Style and writing guide
Tips for writing clearly
- Say exactly what you mean using the simplest words.
- Put the most important information first.
- Check the style guide.
- Average sentence length is 15 to 25 words.
- Use active language wherever you can.
- Break up blocks of text with headings and lists.
- Use capital letters sparingly.
- Remove any words you do not need.
- Read aloud before you send or save.
- Imagine you’re the reader. Is it quick and easy for them to read?
Tools
- Scottish Government readability guide.
- Social Security Scotland writing guide.
- The ‘Editor’ function in Word and Outlook checks your content’s readability:
- Select ‘Review’.
- Select ‘Editor’.
- If you’re in Word, set the writing style to ‘Professional’.
- Check document statistics. Consider the improvements.
- Correct the problems.