Help your readers to scan and gain context

Even in printed media readers scan the page to identify the key points and decide which parts to read in greater detail. They do that even more on-line. Here's how you can help:

Use bullet points

for key points and hyperlinks.

Make one point per paragraph.

The implict rule is that paragraphs normally contain just one point. Keeping to this will make your dicument more comprehensible.

Make your point in the first sentence of each paragraph.

The classic scan is to read the first sentence of every paragraph. Put your main point there and use the rest of the paragraph to explain it more fully. Plus, things are easier to understand when you already know what they are going to say!

Highlight key words

and use hyperlinks intelligently.