Writing for online learning is not like writing a book! 

To optimise learner engagement, you should write as simply and clearly as possible. Jargon and acronyms should be avoided. You should define any terms that may be new to your learners, or where you are using familiar language in an unfamiliar way.

Here are some key points to keep in mind when writing and editing for online:

• Brevity is especially important. Use short sentences and keep to the active voice as far as possible.
• Consider having only one idea per paragraph. You may feel that this is restrictive, but in general it’s advisable to reduce the amount of content delivered online.
• Avoid long paragraphs, enabling learners to scan the material to gain a sense of structure and context. Some learners become disengaged when faced with too much text on screen – most will read about 25% more slowly than when reading for leisure.
• Where appropriate, use bulleted lists rather than paragraphs because they are easier to read on screen.
• Use graphics and images to help illustrate important information.
• Make clear, distinct divisions in the text to aid readability online – this process is known as chunking. Think about using sections, sub-sections, sub-headings and boxes to help with this.
  Give each section, subsection and sub-subsection a concise and meaningful title as this will be visible to learners on the course navigation menu.
  Chunks of information must use common sense, logical organisation and consider convenience. Sometimes it may make sense to link out to external documents.
• Include linking sentences to link from one subsection page to the next and improve logical flow.
• Shorter pages may help your learners to work through the materials, but be careful that the line of the argument is not lost and that learners don’t have to flick from page to page too often. Avoid long pages, which tend to disorient readers and require them to scroll for a long time and remember what is off-screen. 
• Summarise the main points of the topic at the beginning and end of each section. You could list the learning outcomes that will be covered at the beginning. Rounding up the key points at the end will to help the learner to verify that they’ve engaged with all the necessary content.

The text must be learner-facing throughout. It should address the learner as ‘you’ and avoid the first person. 

For example, instead of: 

‘We mentioned earlier …’ 

Say:

‘You will have read earlier …’

Emphasise how learners should use the course material. Keep pointing learners to useful evidence to back up their learning, and present alternative perspectives to promote critical thinking, rather than simply presenting conclusions.