Writing Style Guides

Follow writing style guidelines appropriate for your specific project
By Andrea Townsley If you need to write a paper of any kind, there may be a specific style it must be written in, so it's critical to obtain the proper writing style guides to help you along. There are myriad styles out there, from technical writing to web writing: Use what's appropriate for your particular project.

The most commonly used guides include the MLA writing style guide and the APA document style guide. There are several business writing styles to choose from as well. With the explosion of online publications, there are even Internet writing style guides now. Consider what type of guide you need to follow before you get started.

1. Get an MLA or APA writing style manual or guide for use in the majority of your writings. Manuals are meant more for high school research papers while guides are intended for more advanced writers.

2. Obtain a business document style guide: From interoffice memos to public white papers, these style books can help you immensely.

3. Look through Internet writing style guides to determine how best to write your web content and HTML. The appearance of your site matters just as much as your words.

Obtain the most recent MLA writing style guide or APA writing style guide

These two guides are very specific and advise you as to how to format any type of writing you want to do. They are commonly used for research papers and the like, and are most useful when it comes to formatting "Works Cited" pages.
Try:  Buy the most recent editions of the MLA style guide from the Modern Language Association. Browse through the resources available from American Psychological Association.

Write professional documents with a business writing style guide

Business writing has its own niche in the writing world. If you're a PR specialist or marketing executive, you'll need to find a general style guide for business writing. You can get even more specific by finding a guide tailored to the industry you serve.
Try:  Choose a legal writing style guide from the selection at Aspen Publishers. Pick from the books on business writing at EnhanceMyWriting.com.

Tweak your online publications by using a web writing style guide

Different companies have written and adopted their own style guides based on the vision their directors have for their companies. Take a look at a few of the better-known guides on web content writing and site creation, then make your own for your employees to follow. You can print out most of these guides to get you started.
Try:  The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services provides web design tips as well as guidance for Writing Web Content. Also try Useit.com, which offers a useful guide to Writing on the Web.

• Technical writing style guides are useful if you're just getting into the tech writing business or if you need to write an expository for a class. There is a certain amount of leeway for this type of writing, but it all depends on what the assignment is. An informal paper wouldn't need to be formatted as strictly as a copyrighted product instructional manual.
• Journalists will need to follow the most recent version of the Associated Press Stylebook; most publications require journalists to follow this strict style since the AP supplies articles nationwide. If each article is written in the same style, the publication is easier for consumers to read.