{"id":92,"date":"2026-01-20T16:04:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T16:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/help.ministrycentral-europe.org\/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&p=92"},"modified":"2026-01-20T16:07:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T16:07:03","slug":"formatting-style-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"epkb_post_type_1","link":"https:\/\/help.ministrycentral-europe.org\/?epkb_post_type_1=formatting-style-guidelines","title":{"rendered":"Formatting & Style Guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"

MinistryCentral Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

1. Purpose of This Document<\/strong><\/h2>\n

These guidelines define how documentation should look and read<\/strong> across MinistryCentral Europe.<\/p>\n

They exist to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Ensure consistency across contributors and editors<\/li>\n
  • Reduce editorial guesswork<\/li>\n
  • Improve readability and trust<\/li>\n
  • Make documents easier to maintain over time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These guidelines apply to:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Echo Knowledge Base articles<\/li>\n
    • Documentation prepared in Notion for publication<\/li>\n
    • Onboarding guides and operational documentation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      They do not<\/strong> override governance or authority rules.<\/p>\n

      \n

      2. General Writing Principles<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Clarity Over Cleverness<\/strong><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • Prefer simple, direct language<\/li>\n
      • Avoid jargon unless it is defined<\/li>\n
      • Assume a mixed audience (technical and non-technical)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Consistency Over Style<\/strong><\/h3>\n
          \n
        • Use the same terms for the same concepts<\/li>\n
        • Do not introduce synonyms for variety<\/li>\n
        • Align with existing canonical terminology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Instruction Over Explanation (When Appropriate)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
            \n
          • For procedures: explain what to do<\/em><\/li>\n
          • For governance: explain why it exists<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Avoid mixing the two in the same section<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n

            3. Tone & Voice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            Required Tone<\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            • Calm<\/li>\n
            • Professional<\/li>\n
            • Respectful<\/li>\n
            • Confident but not authoritarian<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Avoid<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                \n
              • Casual language (\u201cjust\u201d, \u201csimply\u201d, \u201cobviously\u201d)<\/li>\n
              • Apologetic phrasing<\/li>\n
              • Marketing language<\/li>\n
              • Emotional or corrective tone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Preferred Voice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                  \n
                • Second person (\u201cyou\u201d) for guides<\/li>\n
                • Declarative statements for governance<\/li>\n
                • Neutral framing for rules and constraints<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n

                  4. Document Structure Standards<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                  Headings<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                    \n
                  • Use clear, descriptive headings<\/li>\n
                  • Avoid clever or metaphorical titles<\/li>\n
                  • Keep heading hierarchy logical (H2 \u2192 H3 \u2192 H4)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Example:<\/p>\n

                    ## Purpose\r\n## Scope\r\n## Workflow\r\n### Step 1 \u2014 Drafting\r\n<\/code><\/pre>\n
                    \n
                    Paragraphs<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                      \n
                    • Keep paragraphs short (3\u20135 lines max)<\/li>\n
                    • One idea per paragraph<\/li>\n
                    • Break long explanations into lists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                      \n
                      Lists<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                      Use lists when:<\/p>\n
                        \n
                      • Explaining steps<\/li>\n
                      • Defining rules<\/li>\n
                      • Clarifying options<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        Use:<\/p>\n
                          \n
                        • Bullets for unordered items<\/li>\n
                        • Numbers for sequences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                          Avoid nested lists deeper than two levels.<\/p>\n
                          \n
                          5. Emphasis & Formatting<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                          Bold<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                          Use bold<\/strong> for:<\/p>\n
                            \n
                          • Key rules<\/li>\n
                          • Non-negotiables<\/li>\n
                          • Section anchors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                            Do not overuse.<\/p>\n
                            \n
                            Italics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                            Use italics<\/em> for:<\/p>\n
                              \n
                            • Clarifications<\/li>\n
                            • Secondary emphasis<\/li>\n
                            • Short explanatory notes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                              \n
                              Callouts \/ Warnings (When Available)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                              Use sparingly for:<\/p>\n
                                \n
                              • Critical warnings<\/li>\n
                              • Common mistakes<\/li>\n
                              • Escalation points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                Example:<\/p>\n
                                \u2757 If you are unsure whether a change is substantive, escalate before editing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
                                \n
                                6. Terminology Rules<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                Capitalization<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                Capitalize:<\/p>\n
                                  \n
                                • Defined roles (Content Editor, Contributor, Platform Lead)<\/li>\n
                                • Canonical document titles<\/li>\n
                                • Lifecycle stages (Draft, Review, Approved, Canonical)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                  Do not capitalize generic nouns unnecessarily.<\/p>\n
                                  \n
                                  Consistent Terms (Examples)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                    \n
                                  • Echo Knowledge Base<\/strong> (not \u201cthe KB\u201d, except informally)<\/li>\n
                                  • Canonical<\/strong> (not \u201cfinal\u201d, \u201cofficial\u201d, or \u201cpublished\u201d)<\/li>\n
                                  • Approval<\/strong> (not \u201csign-off\u201d)<\/li>\n
                                  • Draft<\/strong> (not \u201cworking version\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                    If a term matters, use it consistently.<\/p>\n
                                    \n
                                    7. Links & References<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                    Internal References<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                      \n
                                    • Refer to other documents by full title<\/strong><\/li>\n
                                    • Links may be added later if platform constraints exist<\/li>\n
                                    • Do not rely on links alone to convey meaning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                      Example:<\/p>\n
                                      See<\/p>\n
                                      Status Lifecycle & Canonical Rules<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
                                      \n
                                      External Links<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                        \n
                                      • Use only when necessary<\/li>\n
                                      • Prefer official or stable sources<\/li>\n
                                      • Avoid linking to transient or personal content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                        \n
                                        8. Images, Diagrams & Media<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                        When to Use Visuals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                          \n
                                        • To explain workflows<\/li>\n
                                        • To show structure<\/li>\n
                                        • To reduce cognitive load<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                          Do not use images decoratively.<\/p>\n
                                          \n
                                          Captions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                                          Always include a short caption explaining:<\/p>\n
                                            \n
                                          • What the image shows<\/li>\n
                                          • Why it matters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                            \n
                                            9. Version Notes & Updates<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                            For canonical documents:<\/p>\n
                                              \n
                                            • Add a short \u201cLast updated\u201d note when meaningful<\/li>\n
                                            • Do not maintain full changelogs unless required<\/li>\n
                                            • Major changes should be referenced in Change Management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                              \n
                                              10. Editorial Checklist (Quick Reference)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                              Before publishing, ask:<\/p>\n
                                                \n
                                              • Is the structure clear?<\/li>\n
                                              • Is terminology consistent?<\/li>\n
                                              • Is the tone appropriate?<\/li>\n
                                              • Could a non-expert understand this?<\/li>\n
                                              • Does this align with existing canonical documents?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                If any answer is \u201cno\u201d, revise before publishing.<\/p>\n
                                                \n
                                                11. Relationship to Other Documents<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                                These guidelines support:<\/p>\n
                                                  \n
                                                • Documentation Contribution Guide<\/strong><\/li>\n
                                                • Content Editor Playbook<\/strong><\/li>\n
                                                • Notion \u2192 KB Publishing Rules<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                  They do not define authority or workflow.<\/p>\n
                                                  \n
                                                  12. Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n
                                                    \n
                                                  • Consistency builds trust<\/li>\n
                                                  • Clarity reduces friction<\/li>\n
                                                  • Editors are stewards of readability<\/li>\n
                                                  • Style exists to serve meaning \u2014 not override it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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