Writing a Written Document

A Quick Rundown

Written documents can take many forms and satisfy different purposes. They can include reports, knowledge-based articles, fliers, reviews, etc. Though differing in style, all written documents are common in delivering information through text. Creating a written document can be easy and effective.

Recommended Software:

For a more detailed understanding of how to make a written document, as well as for links to some useful programs, continue reading below.

What to Keep in Mind

While written documents are extremely common and varied, the most important task when creating one is to have a clear goal. Make sure that your plan will account for the delivery and presentation of the required information. Think about the word count, font, and page layout (margins, headings, and footers) that the document will be presented in, either by work or technology restrictions. Knowing how long the document needs to be in advance allows you to better gauge what to focus on, and ensure that you aren’t wasting space on unnecessary information.

Referencing and Licensing

In many cases, you may need to reference outside documents or images. When possible, use un-copyrighted resources. If you use copyrighted resources, be sure to cite resources according to their requirements. A good resource to use for citing is Purdue OWL.  Along with considering the licensing on resources that you use, it’s also important to think about what license you would like applied to your work when you are finished. For more information on licensing, refer to Creative Commons Explained.

Word Processors

There are a variety of different word processors that allow you to write, review and create professional documents. Two free and open sourced processors that you can use are LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice. However, Microsoft Word and Google Docs are two other options that require you to create an account, but they have a few more features and have a cleaner look. Additionally, all of the above word processors enable the user to save their document in any desired format, which can improve accessibility.

Editing Features

Typically every word processor (ex: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice and OpenOffice) will offer features such as an accessibility checker, and a spelling/grammar checker. For certain word processors that do not include features like text correction, supplemental online programs such as Grammarly or BonPatron can be used to review writing quality.

Where to Upload

Written documents, and specifically PDFs, can be uploaded to a variety of different platforms. Personal websites, file-sharing programs, and online repositories all offer different magnitudes of hosting capabilities. Additionally, cloud services such as OneDrive and Google Drive are often used to share files but require a certain level of personal management and dedicated space.

Best Practices

When creating an Open Educational Resource in the form of a written document, there are certain considerations to be made:

• Keep all aspects of accessibility in mind
• Properly space all sections
• Ensure that the writing is specific to the audience
• Understand that the document may be used and viewed by people outside of the target audience (maintain good etiquette and sensitivity)
• Maintain an organized layout and flow (i.e. chronologically or by importance)
• Cite all resources as required

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