Writing for the web

Good writing principles that apply to print, apply equally to websites. If information does not meet user expectations it will not be successful.

Readability
Research has shown that reading from a computer screen is 25% slower than from print. You can help your users to efficiently locate the information they are looking for by adhering to the following principles:

• avoid jargon and provide explanations for terms used
• be consistent in language and style
• make page and content headings meaningful  - if it is not what users are seeking, they can move on without reading further
• highlight key information with bold or bulleted and numbered lists
• limit each paragraph to one idea and state what it is in the first sentence
• don’t mix second and third person, or the impersonal: you/they
• avoid passive phrases, eg. 'The University requires that .....",  rather than "Students are required by the University to .... "
• where substantial content is required, precede this with a summary
• organise information into multiple pages with an index, rather than one long page and avoid large tables of data
• avoid repetition, excess verbiage, superlatives and vague claims
• many users access sites directly from search engines bypassing your website structure. Pages in this context should be meaningful and stand-alone.

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