Writing for the Web

Writing for the web is not the same as writing for print. 

Web Writing Best Practices

If you’re writing content for the TU website, copy should be conversational, easy to read and scan.

Follow these best practices for web writing and presenting information:

Put Your Audience First

When creating content for your pages, keep in mind that you may be addressing multiple audiences (such as prospective students, current students, current faculty, prospective faculty, members of the community, media, parents, etc.).

Write copy that speaks to these audiences, some of whom may know nothing about your department. The main page of your site needs to be especially friendly and informative.

Keep Your Copy Clear, Concise

  • Get to the point quickly.
  • Use “spell check” and proofread the content prior to posting.
  • Put most relevant content first. (Decide relevancy based off of what the audience will find most important.)
  • Focus on one idea per paragraph.
  • Use only one space following punctuation at the end of a sentence.
  • Consider the user’s goals.
  • Use active voice. (Example: Professor X conducts research on genetics. This sentence sounds stronger than passive voice: Professor X is doing research on genetics.)

Chunk Your Content

  • Use clear headlines and subheads.
  • Make your text “scannable” — say less.
  • Use bullet points and numbered lists over long paragraphs.
  • Integrate graphics and other media content.

Learn more about structuring content on the page.

Use Links Effectively

Link to relevant information as much as possible. Avoid the term “click here” when providing links.

Read more about linking best practices. 

Pasting Text into the CMS

Don’t Paste from MS Word

Many web editors draft their text in Microsoft Word. While this is fine as a first step, it’s not a good idea to paste text from Word directly into Modern Campus CMS.

Copying and pasting from MS Word can introduce hidden code that will cause issues with the underlying CSS code of the content management system.

To avoid potential formatting problems, remember to:

  • paste your MS Word text into Notepad (or Notes on a Mac)
  • copy the text you added to Notepad (Notes)
  • paste the text you copied from Notepad or Notes into the Modern Campus CMS

Follow TU Style

Towson University follows the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition for decisions on spelling, style and usage. We defer to the Chicago Manual of Style for issues not ruled upon by AP.

Another useful resource is the Disability Language Style Guide. As language and perceptions of ableism change, it becomes increasingly difficult for journalists and other communicators to figure out how to refer to people with disabilities.

This style guide, developed by the National Center on Disability and Journalism at Arizona State University, covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability.

Glossary of Specific Terms

For terminology that is unique to TU, the university has developed an editorial guide.

Test How Readable Your Content Is

Microsoft Word’s Readability Statistics feature will help you measure reading level as you write or edit your content. Target an eighth-grade reading level. Web writing best practices – using active voice and shorter sentences – will help lower reading level.