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Writing guide

  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconPreparing to get your message out
    • The message
    • The audience
    • Packaging
    • Drawing up a skeleton
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconWriting to be read
    • How people read: print and online publications
    • Practical tips for achieving a plain, clear writing style
    • Plain language
    • Plain structure
    • The paragraph
    • Tools for effective writing
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconStyle
    • UK English vs US English
    • Words to use and words to avoid
    • Nouns and Verbs
    • Capitalisation
    • Hyphens
    • Compound words
    • Singular and plural
    • Digital dialect
    • Numbers and dates
    • Abbreviations and acronyms
    • Countries and currencies
    • Signatures and names
    • Punctuation
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconFormatting
    • Chapter titles and headings
    • Lists
    • Visuals: tables, graphs, diagrams
    • Table of contents
    • Headings
    • Quoted matter
    • Bold and italics
    • Footnotes
    • Other tools
  • Folder icon closed Folder open iconReferences and bibliographies
    • References
    • Bibliographies
    • Sample bibliographical entries
Preparing to get your message out

The audience

Next, take some time to define your key audience. Just as with your key message, if you cannot narrow your audience down to one group or a few very closely related groups, you should consider several publications.

Poor example:

You are writing the final report of an EU-funded project supporting the introduction of entrepreneurship in VET curricula in Moldova. You are writing it mostly for the European Commission, who have funded the programme, but also for policymakers in Moldova so they can use it to roll out results to a broader audience. They can then use the publication as an instructional guide for the involved teachers. You also want to make sure your colleagues, inside and outside the ETF, can learn from it.

Alternative:

Write a short final report for the project based on the specifications in the Terms of Reference. The funders asked you to write it so they will be eager to read it. You do not need to hold their attention. 
Your colleagues will be unlikely to read your report. Organise a meeting with your colleagues to share the results. If you are incredibly lucky, one or two Moldovan policymakers will read half of the executive summary to the report. No more. Instead, get their attention by interviewing the education minister for a short video about the programme. Post it on Open Space and link to this on LinkedIn. Write a short and concise policy briefing to inform colleagues in international organisations. Post it on Open Space and LinkedIn. This can also double as a refresher for those who were directly involved. It may be worth printing.

Ask the Communications Unit to write a blog about the project.

Develop an online resource for the teachers which explains the importance of entrepreneurship in VET curricula for a country like Moldova and link to practical resources they can use to implement it in their schools.

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