Writing Effective Policies and Procedures: A Step-By-Step Resource for Clear Communication
Nancy J. Campbell
Chapter 4 - What’s the Best Way to Word This?
Technical vs. Narrative Writing
Campbell begins the chapter by attempting to explain the technical writing style. The writing that most of us learned in school, she terms “narrative” writing, a style which makes use of “complex grammatical structures” and is often descriptive, lengthy, and complicated. Policies and procedures, she argues, should employ a form of technical writing that emphasizes clarity and speed of transmission.
The Old Rules
In this section, Campbell reiterates her belief that our educational system equates verbosity with quality. Policy and procedure authors, she concludes, must shed this inappropriate mindset.
The New Rules
Effective policy and procedure writers, Campbell asserts, adhere to the maxim, “Simple is good.” She decries padding, complex sentence structures, and fancy vocabulary.
Being A Word Miser
In the pursuit of verbal simplicity, Campbell suggests that text should be limited to only those words absolutely necessary to convey the intended message. She offers several tips to help in achieving this goal:
Think in Ones
Eliminate unnecessary adjectives, prepositional phrases, and extra clauses, using only those words necessary to convey your main point.
Dump Pompous, Stuffy Language
Eliminate “windy, stiff language” by following Campbell’s word miser rules, to be discussed later.
Speak to the Reader
Try to write as though you were speaking to your reader in person. Avoid the “flabby, excessive writing”, that comes from dressing up common words (e.g. use→utilize, start→initiate, etc.).
Follow the Word Miser’s Rules to Live By
The use of active voice clarifies roles, and writing in the present tense gives a desirable sense of immediacy. This is true, suggests Campbell, even when these techniques lead to the use of improper grammar.
Be an Accurate Word Miser
Here, Campbell reminds her readers that brevity should never come at the cost of clarity. When cutting words, do so judiciously to avoid introducing uncertainty and confusion.
The Word Miser’s Rules to Live By
Here, Campbell summarizes her suggestions in a list of 17 rules for effectively communicating policies and procedures. Many of these are accompanied by examples.
1. Use common words and phrases.
2. Use one- and two-syllable words.
3. Get rid of windy phrases.
4. Get rid of redundancies.
5. Get rid of empty phrases.
6. Eliminate all unnecessary adjectives and descriptions.
7. Limit the number of clauses and phrases, and keep them short.
8. Use short sentences.
9. Use short paragraphs.
10. Use one-sentence paragraphs.
11. Keep phrases and clauses short.
12. User transitions at the start or sentences and paragraphs to tell readers what’s happening next.
13. Use lots of lists.
14. Use active voice.
15. Use present tense.
16. Start with an action verb.
17. Use standard word order of subject-verb-object.
Being a Word Master
In this section, Campbell offers additional tips for becoming a “word master”, or “one who uses words with precision and respect”. These include:
Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say
It is important to be mindful of the vast range of possible misunderstandings inherent in even the simplest of phrases. This requires precision in communication, which may trump the goal of brevity.
Use Specific Language
Policy and procedure writers should avoid words that invite varying interpretations. These include “weasel words” such as “may, might, could, should, etc.” Each of these words has a precise meaning that must be fully understood.
Developing a Rhythm
Here, Campbell introduces the concepts of consistency and parallelism, which contribute powerfully to reader interest and comprehension.
Consistency
Varying words and terminology can confuse readers, so use terms consistently throughout a document. This is one area in which creative wordplay can degrade clarity.
Parallelism
Parallelism simply refers to the technique of using the same grammatical format for like items. Varying grammatical constructs makes instructions awkward to follow.
Being Correct
It’s extremely important to avoid mistakes in grammar or usage, states Campbell. Such errors can lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and mistakes. To help avoid these issues, policy and procedure writers should refer to style guides as needed.
Considering the Reader
This section offers information on writing in such a way that is relevant to one’s readers. It assumes that one has performed the audience analysis.
Don’t Assume Anything
Do not overestimate the knowledge or experience of your audience.
Look at the Reader’s Experience
Reexamine your audience analysis, and in most cases, target your writing to your most inexperienced readers.
Use Jargon Carefully
Some considerations regarding jargon include:
- Even experienced users may not be familiar with it.
- It can be cumbersome and difficult to understand.
- It can be faddish and pompous.
Distinguishing Between Users and Readers
When writing policies and procedures, give precedence to the needs of your users over those of your readers.
Calculate Reading Level
Make use of software-based or manual reading level calculations to ensure that you are writing at an appropriate level for your audience. This is frequently in the range of a 6th-8th year reading level.
Word Documents Carefully
Using words that provoke unpleasant reactions will reduce our audience’s receptivity to your message.
Using Special Techniques for Procedures
Special technical writing techniques exist that can help maintain a high level of clarity when writing, thereby reducing the serious risks associated with unclear policies and procedures.
Start With an Action Verb
Policy and procedure users are generally looking for an answer to the question, “What do I do?”. Beginning one’s sentences with action statements offers them a clear reply.
Use One Action per Sep
Steps that contain more than one action “confuse the reader and bury the message”. Most procedures should be broken down into their most basic, individual steps. Exceptions to this may be made in cases where the nature of the procedure is such that combining steps increases the clarity of instruction.
Assign the Action
When there are multiple actors involved in a procedure, it is important to clearly state who is responsible for each step of the process. Avoid using indefinite pronouns.
Pack a Sentence
Readers tend to remember the first and last parts of a sentence best, so in some cases it is useful to arrange your words to capitalize on this phenomenon.
Choose the Right Format
Adhering to strict format guidelines can help a policy and procedure author adhere to all of these suggestions automatically.
Tools and Resources
Campbell concludes her chapter with a collection of lists, tip sheets, guidelines, and formulas to aid in the construction of policies and procedures.
