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Tips to write clearly

Tips to write clearly

Learn practical ways to improve your scholarly or professional writing.

Prepare to write clearly

Be concise & clutter-free

Use (basic) design

Writing clearly isn’t just about your sentences. It starts with good preparation.

Screenshot of one-page tips sheet.

RESOURCE: One-pager quick tips on writing clearly

Different documents need different structures

Different documents need different structures

Know what you want to say—a key to clearer writing

Know what you want to say—a key to clearer writing

Be consistent—a key to clearer writing

Be consistent—a key to clearer writing

Know the big picture before you start—a key to clearer writing

Know the big picture before you start—a key to clearer writing

Go into detail on how to write concise, clutter-free sentences.

How to use jargon effectively, responsibly, and inclusively

How to use jargon effectively, responsibly, and inclusively

Quick tip: Rephrase negatives into positives

Quick tip: Rephrase negatives into positives

decorative images of darts hitting target

3 tips to write succinctly

decorative image of wall packed with books

3 ways to cut the clutter from your writing

Plain language for academic & professional writing

Plain language for academic & professional writing

Even non-designers can use basic design principles to make your writing clearer.

PRACTICE Do these charts tell a story?

PRACTICE Do these charts tell a story?

Bar chart titled "The workshop was effective". Y-axis is percentage of learners who said they had a good understanding of the topic. For 6 topics (described on x-axis), there is a bar for before and after. Each bar is labeled with its percentage value.

4 ways to make charts that tell your story

Non-designers can design for better readability: 3 simple principles

Non-designers can design for better readability: 3 simple principles

Attempts of a non-designer to visually present information so it's clear

Attempts of a non-designer to visually present information so it’s clear

Cover of book: The non-designer's design book by Robin Williams

BOOK: The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams

The word "design"

Plain language: Using design elements for clear communication

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