Writing for the Web:
Guidelines for MIT Libraries

Web Advisory Group > Writing for the Web > Writing Guidelines

Use words users know

Your audiences are almost always broader than you think.

• If your site is for the public, avoid internal language.
• If your site is internal only, consider how many different audiences you have inside.

Instead of this:	Try this:
circulation	borrowing library items checking out a book
interlibrary borrowing	borrowing items from other libraries ordering articles from non-MIT libraries
RSC	Request an item from storage: Retrospective Collection (RSC)

 

Use simple words

Even highly educated people read simpler words faster.

Instead of this:	Try this:
obtain	get
prior to	before
purchase	buy
request	ask for
subsequent	next
terminate	end
utilize	use

 

 Writing Guidelines
 useful headings |  headings2 |  first few words |  active voice
 set the context |  use lists |  imperatives |  parallelisms
 simpler words |  fragments |  descriptive links |  combine guidelines

 

  hennig@mit.edu
29 July 99