless subclauses and jargon, confuse. One way to avoid overlong phrases is to count the number of words you are using. Once you get to 40 words it's time to hit the full stop key, or look for ways to break your sentence up.
9. Don't get weighed down by unnecessary detail.
   Ask whether the reader really needs to know an individual's full academic title, or the entire name of a unit of study. Such details, if really needed, can often be provided in a footnote or table that accompanies the text.
10. Proofread.
    When you've finished writing, read your text back to yourself (preferably a day or two later). Have you used consistent language? Try reading tricky passages aloud. If you struggle to do so, your reader will almost certainly find it difficult to understand.

George Orwell's six simple rules

Good editing advice has been around a long time. George Orwell set out six invaluable guidelines in his 1946 essay "Politics and the English Language" – prophetic advice that was to become increasingly relevant as large sectors of the publishing world evolved towards the ‘"plain English" model.

All six of Orwell’s rules are still highly appropriate for the work we do, which is why we repeat them here:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything barbarous.

Of course some of these rules may not always apply in the University context. For example, we often have to use scientific words. However, our publications should always be written in an accessible manner that engages the audience.

Resources

There are many external resources that provide tips on good writing. The Australian Government's Style Manual has a comprehensive section on writing and editing. It is published by John Wiley & Sons in print form only (as at September 2011). The Economist newspaper has a clear usable online guide (please note, as of July 2011 the guide is temporarily offline, but their blog on previous style guide entries is very interesting).