1. Explore the Context

Who will read your document?

• Who needs to read your document?
• What do they need to know?
• What do they know already?
• What format, organization and language will make the document easiest for the readers to understand?

When you write, consider these challenges:

• Your readers’ levels of language and learning styles
• The information overload we all experience
• Effects of TV and the Internet on our patience with the printed word.

What is the appropriate tone for the readership?

Always be

• Respectful of the readers
• Serious about the content.

What kind of a document are you preparing?

Choose a format

• Letter? Pamphlet? Press release? Newsletter?

Examples:
Are you writing a brochure? Will it be one page folded in three, or four pages stapled?

Are you writing a letter to parents to explain a complex new procedure at your school? Can you include all the information in the letter or will you need to add an information sheet for parents to keep?