Summary

Writing is a core activity at the Bank; it is one of the primary means of communicating information, and much of this writing occurs in reports and other structured documents.

At the Bank, you are expected to communicate your ideas to others so that they can act on them. Therefore, writing well contributes to your success at the Bank and, in turn, to the Bank’s success in achieving its overall mission of reducing poverty.

The following are characteristics of effective writing at the World Bank:

At the document level

• The purpose is clearly stated.
• The main message is stated up front, close to the beginning of the document—“the bottom line is on top”.
• The document is well-reasoned; arguments are supported with evidence.
• Similar information is grouped and labeled and reveals a hierarchy of organization.
• The content supports the main message.

At the paragraph level

• The text has one idea per paragraph.
• Paragraphs work together to support the main message.

At the sentence level

• Spelling, grammar, and style are correct, consistent, and appropriate.
• Tone and style are appropriate.
  

“I want to get some sense that the writer cares about
the basics of making a document readable.”
―Sector Manager