![]() In spite of this, unjustified text is generally not recommended because there is no completely satisfactory typesetting program for desktop production that automatically produces justified text with even word spacing. In fact, most readers will not notice until asked, and then their preference is usually for justified text because it looks ‘neater’. In terms of readability, there is little difference between unjustified text and carefully formatted justified text. The Australian government style guide, Style manual: For authors, editors and printers (John Wiley & Sons, 2002, sixth edition), recommends left-aligned and right-ragged stating: It’s different, of course, if a designer is laying out your work in design software, such as InDesign, but most of us are not writing documents using design software. I prefer unjustified text for internal documents because justified text can create large spaces between words. The argument about whether to make text justified (both sides of the text are even) or unjustified (the right side is ragged, like this page) continues to rage. I used to dislike headings in full capitals for the same reason, but have relented on that because they can create variety and help distinguish between levels. I am not crazy about headings in italics or underlined because they are harder to read. Colour helps distinguish between heading levels, but they should still be obvious if printed in black and white. If you are developing your own templates or having them designed for you, I suggest you set styles for three levels of headings. If you’re using your organisation’s templates, the hierarchy of headings should be set for you. For instance, in this template that I had professionally designed, I am using Franklin Gothic Body, a sans serif font. ![]() If your documents are going to be read online in PDF form, you may wish to use a different font. I seldom see Times New Roman used today because it doesn’t look modern. In the past, many organisations used Times New Roman because it is a serif font and serif fonts are easier for prolonged reading. Many organisations use the Microsoft default for line spacing (leading) between sentences, but some writers are now using 1.5 line spacing. If you are setting up your own templates, consider what fonts and sizes to use – Arial and Calibri are common in business documents. If you are developing your own templates, consider: Some people also use Fiverr or UpWork for cost-effective design services. ![]() That includes using your organisation’s preferred fonts, margins, justification and colour palette.įor most internal documents, you can create your own Word templates and set heading styles using Microsoft Styles – a Google search will show you how to do this.įor external documents, you may wish to use online graphic design tools such as Canva or Easel, or hire a designer (my preference). Most organisations have templates that you must use – even if you don’t like them, you shouldn’t change them. Templates are useful for branding and they provide a consistent reading experience for your readers. Use initial capitals sparingly and consistently.Use bold, italics and underlining appropriately.Tips for formatting your Word documents include: I have seen a two-page risk paper with just one heading, numbered paragraphs and no line spaces. Strict length requirements sometimes encourage writers to do crazy things to the layout such as reduce the font size and change the margins. First impressions count and we base our initial judgement of how easy a business document will be to read based on the way it looks.
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