Guidelines for efficient, effective production:
- Be consistent in the terms and descriptions used throughout the document.
- Keep the information and ideas simple and straightforward.
- Use short sentences when possible.
- Avoid the passive voice.
- Punctuate carefully and accurately.
- Avoid excessive use of adjectives, adverbs or hyperbole.
- Eliminate idioms, cliché phrases that have meaning only in a single language.
- Avoid noun strings, such as "end-tab expansion fastener folders."
- Strive for precision in writing through the use of articles, such as "a" and "the."
- Create a glossary of industry-specific terms for which there may be no target language counterpart.
- Choose specific terms to describe functional activities, such as push, pull or lift.
- Use quantitative measurements, both English and metric, whenever possible.
- Eliminate toll-free telephone numbers, unless they are international numbers.
- Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
- Adhere to traditional rules for capitalization.