Writing Effectively at The World Health Organization

Tone

Tone is a major consideration when writing minutes; the writing must remain impartial and neutral in tone even when discussions have been heated and emotionally charged. Diplomacy and tact are sometimes required. Records often include the names of speakers, and it is important to remain respectful to the meeting participants.

Your contribution as the writer is crucial to creating an effective document. Your job is to not only make some individuals more easily understood, but also to give coherence to a document that is the product of many voices.

In writing minutes, avoid:

When you are thinking about tone in minute-taking, you might find it helpful to revisit the section on non-discriminatory writing in Module 1.

© WHO 2011