Effective Writing at the World Bank
Good writing can mean different things to different people. For some it might be a rich, florid style with beautiful imagery and colorful metaphors; for others, it might mimic a favorite writer; still others might prefer writing that is concise and to the point. How do we decide what is good and what is not?
At the World Bank, good writing has a specific meaning. It refers to the effectiveness of a document in achieving the writer’s purpose—that is, the reason you are writing the document in the first place.
The remainder of Module 1 will explore characteristics of good writing at the Bank and will help you formulate your goals for the course.
“Reports must be written to communicate the ideas directly—
to influence other people’s thinking, not to say everything you know.”
―Sector Manager