Writing for your audience
Whatever your medium, it’s important to think about your target audience. Tailor your content to what they want to know as much as what you want to tell them.In an academic institution such as a university, much of what is written assumes a certain level of expertise. Formal documentation such as committee papers, regulations or strategies often demand a particular style appropriate to their purpose. A brochure targeting academics will be written in a different style from a leaflet for freshers, for example.
However, most of our external audiences will prefer an easier, more relaxed style of writing, so tailor your language to your audience.
Key message
The reader needs to know at a glance what the page is about and whether it will interest them. Make sure your first heading and paragraph make this clear. Don’t repeat information they already know, such as ‘This is the Department of X’ when the title already makes that clear. You can give more detail under new headings or on new pages as you develop your subject.Be aware, too, that most readers will skip “Welcome” messages and introductory marketing content, so keep these to a minimum and make them informative.
Tone of voice
Think about how you want your readers to perceive the University. You can achieve a more informal, friendly and welcoming approach by calling the reader ‘you’ and referring to us as ‘we’. Try to imagine you are talking to a potential student.If you use ‘active’ verbs rather than ‘passive’ verbs, this will also help to create a crisper, more direct style:
- The student was enrolled by the University. [passive]
The University enrolled the student. [active]
- The course was offered by the School. [passive]
The School offered the course. [active]
- “We decided” inspires more confidence than “it was decided”.
Write simply
Long, complex sentences can be difficult to follow, especially for dyslexic readers. Remember, too, that you may be writing for users for whom English is a second language. So try to keep structure and vocabulary simple.Short sentences can be more punchy and can convey ideas quickly. As a guide, aim to keep sentence length to no more than about 30 words.
Also try to use vocabulary appropriate to your audience and don’t use long words where short ones will do. There are often simpler or more commonly used versions of words that can be substituted. Examples include:
- Come to the conclusion - conclude
- Commence - begin
- Enable - help
- Facilitate - help
- Give assistance - help
- Henceforth - from now on
- Permissible - allowed
- Predominant - main
- Require - need
- Substantial - large
- Terminate - end
- Utilise - use
Cut the jargon
‘Jargon’ is the term for expressions that are used as a sort of ‘private’ language by specific groups of people. In these circles it becomes everyday language and the users forget that outsiders may not understand it easily. Those who work in education are notorious offenders. Typical examples are acronyms or initialisation of organisation titles (HEFCE, QAA, UUK, EPSRC).Another form of jargon is caused by an assumption of knowledge (alumni, registry, ordinances and Senate). For an academic audience, these are perfectly acceptable, but for a non-specialist audience they may mean little.
Avoid clichés and hyperbole
In promotional and marketing publications and web pages, it is easy to slip into exaggerated claims and descriptions. Use expressions such as ‘cutting edge’ and ‘first class’ sparingly and only where they can be substantiated.If you claim to be the best, or to be the top of a league table, link your claim to the evidence.
