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Writing for the scientific pages of NIBSC website
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Seven golden rules for writing for the web
– Make it brief and to the point– Break up text into subheaded sections– Use bullet lists– Users scan pages in an F shape so ‘front-load’
subheadings, titles and bullet points to put the most important information first
– Include links to external sites and relevant pages– Use words that are easy to understand– Use active, not passive, voice
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Passive
The conference was attended by NIBSC representatives.
Active
NIBSC representatives attended the conference.
Active voice
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• The average time spent on a web page is about 1 minute
• Users often leave web pages in 10-20 seconds
• Which means you have 10 second to grab their interest and show them that they are in the right place
• Some of the following techniques help users find what they need quickly and absorb it effortlessly
Keep the reader interested
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Clear English
• Clear English DOES NOT mean dumbing down
• It doesn't mean reducing the length of your message or changing its meaning
• Clear English is clear, straightforward expression, using only as many words as are necessary - it is simple and direct but not simplistic
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Bad example of web text
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How the text could be rewritten
[The use of two simple editorial tools - subheadings and a bullet list - helps readers quickly identify the three areas covered and biomedicines listed.]
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MHRA editorial house style
• Editorial house style is crucial to ensure consistency across a website with multiple authors
• MHRA house style can be found in full on Insite• http://insite/resources/editorial-style-guide/
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Key house style points – visual impairments
• We need to consider those with visual impairments when writing text so:– use capitals very sparingly and never write
complete words in capital– Do not use italics or underlined text– If you want to highlight text make it bold– Do not use excessive punctuation or dots in
acronyms – eg rather than e.g.
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Key house style points – bullets
• Bulleted lists should be introduced by a line of text ending with a colon
• Don’t use any punctuation at the end of bulleted lists
• All bullets should start with lower case letters• Do not use full stops in the middle of a bullet point
– if necessary use a semi-colon or a dash
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Example of bullets
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Key house style points – links
• Links should always be written in text with an underlying link – anything starting with http://www. should not be used
• Never use text like ‘click here’ or ‘further information’ for links – the text should describe the page or document it goes to.
• To indicate that there is a link in your text, please put the full link in brackets after the text where the links should appear, eg: – responsible for implementing the requirements of the
Human Tissue Act (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/30/contents) and this is carried out
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Example of a link
The HTA require a nominated individual to be responsible for implementing the requirements of the Human Tissue Act and this is carried out by the Designated Individual (DI). The DI have the primary (legal) responsibility under Section 18 of the HT Act to secure:
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Key house style points – acronyms and Americanisms
• All acronyms must be set out in full the first time they are used, followed by the acronym in brackets
• Eg National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)
• Do not use Americanisms – ‘fill in a form’ not ‘fill out a form’
• Use standardisation, not standardization
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Structure of the science page (1000 words) - I• Short paragraph to introduce the area and its public health
importance• Description of the scientific activities of your lab covering:
– reference materials and standards your lab has produced– control testing work that your lab undertakes– research activities
• Include link addresses to other websites that may assist in describing your work
• Mention key collaborators you work with – provide url address to their homepage if appropriate
• Also mention any teams across NIBSC that you collaborate with
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• Submit figures or pictures that bring scientific information/data to life
• In addition please provide the following lists:– standards and reference materials for which your lab has
scientific oversight– control tests performed– 10 key publications from the lab highlighting NIBSC
scientists among the authors– list of staff who work in the lab– list of key words that describe your lab’s work– list of potential links across the NIBSC website to related
work etc
Structure of the science page (1000 words) - II
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• These pages will ‘sell’ you to other scientists interested in collaborations
• Keep the biographies short and concise• Users want to know the area of work of the expert
and key work that they have done, what they have published and how to contact them
• Highlight only key information in the biog – it does not need to cover every piece of work you have done
Biographies
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For your biography please provide…• Name • Current position• Degree and 2nd degree education• Previous appointments• Representation on external committees• Complete list of your publications • Contribution to non-authored technical publications
(eg compendial articles, regulatory documents etc)• External grants and contracts secured over past 10
years
• The deadline for the first draft of the copy is
18 July • Please send your copy to
[email protected]• One of the editors will then contact you to confirm
timescales for agreeing final copy
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Any questions…?If you want to discuss the project please contact:
Neil Almond – [email protected], 1220
Amanda King – [email protected], 1384
Anna Bussell – [email protected],
020 3080 7098
