new zealand qualifications authority · the extent to which documents should be reviewed and signed...

New Zealand

Qualifications Authority Document Standards and Writing Guidelines

V3 September 2015

Created by

NZQA Document Standards and Writing Guidelines

Release Date: V3 September 2015 2

Table of contents

About this guide ................................................................................................................... 3

Change record ...................................................................................................................... 4

Writing for NZQA overview .................................................................................................. 5

Quality assurance ......................................................................................................... 5

Related documents and links ........................................................................................ 7

Writing standards ................................................................................................................. 8

Writing style................................................................................................................... 8

Planning new content .................................................................................................. 10

Māori language use ..................................................................................................... 12

Alphabetic reference of writing standards ....................................................................... 16

Website guidelines ............................................................................................................. 42

Site structure overview ................................................................................................ 42

Content requirements .................................................................................................. 44

Standards for web pages............................................................................................. 47

Page types .................................................................................................................. 49

Terminology ........................................................................................................................ 51



About this guide

Purpose of this document

The purpose of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority Document Standards and Writing Guidelines is to ensure that:

• all New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) documents and publications have a similar ‘look and feel’ and adhere to the same professional standards

• a consistent organisational identity is communicated to both internal and external audiences.

Scope All NZQA communications and publications, in either hard copy or electronic format, which are intended for an external audience, must adhere to this standards guide.

It is recommended that all documents for internal NZQA use also follow the standards in this guide. Any written material can be requested under the Official Information Act, therefore it is important that all correspondence, is written to a high-quality standard. This includes emails being sent both internally and outside of the organisation.

Exceptions

The following documents are exempt from this requirement, as they have their own specific style requirements. For information on the style requirements for these documents, please consult the person or team responsible for producing them.

• Examination papers (Editors)

• Unit and assessment standards and reports (Quality Assurance)

• New Zealand Qualifications (Quality Assurance)

• Statement of Intent, Annual Report and Quarterly Reports (Planning & Performance)

• Board papers, Senior Management Team papers (Office of the Chief Executive)

• Ministerial correspondence (Ministerial Services)

• QMS policies and procedures (Quality Assurance Advisor)

Sections in this guide

This guide has been divided into the following sections for ease of reference. All sections are heavily cross-referenced, to ensure that you can easily find the information you require.

Section Description

Writing for NZQA overview

This is an overview, covering the relevant processes, policies and governance relating to NZQA documents, and links to other reference materials. If you are new to NZQA, it is important that you read this section, to understand NZQA’s expectations of you when writing NZQA documents and web content.



Section Description

Writing standards

This section describes the style elements and standards that relate to all NZQA documents within the scope of this guide, including general writing style and an alphabetic reference of specific writing standards.

Website guidelines

This section describes the guidelines and standards used in the development of content on the NZQA website.

Terminology This section describes some of the specific terminology used in many NZQA documents, and the standards for their use.

Icons The following icons are used in this document. If no icon appears next to a standard, the standard applies to all document types.

A standard that applies to documents that are intended to be printed or distributed electronically in a printable format (e.g. pdf, Word or other printable format). This includes email and web page attachments, but does not include web pages themselves.

A standard that applies only to web pages on the NZQA website.

Change record

Change list The following table lists the amendments made to this document in the most recent release.

Change Reason for change

Version name Updated to reflect new version

Contact name Amended to current staff

Exceptions Updated to reflect new teams within divisions

Links Updated links to intranet and Promapp policy and procedure documents

Logo NZQA logo updated to include beacon

Change requests If you have any questions regarding the information in this document, or suggested changes or additions, please contact:

Name Lisa Gibbison

Title Team Leader, Communications



Writing for NZQA overview

Quality assurance

Publications policy

All corporate and business unit communications and publications intended for external audiences shall follow the agreed standards outlined in this guide, to ensure that all NZQA documents have a similar ‘look and feel’ and adhere to the same professional standards.

All corporate and business publications intended for an external audience shall be agreed and signed off by the Communications Team prior to printing and publication. This includes brochures, booklets, speeches, web documents, web pages, posters, flyers, presentations material, and any letters or emails with an audience of 20 or more.

All Māori publications, or publications with Māori content, must be agreed and signed off by both the ODCEM and the Communications Team, prior to printing or publication.

All publications must be approved by both the relevant Deputy Chief Executive and the Chief Executive.

Breach of the rules for Publications may lead to any non-compliant publications being destroyed, with the responsible business unit bearing the cost.

See the External communication policy in Promapp for policy details.

Standards ownership and advice

To ensure that NZQA maintains a consistent set of standards throughout the organisation, the responsibility for setting standards sits with the Communications Team.

If in doubt about anything to do with communications, please contact a member of the Communications Team for advice. This includes videos and presentations, as well as written documents. They will be happy to provide general writing or publications advice at any stage of your writing process.

For web content and design, see the Channel Strategy Team.



Document review and approval

The extent to which documents should be reviewed and signed off by others depends on the document type, content and audience.

For documents that do not have approval requirements under the External Communications Policy, you should judge the level of review required, based on your level of confidence that the document is well written and adheres to NZQA standards.

Bear in mind that it can be very difficult for an author to see all of their own errors, so it is recommended that you ask at least one other person to peer review your written documents. As a general guide:

• read through all of your own writing, to ensure it is well written, meets the needs of the target audience, and follows NZQA standards

• obtain peer review for all external documents and for internal documents that have a wide audience and/or significant impact

• request Editorial Board review for material that is intended for an external audience of 20 or more

• obtain document approvals as required in the external communications policy

Editorial Board The intention of the Editorial Board is to make sure that everything NZQA publishes is user-friendly, targets the right audience and meets corporate standards.

The Editorial Board checks your material for:

• sense: does what you have written make sense to a non-subject specialist?

• risk: have you written anything that could damage the reputation of NZQA?

• general style: does your document follow the NZQA style rules?

The Editorial Board does not, and cannot, check facts.

The Editorial Board needs to see printed material in final draft form, i.e. the final Word version before photocopying, or the laser proof before the printer’s proof. Please send the material via a member of the Communications Team. Material can be submitted electronically via email or in hard copy. Material will be returned in the format in which it is submitted.

We make every effort to return your material as soon as possible. However, depending on other workload, we may require several working days. Please let us know when you submit material if you have a deadline for its return. Please talk to the Communications Team in advance, so we can negotiate a schedule if necessary.

Feedback is written directly onto hard copies, or included as tracked changes in electronic versions. All changes are required to be addressed; comments will be noted as either required or suggested. We are happy to talk to you about our feedback to your document.

If you have any questions about the Editorial Board, please contact



any member of the Communications Team.

The Editorial Board also has a role in checking for web content, via the SilverStripe Content Management System (CMS), before it is published: The Editorial Board will:

• review the content page, approved by the business owner, for publication

• consult any other party as required

• if the content is fit for publication, publish it

• if the content is not satisfactory, mark it as requiring further edit. The CMS will direct it back to the author.

See the approve and publish website content policy in Promapp for details.

Related documents and links

Reference books The following online references are available under the I need to…. Refer to a dictionary tab on QANet.

• Ngata, English - Māori Dictionary

• Wakareo

• Oxford English Dictionary

Legislation • Copyright Act 1994

• Official Information Act 1982

NZQA branding documents

NZQA Brand Guidelines (available from Communications Team).

Other style guides and useful links

www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz (Māori Language Commission)

Glossary http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/glossary-home/

e-Government guidelines

The New Zealand Government Web Standards (NZGWS) are the requirements New Zealand public sector websites must meet to make web-based information and services available to the widest possible audience. Refer to https://webtoolkit.govt.nz/standards/.

CMS guides

A guide for developing web content using the Content Management System is available on QANet at: http://qanet.nzqa.govt.nz/tools-and-applications/SearchForm?Search=developing+web+content&mode=Intranet&Submit=submit

http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/ngata/

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1994/0143/latest/DLM345634.html?src=qs

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1994/0143/latest/DLM345634.html?src=qs

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1982/0156/latest/DLM64785.html?search=ts_act%40bill%40regulation%40deemedreg_official+information+act_resel_25_a&p=1

http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/

http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/glossary-home/

https://webtoolkit.govt.nz/standards/



Writing standards

Introduction This section describes the style elements that are relevant to all NZQA documents within the scope of this guide. This covers general writing style and specific writing standards.

Exceptions

Some document types have their own separate style guides. See page Error! Bookmark not defined. for details.

Writing style

Writing style Clarity is the main goal for all documents. Be clear and consistent in what you write.

Think of your audience and why they will be reading this information.

Language Write in plain New Zealand English. Use te reo Māori or other languages where applicable.

The NZQA Client Charter states that we will respond to our clients in:

• plain and appropriate language

• te reo Māori if they write to us in te reo Māori.

For information on using Māori language within documents, see Māori language use on page 12.

Write in plain language

• Make your topic and intent clear in headings and opening paragraphs.

• Use simple, direct and active language.

• Be positive and courteous.

• Avoid technical language, long sentences, jargon and acronyms. If you need to use technical language, provide a glossary.

Voice Use the following as a guide when determining the appropriate voice.

When the audience … Then…

is wide, and the content consists mainly of overview material

write this information in the third person, and in an active voice.

Example:

Schools use a range of internal and external assessments to measure how well students meet NCEA standards.

http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/our-client-charter/



When the audience … Then…

is required to perform one or more steps to complete a specific task

present the information in a direct voice, as a set of instructions.

Use you/your as required, to make instructions more personal, and easier to understand.

Example:

At all times, listen to and follow the instructions of your supervisor.

Accessibility principles

Accessibility principles are used to make information more accessible and useful to people with disabilities (e.g. vision or hearing impairment).

Accessibility principles apply particularly to web content, however they are also relevant in hardcopy documents, to cater for different learning styles and cognitive abilities.

If a print document is intended to be loaded on the website, it should also follow accessibility principles for the web. For more information, see e-Government guidelines.

The main principles of accessibility are to:

• Consider your target audience: Where possible, design documents that are suitable for everyone within the target audience group.

• Use a second format: Always convey information in a second format if it could be inaccessible to someone (e.g. both text and graphic on a page, or audio and written transcripts).

• Write in an accessible manner: Where possible use clear, concise language and avoid jargon and technical terms.

• Use layout and colour effectively: Don’t crowd information, and use colours that contrast highly with the background.

The following table describes some ways to improve accessibility in web content.

If using… Then…

a diagram ensure that it is also explained in text.

Important for those who are vision impaired.

a table ideally the information should make sense when read from left to right, row by row.

Important for those using screen readers.

blocks of text use lots of white space, especially between columns and paragraphs.


an image add a text description.

Important for those using screen readers.

https://webtoolkit.govt.nz/standards/



If using… Then…

hyperlinks • label with a short meaningful text description

• position the most important links first

• avoid link 'splatter' and duplicating links on a page.


colour • do not rely upon colour to convey the message

• the greater the contrast, the easier it will be to read.


Note: Colours will be set by the web style sheet, so no new colours need to be introduced.

sound provide in text format as well.

Important for those who are hearing impaired.

Planning new content

Plan your content Before you begin writing, answer the following questions. If you do not have an answer to any of them, your document or web page may lack the focus it needs.

What is the purpose of this document/web page etc?

Why am I writing it?

Who is the audience? List all potential readers of this document. Your document should address each potential reader directly.

Do they have particular needs? Consider the literacy levels, cultural perceptions and prior contextual knowledge of the reader(s). Does the content need to be published in other languages?

What are the key messages? What does the audience need to know or do?

How will this document be circulated?

What is most appropriate for the audience?

Is a new document/web page required, or can existing content be updated?

Are there any defined formatting or style requirements for this document type?

Is there a standard document template?

With whom do you need to consult?

Consider:

• other subject matter experts (internal and external)

• operational staff impacted by any change to process or requirements

• other business owners



Order your content

The way you structure your documents needs to be clear and consistent. People read documents and visit websites to get answers, and they want to gain information quickly.

Order the main messages to best suit your reader and what you want to achieve. Think through the questions your audience is likely to ask, and order your material in the order they would ask them.

• Start by stating the document’s purpose.

• Put the most important information at the beginning.

• Eliminate filler and unnecessary content.

• Include background information (only when necessary) at the end.

Differences between academic and business writing

The following table summarises the differences between business and academic writing.

Academic Business

One known reader Multiple, often unknown, readers

Reader is primarily reading for quality of argument, analysis and detail

Readers are primarily reading to get information and answers to their questions quickly

Reader often knows the conclusions Readers usually don’t know conclusions

Reader sets required word length Readers require brevity



Māori language use

Māori language publications policy

Te reo Māori (the Māori language) is regarded as a ‘taonga’ under the Treaty of Waitangi and was made an official language of Aotearoa in 1987. Crown agencies like NZQA have a responsibility to actively protect and promote the use of te reo Māori.

Using te reo Māori correctly and providing information and services about NZQA in te reo Māori is also a response to the growing number of Māori medium institutions and individuals who are requesting information and services in te reo Māori.

All NZQA publications which are likely to be read by Māori clients should include some te reo Māori elements. NZQA wants to be proactive in its use of te reo Māori in its corporate identity, communications and in the workplace.

Publications which are submitted to the Editorial Board will be checked to ensure that the Māori language publications policy is being followed.

Official NZQA documents

The Māori language publications policy does not cover the translation of official documents like national certificates, the Record of Learning, unit standards, the name of national qualifications or examination papers in te reo Māori.

NZQA does not currently have a policy on these documents although because te reo Māori is an official language, any individual has the legal right to demand that these public documents be produced in Māori.

Māori in publications

The level of te reo Māori used in a publication can vary considerably depending on the intended audience, the intention of the document, and other important factors such as the range of te reo Māori abilities within your intended audience.

In any document that is likely to be read by Māori clients, an effort should be made to include elements of te reo Māori, such as the translation of titles to publications. If the publication has a foreword, a mihi (greeting) can be included. Sometimes whakataukī (proverbs) are appropriate to introduce different sections. This practice increases exposure to the language to non-speakers and those learning te reo Māori.

For publications intended for audiences that have a high proficiency in te reo Māori (e.g. learners at whare kura and wānanga), a separate Māori language or bilingual publication is recommended.

If you’re producing a publication for a mixed audience of non-Māori language and fluent te reo Māori speakers, producing a bilingual document is the best option.

Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori - the Māori Language Commission recommend producing the English and Māori text alongside one another rather than producing separate publications.



If you need advice on this, contact the Māori Communications Advisor– Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori

Translating English text into te reo Māori

Before arranging for a translation to be carried out, make sure the English text is finalised.

See the translation procedure in QANet for details.

Tips on reaching a te reo Māori audience

There are several things you can do to help you get your message across to your audience using a te reo Māori translation:

• Use distinctive design features. NZQA has a Māori ‘wave design’ available from the Communications Team. We have also used a weaving pattern or inverted colour schemes to link publications with each other or with the parallel English version.

• Use Māori subjects in photographs – remember they are your target audience.

• Arrange effective distribution. Experience shows that it can be difficult to get te reo Māori publications to the groups that most appreciate the material. Contact the Māori Communications Advisorfor advice on effective distribution.

• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your communications, particularly the impact of sending te reo Māori information to different user groups.

• Make the most of the NZQA website. All NZQA print publications should also be available online – talk to the Specialist Content Editor about this. Remember to let your clients know about the availability of online material in te reo Māori.

Macron use It is NZQA’s policy to use macrons over all Māori words with long vowels (e.g. Māori, wānanga, whānau). This policy applies to all documents and publications, hard copy or electronic.

For all users of WindowsXP, macrons can be added by pressing the ~ key before typing the letter to be macronised i.e. ~ and then a,e,i,o or u.

Remember that several place names in New Zealand also require macrons, such as Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki.

For all users of WindowsXP, te reo Māori is automatically included in the spell checker function in Word. However, like all spell checkers, this function is not 100% reliable and not all Māori words are automatically macronised or corrected. If you are not sure of spelling or whether a word requires a macron, refer to the Ngata, English - Māori Dictionary.

Alternatively, you can contact the Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori for advice.

Macrons should not be used in file names, as these files cannot be emailed, and may cause difficulties when opened within the network. Additionally, only emails sent internally will display macrons correctly within their text. If you need to send text with macrons to a designer,

http://qanet.nzqa.govt.nz/our-focus/strategic-direction/te-rautaki-maori/engaging-with-maori-toolkit/engaging-in-writing/translations/





translator or other external sources please attach it as a Word document.

Common Māori words that require macrons

hapū sub-tribal grouping nō from

kaiāwhina assistant pūtaiao science

kōrero speech, to talk rōpū group

Māori indigenous person from New Zealand

tāngata people (plural only)

mā for Tēnā koe hello (formal greeting)

mātauranga education, knowledge Tēnā kōrua hello (formal greeting to two people)

mō about, for Tēnā koutou hello (formal greeting to three or more people)

nā from wāhine women (plural only)

ngā the (plural) wānanga traditional learning institution, used by Māori tertiary groups

Use of Māori words in English documents

Māori words should not be italicised to distinguish them from English.

Plurals of Māori words should not have an ‘s’ added to them (e.g. huis).

Avoid using Māori words liberally throughout English text. It can be confusing.

Example:

From his kōrero at the hui we were able to understand his whakaaro on this take.

Express these sections entirely in Māori or leave them mostly in English.

Example:

From his speech at the hui, we were able to understand his thoughts on this issue.

If English documents include a number of Māori words or terms that the reader is unlikely to know, create a glossary of Māori-English terms at the end of the document.

Correct style for usage of term ‘te reo Māori’ in documents

In a title, use caps as follows: Te Reo Māori.

In a heading or in any sort of running text: te reo Māori.

Shortened version: te reo. This can be used in informal documents, but te reo Māori is generally more suitable.



Basic Māori language salutations

Note that names that have two or fewer vowels are preceded by the word ‘e’ (e.g. Peter, Mary, Hiko) while longer names are used without it (e.g. Miriama, Jonathan, Katherine).

‘Tēnā koe’ is a formal address to a single person and can be used to address either a man or a woman. The equivalent when addressing two people is tēnā kōrua, and for three or more is tēnā koutou.

Like ‘Tēnā koe’, the greeting ‘Kia ora’ does not specify the gender of the person being addressed. Kia ora can be used to address any number of people, and is less formal than ‘Tēnā koe’.

A mihi or introduction accompanies an opening salutation. For example, ‘Ngā mihi nui ki a koe’ – this greeting wishes the person good health before the business.

Refer to the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori booklet, Māori for the Office (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, Māori Language Commission, 1997) for a fuller range of options.

Greetings

Tēnā koe Dear Sir/Madam

Tēnā koe e te rangatira Respectful greeting to a prominent person

Kia ora e hoa Greetings, friend

Kia ora e hine Greetings, friend (young woman)

Kia ora e tama Greetings, friend (young man)

Kia ora, e Pita Greetings, Peter

Kia ora, Miriama Greetings, Miriama

E ngā rau rangatira mā, Respectful greeting to a group of prominent people

tēnā koutou

Signing off in Māori

Nāku nā Yours faithfully/sincerely

Nāku noa, nā Yours sincerely

Nā māua noa, nā Write this before two signatures

Nā mātou noa, nā Write this before three or more signatures

Nga mihi Best wishes

Nākū nā Yours sincerely



Alphabetic reference of writing standards

A See also:

&

An ampersand (&) may be used in a company or division name and in bibliographies, but not in a sentence or heading as a substitute for ‘and’.

It may also be used in a navigation label, but only to shorten the text.

Do not use & in a URL.

a/an

Use ‘an’ in place of ‘a’ when it precedes a vowel sound, not just a vowel.

That means it is ‘an umbrella’ (because you say uhm brel luh) but ‘a uniform’ (because it is pronounced yoo nee form).

Remember, particularly with acronyms and other abbreviations, that it is the sound that matters: it is ‘an MRI’, assuming you pronounce it ‘em ar eye, and ‘an NCEA exam’.

Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. An acronym is an abbreviation that is always pronounced as a word, e.g. ANZAC. An initialism is similar to an acronym but does not form a pronounceable word. It is a recognisable group of letters, e.g. NCEA, NZQA.

Use an abbreviation, initialism or acronym if it is widely known, or if it is used frequently throughout a document and spelling it out would be cumbersome.

Write the full text of an initialism or acronym with the shortened form in brackets when it is used for the first time on a web page or in a document. After this, use the shortened form only. For example, New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA); thereafter NZQA.

Do not use both the long version and the bracketed shortened form in headings. If the shortened form is used in a heading, make sure the long version is clearly visible in the text.

Write acronyms and initialisms without full stops between each letter.

Use a or an before an acronym or initialism, according to how it sounds when spoken aloud.

Avoid using acronyms and initialisms as the first word in a sentence.

e.g.

etc.

i.e.

NZQA

Continues on next page



Note: In some documents, there is a danger of becoming swamped in abbreviations. To reduce this:

• use abbreviations if they occur frequently throughout the whole document, such as NZQA

• use abbreviations judiciously if they are used intensively in one section but nowhere (or almost nowhere) else

• do not abbreviate terms that occur only once or twice in the document.

It may also be useful to include a list of common abbreviations at the beginning of the document.


See Writing standards on page 8.

Acronym

See Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms on page 16.

Acts of Parliament

See Legislation on page 29.

Address

Do not use punctuation in addresses.

The town or city name has an initial capital only. Do not use spaces or hyphens in the PO Box number. Remember to include the postcode.

Example:

The School of Life PO Box 12478 Thorndon Wellington 6000

Contact details

Alignment

All document headings and text must be left aligned on the page, i.e. with a jagged right edge.

Heading style

Ampersand

See & on page 16.

Apostrophe

Apostrophes are used to indicate contraction and possession.

Do not confuse possessive nouns with plural nouns. In particular, do not use an apostrophe when pluralising an acronym or initialism.

Example:

'The PTE's accreditation…' has an apostrophe to indicate possession.

'All PTEs must…' does not have an apostrophe as this is the pluralised form of PTE.



B See also:

Bibliography

See Referencing on page 36.

Bold text

Use bold sparingly in text for emphasis. This is useful for highlighting terms as they are defined. Too much bold lessens the effect.

Emphasis

Bullet points

Use a bullet list to simplify information. If the order of the information is important, use a numbered list instead. However, do not use if there is only one item in a list.

Use only plain round dots, even if using two levels of bullet point. Do not indent the first level of bullet points. Indent level two bullets by 1 cm.

It is acceptable to combine numbering and bulleting in a list. Level one may be a numbered list of steps, while level two may use bullets.

Bullet points – continuous sentence

Bullet points – separate sentences

Numbered list


If each bullet point forms a complete sentence only when read along with the opening stem, no initial capital letter is used – only a full stop on the last point. No other punctuation is needed.

Only use ‘and’ or ‘or’ at the end of a bullet item if the meaning of the sentence would be ambiguous without it.

Example:

NZQA will accept applications from agents, provided:

• the agent is registered under the Immigration Advisors Licensing Act 2007, or

• the agent conclusively demonstrates that s/he is exempt from licensing under this Act, or

• the agent conclusively demonstrates that the application is not for immigration purposes.

Bullet points



If each bullet point is a complete sentence, it begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.

Example:

• Do not hold the flag above your head.

• Do not laugh, talk or pass notes.

Bullet points


http://www.iaa.govt.nz/adviser-register/search.htm

http://www.iaa.govt.nz/adviser-register/search.htm



C See also:

Capitalisation

Modern writing style is to use capital letters infrequently. If in doubt, don’t capitalise. And most importantly, be consistent throughout the document.

The following words should not be capitalised in documents:

• accreditation

• audit

• award

• credit

• field (as in field Māori)

• government (except New Zealand Government)

• industry training organisation

• internet/intranet

• level (e.g. levels 1-6 on the NZQF)

• moderation

• private training establishment

• provider

• unit standard

Rule Example

When referring to a course of study, an initial capital is not required, unless referring to a language (e.g. English, French).

Our class has been studying calculus and French this year.

When referring to an actual qualification, capitalise Level, otherwise use lower case levels.

• NCEA Level 1

• levels 1-6 on the NZQF

Use title case for the title of a national qualification, an examination, etc.

• We’re sitting NCEA Level 3 Calculus in November.

• I have a National Certificate in Boatbuilding.

When referring to tables and figures, don’t capitalise except in the title of the table.

• As can be seen in table 3, there are some differences…

Capitalise specific role titles and use lower case for generic titles.

• Minister of Education

• assessor, moderator

Heading style

Legislation

Ministers

NZQA

Terminology



Titles (which sit above graphs) and captions (which sit below figures, diagrams and graphs):

• use bold and regular font for titles, as shown in the examples below

• are short and descriptive

• are numbered using Arabic numbers (not Roman numerals)

• appear horizontally if possible.

• begin labels with a capital letter

• clearly identify any units of measurement used.

Examples:

Table 3 Average rainfall per month, 2000–2005.

Figure 3 GNP for years 2000–2005.

Contact details

In published documents and web pages, avoid the use of NZQA staff names, phone numbers or personal email addresses.

Refer to generic contact details, i.e.

• Role titles, e.g. Web Coordinator

• Service unit, e.g. Communications

• Service unit team mailbox, e.g. Communications Team.

Address

Email address

Fax number

Telephone number

Web address

On the web:

Personnel changes should not mean changes have to be made to individual web pages. On individual web pages, link to the Contact us page or relevant contact form, rather than repeating contact details throughout the site. An exception is when postal addresses are supplied for sending forms, etc., the address can appear on individual pages.



Copyright

Although not required by law, it is a good idea to include a copyright statement on a work. The correct format is:

© New Zealand Qualifications Authority, yyyy

where yyyy is the year in which the work was created.

For detailed information on managing NZQA’s copyright material, managing NZQA’s use of copyright material of third parties, and managing NZQA trademarks and logos, see the following QMS documents:

• See the copyright, trademarks and logos process in Promapp.

Logo use and placement

NZQA

D See also:

Date

Use the format dd month yyyy, e.g. 29 July 2015.

In tables, the shortened format dd.mm.yyyy can be used, e.g. 29.07.2011.

Numbers

Degree titles

See Terminology on page 51.

Dollars

See Monetary units on page 31.

E See also:

e.g.

Means ‘for example’. Use full stops as shown. Do not italicise, and keep lower case. It is preferable to use the full words rather than the abbreviation, where possible.




Email address

Email addresses should only appear underlined if they are hyperlinks, i.e. the reader can click on the address to create an email. There is no need to manually underline these. The underlining is added when the hyperlink is created.

If an email address ends a sentence, omit the full stop at the end (to avoid confusion when entering the email address).

Do not use personal email addresses on web pages.

Contact details

Hyperlink

Web address

Emphasis

Use bold for emphasis. Avoid using too much emphasis, as this lessens the effect.

Do not underline or italicise for emphasis. Never use bold and italics together.

Bold text

Italic text

Referencing

On the web:

Italic text is used to identify titles of documents that are not linked.

Underlined text is for links only (when a user hovers over them). Links do not require a style to be applied. The underline is added automatically by the Content Management System.

Hyperlinks



e-terminology

We are inventing new words all the time, to cope with technological advances. Consistency is the most important thing when it comes to spelling. Generally, when an ‘e’ is inserted before a word to denote ‘electronic’, insert a hyphen. The exception is ‘email’.

Example

e-commerce e-business e-learning

Spelling

etc.

Means etcetera. Use a full stop as shown. Do not italicise and keep lower case.


F See also:

Fax number

Use spaces rather than brackets or hyphens.

Examples:

Local use: 463 3000

National use: 04 463 3000

International use: +64 4 463 3000

Use the international option on web pages.

Contact details

Telephone number

File name

Use the following format rules for file names:

• Maximum 30 characters, including the file extension (e.g. .doc).

• No underscores (_), spaces, capitals or special characters.

• Connect words using hyphens (-).

• Use descriptive names rather than codes.

Font

All material produced for NZQA, whether internally or externally, must be written in Arial (body text 11 point).

All web html pages use the heading and text fonts determined by the Content Management System (CMS) styles.

Heading style

Footers



See

Header and footer information on page 26.



Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Do not create pages with FAQs on the NZQA website.

If information is presented clearly on the relevant web pages, questions should not need to be frequently asked, therefore it is better to ensure the required information is incorporated in the web pages themselves, as this will make it easier to find.

G See also:

Gender-neutrality

If the person in question can be a ‘he’ or a ‘she’, they are usually part of a group (e.g. readers, students, staff, teachers, etc). Avoid saying he/she by:

• naming the group

• using the second person instead, i.e. say ‘you’ or ‘your’.

Example:

Instead of:

• If a student wants a practice test, he/she can look on the website.

use:

• Students can look for a practice test on the website.

or:

• If you want a practice test, look on the website.

Glossary

If required, insert a glossary of definitions at the back of the document.

A list of commonly used abbreviations should appear at the front of the document.


Terminology

Graphics

Graphics can be a useful way of conveying complex information in a simple, clear, visual form. Diagrams, flowcharts and graphs, etc. are useful adjuncts to text.

Avoid using pictures or other illustrations just for the sake of breaking up a body of text.




On the web:

The look and feel or design of graphics should be aligned with the website style guide colours and design principles. See the Channel Strategy team for advice.

Graphics need to be:

• either .gif for a graphic or .jpg for a photograph

• less than 30 Kb in size

Images should be set sizes:

• Head shots are 111x111 pixels.

• To wrap text around an image, ensure the image is only 238 pixels wide.

• Full page image is 476 pixels wide.

GST

All values should explicitly state their GST status in brackets, e.g. (GST inclusive).

Monetary units

H See also:

Harvard referencing system

See Referencing on page 36.



Header and footer information

Header and footer information is set in the template for each document type.

When designing a new document type, consider navigational, ownership and version control requirements that best suit the audience and maintenance needs. Common elements are:

Navigational aids Version control Ownership

Page number

Section or chapter title

Publication date

File name

Version number

Company name or logo

Copyright statement

Copyright

Date

File name


Page numbering

Version numbering

Heading style

Headings are used to clarify the structure of documents. They should be kept short, concise and consistent.

All headings are in sentence case, i.e. capital letter on the first word and proper nouns only.

Do not use a full stop at the end and do not number headings, unless the template for a document type uses numbering.

This is the main heading (Arial 13 pt bold) This is the next heading (Arial 11 pt bold) This is the final heading (Arial 11 pt italic)

Capitalisation

Font

On the web:

There are four levels of heading.

• Use sentence case for all heading levels. Capitalise the first letter of the first word and any words that normally capitalise (e.g. names and titles). All other words in the heading should be lower case.

• Heading level 1 is used for the title of the page only. Do not use within the content of a page.

• Use heading levels 2, 3 and 4 within the content of a page to identify sections of content.



Hyperlink

See Hyperlinks on page 48.

Hyphen

Use hyphens when:

• creating compound words (e.g. standard-setting body). An exception is when you have an adverb ending in –ly (e.g. publicly owned services).

• adding certain prefixes to words (e.g. non-English), particularly the prefixes self-, all-, pre-, post-, pro-, ill-, semi-, non- and ex-

• the prefix ends with the same letter that begins the following word (e.g. anti-intellectual, de-emphasise). There are some exceptions (e.g. coordinate, cooperate).

• writing fractions (e.g. one-quarter).



I See also:

i.e.

Means ‘that is’. Use full stops as shown. Do not italicise, and keep lower case. Where possible, use the full words rather than the abbreviation.


If/then table

When there are a number of alternatives in a particular step, write these as an if/then table, to allow the user to easily filter the options. Use a direct writing style.

Example:

If you are studying NCEA… Then…

Level 1 apply before 20 June.

Level 2 apply before 30 August.

Level 3 apply before 30 July.

Initialism

See Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms on page 16.

Italic text

Use italics only for foreign words and the titles of books, journals and works of art when quoted in text.

Never use bold and italics together.

Emphasis

Referencing

On the web:

Use italics for document titles that do not link to an attachment, and for quotations (in a block quote style). Note, it is difficult to read italics on screen.

J See also:

Jargon

Avoid the use of jargon in all documents. See Writing style on page 8.



L See also:

Language

Write in plain New Zealand language.

See also:

• Writing style on page 8

• Māori language use on page 12

Spelling

Terminology

Legislation

Use title case for titles of laws and acts.

Follow the first mention of a named act with its date, e.g. the Privacy Act 1993.

In subsequent text, when referring to a specific act, capitalise the A.

Example:

...was stated in the Official Information Act 1982. This Act was passed ...

On the web:

When referring to sections of an Act of Parliament, provide a link to the specific section of the Act.

Example:

Links

See Hyperlinks on page 48.


The NZQA logo consists of two elements that must be used together: a symbol and a logotype. They must not be separated.

The logo must be right-hand justified at the top of the page, at 2.15cm high. It must appear in this position and at this size on all Word documents (letters, memos, reports, etc.) that are not separately ‘designed’.

Do not re-draw or re-size the logo.

Copyright




NZQA Continues on next page



To insert a properly sized version of the logo, use the Insert menu at the top of your Office document to select Picture > From File, then navigate to S:\NZQALOGO. Never use the copy and paste function to add the logo to your document.

The logo is available in different formats, and its use is outlined in the NZQA Brand Guidelines. If in doubt, check with the Communications Team.

For more information on use of NZQA logos, see the following QMS documents:

• See the copyright, trademarks and logos procedure in Promapp.

M See also:

Māori

See Māori language use on page 12.

Macron

See Māori language use on page 12.

Ministers

When referring to Ministers by name, use their full title and name the first time you refer to them.

When referring to other Ministers, capitalise the ‘M’.

Correct titles are:

• Minister of Education

• Minister for Tertiary Education

Example:

The Minister of Education, Hon Anne Tolley, said ...

‘The gathering of Ministers went off smoothly.’

Legislation

Monetary units

Express monetary units in lower case, e.g. dollar.

When abbreviating:

• use the three-letter international monetary code, e.g. NZD50, for content targeted at international or mixed audiences

• use $ for content targeted at domestic audiences.

All monetary values should explicitly state their GST status in brackets, e.g. (GST inclusive).

Numbers



N See also:

Numbers

• Write numbers from one to nine in full, except when part of statistical information, used in conjunction with a symbol or units of measurement (e.g. 9 mm, 6%), or used as an expression of dates.

• Write numbers 10 and above as numerals.

• Spell out simple fractions like one-half and two-thirds.

• Use text for mixed fractions (e.g. two and a half), unless in a table.

• Spell out ordinal numbers (e.g. fifth, eleventh).

• Try not to start a sentence with a number. If you have to, then write it in words, (e.g. Twenty-two out of 100…).

• Spell out very large numbers (e.g. one billion, although you can mix them as in 22 billion).

• Use a comma to separate thousands in text, (e.g. 1,000) and use a full stop to separate dollars and cents (e.g. $1,500.50). Decimals less than one must be preceded by 0 (e.g. 0.551).

• When referring to spans of figures, use whole numbers with a separating en dash (e.g. found on pp 103–199).

Date

Fax number

Monetary units

Percentages

Telephone number

Time

Version numbering

Numbered list

Use a numbered list to indicate a specific sequence or order, e.g. a list indicating an order of priority. Try to avoid more than three levels of numbering, and use minimal indenting. Numbered lists do not have a full stop after the number.

It is acceptable to combine numbering and bulleting in a list. Level one may be a numbered list of steps, while level two may use bullets.

Bullet points

Process outline

Numbered paragraphs

Paragraph numbering may be used when there is a need to reference specific paragraphs within a document. Paragraph numbering should be set up in the document template, where required.



NZQA

Always refer to ‘the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’ in full text the first time you refer to it. You may note ‘the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)’, and thereafter simply use NZQA, or you may continue to use the full title.

Most importantly, be consistent and use either the abbreviation or the full text, but not both, throughout your document.

Do not use ‘Qualifications Authority’ or ‘the Authority’, unless quoting a document (e.g. legislation) that uses one of these.

The Māori name is Te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

NZQA is singular, so ensure verbs reflect this. For example, say ‘NZQA is …’, not ‘NZQA are …’


Copyright


On the web:

In most cases, use NZQA to refer to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, as the name is written in full in the website banner.

However, in some cases, especially on pages targeted at international audiences, or audiences potentially coming from another website, write New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) the first time you use it, and use NZQA thereafter.

P See also:

Page numbering



If your document is longer than three pages, page numbers are helpful. Place them centred at the bottom of the page. The only exception to this is NZQA circulars, which have page numbering at the top right.


Percentages

Both ‘per cent’ (Oxford Dictionary) and ‘percent’ (American spelling) are commonly used. NZQA uses the English version per cent in all written documents.

Use the word per cent in text and the symbol % in tables and figures. Avoid starting sentences with percentages.

Numbers

Phone number

See Telephone number on page 39. Contact details

Fax number

Plain English

See Writing style on page 8.



Process outline

When outlining stages in a process, which involves a number of internal and external roles, summarise the stages as a numbered list, written in the third person.

Begin each step by stating the role that is required to undertake it. Precede internal roles with ‘NZQA’ the first time they are referred to.

Example:

1. The student submits the material.

2. The NZQA assessor reviews the material within two working days.

3. The assessor returns the reviewed material to the student.

Numbered list

Properties dialog box

Use the Properties dialog box in Microsoft documents to hold the following document properties:

• Title – Division

• Subject

• Author

• Manager

• Company – New Zealand Qualifications Authority

• Category

• Keywords

• Comments

File name

Q See also:

Quotation marks

Use single quotations marks:

• to enclose direct quotations

• for titles of chapters, articles, essays, etc., where they are named within a larger block of text

• for technical terms in non-technical writing

• for colloquial words in formal writing (but only when first mentioned in a text)

Use double quotation marks for quotations within quotations.

Longer quotations should be set off from the text and in a smaller font than the body text. When this occurs, there is no need for quotation marks.

Referencing




If a quotation is in a sentence that contains unquoted material, place the full stop outside the closing quotation mark.

If a quotation is a full sentence, place the full stop inside the closing quotation mark. If any words are added to a quotation, put them in square brackets.

Examples:

The lawyer said, ‘We need to define “reasonable expectations” before we can make a decision’.

Winston Churchill said, ‘The price of greatness is responsibility’.

‘The genome [the human genetic code] has recently been fully decoded.’

R See also:

Redirector

A redirector is a simple URL that can be used in print publications and external communications to direct readers to a page on the NZQA website. The redirector must be created in the Content Management System (CMS).

Example:

www.nzqa.govt.nz/annual-report

For help in setting up a redirector, see the CMS guides or contact the Channel Strategy team.

Web address

Referencing

Use the author–date system of referencing (also known as the Harvard system). Acknowledge the source of your information in two ways:

• State the author and date of the publication within the text of your work.

• Provide a reference list at the end of the text, which gives the full details of the works referred to or cited.

Quotation marks

In-text references

State, in parentheses, the author’s name and the year of publication, at the point in the text where the reference is made.

Include page number(s) when quoting directly. Use the abbreviations ‘p.’ for a single page, or ‘pp.’ for a page range. Separate the page number from the year of publication using a comma. Page numbers are optional when paraphrasing or summarising.




Place the reference at the end of the sentence (before concluding punctuation) whenever possible. Use the format:

‘quote’ (author yyyy, p. x).

Alternatively, use the author’s name as part of the sentence:

Author (yyyy, pp. x–z) states ‘quote’.

When referring to material found on a website, identify the authorship of the website. This may be a corporate author, an organisation or a company.

Examples:

Smith (2008, p. 23) describes this as ‘…’.

‘Knowledge has both saved us and burdened us’ (Gawande 2010).

The Ministry of Education website provides links to …

When… Examples

no author (Anon. 1999)

no date (Smith n.d.)

more than one author

Two authors: (Smith & Brown 2002)

Three or more authors: (Smith et al. 2002)

more than one work for same reference

Same author: (Smith 2003, 2010)

Different authors: (Smith 2003; Brown 2010)

work sponsored by an agency

(Ministry of Education 1999)

Note: For more detailed examples, refer to Write Edit Print: Style Manual for Aotearoa New Zealand, pp. 154–158.

List of references

The reference list appears at the end of the work, and includes full details of all sources of information referenced in the text.

Use the title ‘References’ for works that have been referenced in the text. Use the title ‘Further Sources of Information’ when the items are not formally referenced in the text.

Works are listed in alphabetical order of author’s name.

Book: Author(s) surname and initials Year of publication, Title of book, Edition, Publisher, Place of publication.

Book chapter: Author(s) surname and initials Year of publication, 'Title of chapter’ [in] Author of book (if different), Title of book, Edition, Publisher, Place of publication, (optional) page number(s).

Journal article: Author(s) surname and initials Year of publication, 'Title of article’, Journal name, volume number, issue number, page number(s).




Newspaper article: Author(s) surname and initials Year of publication, 'Title of article ', Newspaper name, day month, page number(s).

Government publication: Name of agency as author Year of publication, Title of publication, Name of publisher, Place of publication.

Website: Author (person or organisation) Year (site created or revised), Name (and place if applicable) of sponsor of the site, date of viewing the site (date month year), <URL>.

Website document: Author/editor Year of document (created or revised), Title of document, Name of the sponsor of the source, date of viewing (date month year), <URL>.

Note: For more detailed examples, refer to Write Edit Print: Style Manual for Aotearoa New Zealand, pp. 158–173.

S See also:

Sentence spacing

Use one character space after a full stop and before beginning a new sentence.

Exception:

Assessment standards, qualifications and reports use two spaces after a full stop.

Spelling

Use New Zealand English.

Ensure that New Zealand English is set as your default language in Microsoft Word (Tools > Language > Set language).

Although useful, the Microsoft grammar and spell checker should not be solely relied upon to reflect NZQA style standards. See Related documents and links on page 7 for a list of approved dictionaries and other reference documents.

Capitalisation

e-terminology

Terminology



T See also:

Tables and charts

Use tables when the information is easier to read in a table form. For example, when presenting a number of options that require an action, use an if/then table.

Do not leave blank rows or columns in a table.


Error! Reference source not found.

If/then table

For help when creating tables on the website, see the Channel Strategy team.

Telephone number

Use spaces instead of brackets or hyphens.

Examples:

Local use: 463 3000

National use: 04 463 3000, 0800 260123, 027 451123

International use: +64 4 463 3000, +64 800 260123, +64 27 451123

Contact details

Fax number

Numbers

Tense

Write content in the present tense, unless the context makes this inappropriate.

Example:

Say:

• Registration ensures that a certified private training establishment …

instead of:

• Registration will ensure that a certified private training establishment …

Terminology

See Terminology on page 51.

Title

Make titles clear and state exactly what the document is about.

Title case is used for the name of the document on the cover page. All words in the title except prepositions (to, with, in, at, from, etc.), conjunctions (and, but, or) and articles (the, a, an) are capitalised. Titles may be in a larger font size than other headings when they are on the title page.

Heading style



Time

Format times in 12-hour time, with am or pm following.

Example: 9.30am or 2.00pm

Numbers

U See also:

Underlined text

Do not underline to emphasise words in a document. Underlining is used only to denote hyperlinks in an online document.

Emphasis

Email address

Hyperlink

Web address

V See also:

Version numbering



Use the numbering convention vn.n, as follows:

• The initial draft of the document are numbered v0.n (i.e. v0.1, v0.2, etc.) until it is approved.

• When the document is published, the version number becomes v1.0.

• When an approved and updated document is reviewed, the drafts are numbered v1.n (i.e. v1.1, v1.2, etc.).

• When the document is approved and re-published, the version number becomes v2.0.

Amendments made to correct spelling or grammatical errors, or to update links, do not require a version change. For all other updates, a version change is required.


Voice




W See also:

Web address

In documents intended for hardcopy distribution, website and email addresses are not underlined.

Redirectors may be created to provide simple URLs for print publications and external communications.

Hyperlink

Redirector

Web navigation

When linking from one web page to another, use the page title as link text instead of the URL.

Web addresses should only appear underlined if they are hyperlinks, i.e. the reader can click on the link to go to the web page. There is no need to manually underline these. The underlining is added when the hyperlink is created.

Example:

See Immigration New Zealand's List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment

Web navigation

Sometimes in a document, it is preferable to show how to navigate to a web page, rather than giving the address.

To show web navigation, use the format:

Home > [link name] > [link name] > etc.

Hyperlink

Redirector

Web address

White space

The use of white space as margins, around illustrations, and between headings, paragraphs and text columns is important to ensure readability.

For guidance in creating a well-balanced page, see ‘Aspects of Copy Preparation’ in the book Write Edit Print: Style Manual for Aotearoa New Zealand, p. 229.


Writing style




Website guidelines

Site structure overview

Site structure

A well-structured website helps people to successfully find, manage and use information. This means that the content, navigation and search systems are organised, labelled and designed in a way that makes sense for all visitors.

The site structure developed for the NZQA website supports the NZQA Web Strategy to provide ‘…a primary information and support channel for considering, achieving, validating and maintaining qualifications in New Zealand.’ – maximising the opportunities the internet offers to target, integrate and flexibly deliver information, resources and tools to NZQA’s broad audience base.

Making changes to the site structure

Only the Channel Manager can approve changes to the top two levels of the site structure.

The Specialist Content Editor may approve changes to all other levels within the site structure.

Site structure development principles

Best practice provides a number of general principles when developing a site structure for any website. They are:

To focus on the user Understand and make decisions based on the website users and their reasons for visiting.

Consider everything from their point of view.

To be clear, intuitive and logical

Be concise and consistent.

Use labels that indicate the resulting content or step in a process.

Organise content into natural groups.

To avoid information overload Consider the users’ content priorities.

Control the depth and breadth of the site structure.

Classify and contextualise content to allow for multiple access points.

Ensure page lengths are appropriate.

To build for the future Consider scalability and flexibility to achieve business and user goals.

Enable enhancements.



Site structure overview

The NZQA site is structured to ensure audiences have multiple access points to priority information.

Content sections at the top level of the site structure are described below.

Note: The ‘Studying in New Zealand’ and ‘Providers and Partners’ sections are to be reviewed shortly.

Studying In New Zealand Provides the broad perspective of the New Zealand qualifications system and specifically the New Zealand Qualifications.

Enables discovery of structure and process of studying in New Zealand without prior knowledge of local terms.

Provides a starting point for an international audience.

Provides information on education integrity and quality assurance.

Content pages will provide clear cross-linking to more detailed information regarding qualifications, standards, providers and processes.

Qualifications and Standards

Provides contextual information about the qualifications, awards and standards available within New Zealand.

Provides awareness and access to relevant resources (exam papers, exemplars, assessment resources, etc.).

Provides information to current and past learners about obtaining previous results, record of learning, copies of certificates, etc.

Provides detailed information about international qualifications recognition, both here and overseas.

Provides clear and prominent links to finding specific qualifications and standards.

Māori Provides overview of NZQA’s unique kaitiake role of Māori

qualifications, the NZQA Māori Strategy, and Māori qualifications in general.

Provides information for and about Māori providers, kura, etc.

Also provides visibility of consultations, participation hui and showcase of success stories.

Providers & Partners This section is intended to contain the content which is used by the various organisations and bodies that facilitate the delivery of education within New Zealand.

Brings together the relevant transactional process information, forms and support documentation.

Provides access to the NZQA database of providers and partners (including schools) for all audiences.



About Us Provides information about NZQA, its purpose, legislative intent, governance, senior management team, news, events, careers and consultations.

Provides a single repository for all NZQA publications, including newsletters, circulars, QA News, etc.

Search Provides access to standard site search and all dynamic search options by type.

It is the location of all search results initiated from the sidebar search widget.

Information for… These are audience specific landing pages which consolidate relevant links from various sections of the website.

Examples include ‘Students’, ‘Pasifika’, ‘Secondary schools and teachers’, ‘Private Training Establishments’, ‘Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics’.

Content requirements

Content principles

Write for users All NZQA web content must be written in plain, concise, non-technical language and in a way that is attuned to the identified NZQA audience. If appropriate pictures or diagrams clearly and readily communicate the required information, these may be used instead of words.

Write for the web All NZQA web content should be written to be easily read online, utilising best practice web writing principles and structures.

Web first As the web is the primary channel for communicating and transacting with NZQA audiences, all information should be published first on the web (as HTML content) and referenced or replicated in other formats (e.g. publications, QA News, Circulars, etc.).

Write for consistency All NZQA web content should adhere to the NZQA Writing for the Web guidelines, to ensure consistency of NZQA brand voice, language, terminology and style.

Reproduce print material on the web

All NZQA printed material (e.g. brochures, Statement of Intent, Annual Report, etc.) should either be replicated in full on the web as HTML, or made available for download (in the most appropriate format) along with a summary of the key subject matter in HTML.

http://qanet.nzqa.govt.nz/qatools/qms/services/docs/comms-web-write.doc

http://qanet.nzqa.govt.nz/qatools/qms/services/docs/comms-web-write.doc



Appropriately attribute all content

All NZQA web content and downloads should be clearly attributed to NZQA and/or their originating source. Each item should also have appropriate author, version and date information as well as image source and copyright details where these apply.

Maintain standards All NZQA web content and downloads will have an owner responsible for ensuring that each item remains complete and correct and has a review date that is adhered to.

Page hierarchy All pages appear in the left hand navigation except Vacancies and News.

To prevent confusion, the left hand navigation should only show pages from that section of the website. It should not be used to direct people to other sections of the website.

All child pages should be introduced and linked to from the parent page.

Planning new web content

Before you begin writing, answer these questions. If you do not have an answer to any of them, your page may lack the focus it needs.

What is the purpose of this page?

• Why is this page on the website?

• Does the content require a new web page, or can it be added to an existing page?

• Is it duplicated elsewhere on the site?

Who is the audience? • List all potential readers of this page.

• Do they have particular needs? Consider the literacy levels, cultural perceptions and prior contextual knowledge of the reader. Does the content need to be published in other languages?

What are the key messages? • What does the audience need to know or do?

Where does the page sit on the NZQA website?

• Which high level area does the page sit under, e.g. Qualifications and Standards?

• Identify the level of the page.

• Are there any sub-pages?

• Are there pages that need to be amended or removed due to this change?

With whom do you need to consult?

Consider:

• other subject matter experts (internal and external)

• operational staff impacted by any change to process or requirements

• other business owners



Structure your page

Use the following diagram to help you structure your web page.

Title

Starts with a key phrase/contains key words

Is a clear guide to contents of page

Aim for 6 – 12 words

Description

Use key phrase or keywords

Be interesting and factual

Heading

Be specific to content (no generic headings)

If content is long one heading should always be visible if scrolling

Many specific headings improve scanning

Content

Concise – cut 25-50% from first draft

Assume readers will scan first sentence of each paragraph

Informal and conversational tone

Short sentences and paragraphs

Use bullets (preferred maximum 5 items). Create subheadings to split lists longer than 7 bullets

Use positive language



Standards for web pages

See also:

Abstracts

An abstract is a short paragraph, which summarises the content on the page. Various page types automatically use the abstract of its child pages, e.g. Vacancies, News, Section pages.

Blank lines

There should not be any blank lines on pages except between tables.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks are links at the top of the page, which allow readers to jump down the page.

On the NZQA website, bookmarks are the exception, rather than the norm. Only use bookmarks if the page is long.

Document files

Where possible, incorporate the content of a document into the web page. This may not be possible due to the purpose of the document, format of the content, cost of incorporating it, etc.

In these cases, use the appropriate document file type.

• Word – if the attachment is to be filled out, e.g. a form or cover sheet, or customised or adapted, e.g. a template.

• PDF – if the attachment is to be read only.

Other possible file types are excel, zip, audio, etc.

When linking to attachment files from a web page, make the link text match as closely as possible the title of the document.

Only link to the first reference to an attachment the page. If the attachment is mentioned subsequently on the same page, italicise the title.

When a document is downloaded, it should open in a new window.

The icon, file type and size are automatically generated by the Content Management System.

File name



Hyperlinks

The following rules apply to links on the website.

• On any page, include the link once only, even if the subject matter of the link information is referred to several times. Over-populating the page with the same link decreases the readability of the page, and creates ‘link splatter’.

• Use link text that provides a concise accurate description of the link destination. Do not underline, as underlining is applied automatically.

Email address

Web address

Web navigation

Internal links When linking to a specific page on the NZQA website, use the page title as link text.

Examples:

See History of NCEA.

See Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures for Secondary Schools (5.2.2).

External links When linking to a specific page on an external website, use the page title as link text.

Once an external link has been created, an icon automatically appears alongside. All external links should open in a new window.

Example:

Attachments When linking to files from a web page, see Document files on page 47.

Metadata



When writing content, the following metadata needs to also be provided to help with search engine optimisation:

Metadata Description

Description The page description describes the document purpose and audience.

Examples:

Overview describing how National Certificate of Education (NCEA) works.

Instructions for student applying for a qualification.

Keywords Select keywords that indicate what the page is about. Include extra words that are not necessarily ‘correct’ terms, but alternative words that the target audience is likely to use when searching.

See Channel Strategy team for more information or training in creating metadata.

Page types

Home page The Home Page is owned by the Channel Manager.

Any changes must be approved by the Channel Manager.

News articles will automatically update to show the most recent publications.

Tiles should be changed regularly to promote current information and activities.

Newsletters and circulars

If the information in a newsletter or circular will be used on an ongoing basis, that information must be added to an existing web page or a new page must be created.

Links from existing NZQA web pages to newsletters and circulars are not allowed; however links may be made from newsletters and circulars to web pages.

Don’t load a PDF version if there is an HTML version – instead ensure that the PDF icon has been selected and activated.

Contact us Check with the Specialist Web Editor if you need updates.

For consistency, all contact forms should be housed under Contact Us in the CMS.



Consultations Include an abstract that will appear on the consultations landing page.

On completion, publish the consultation report or review outcome with the original consultation documents.

Ensure related website pages are updated with any information from consultations that will be used by clients on an ongoing basis.

Information for… audience pages

These pages should generally be made up of links to other pages on the website.

See Channel Strategy team for changes to audience pages.

News A news article is for:

• media releases

• information about what is happening at NZQA

• information of a transient nature.

All news articles need a short abstract that will appear on the home page. This is set to change shortly, when only the headlines will be visible.



Terminology

The following standard terminology conventions should be used.

Note: If you are unsure of the correct terminology to use in a specific instance, and it is not stated here, please consult the Communications Team, so that a standard convention can be set and added to this table.

Also see standards for e-terminology on page 23.

Term Rule

candidate When students are sitting exams, they are referred to as ‘candidates’.

degree title Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science

Master’s degree, not masters degree

Bachelor’s degree, not bachelors degree

exam booklet Use ‘exam booklet’, which covers both the question booklet and combined question and answer booklet. Most subjects have the combined question and answer booklet. Exam papers are the same as exam booklets.

Exception

A few subjects have a separate question booklet, which the candidates don't write in, and a separate answer booklet, which the candidates do write in. Where applicable, use ‘question booklet’, ‘resource booklet’ and ‘answer booklet’ or ‘script’.

Examples:

Check all the answer booklets have your NSN and Examination Code on them and are listed on your Admission Slip.

If you have filled up your answer booklet, you may request extra paper.

You can keep resource booklets and separate question booklets.

international fee paying students

Use ‘international fee paying students’ instead of ‘foreign fee paying students’.

professional support

NZQA provides ‘professional support’.

The Ministry of Education provides ‘professional development’.

providers Depending on the context, use TEO (tertiary education organisations) when referring to all PTE (private training establishments), wānanga, universities, ITP (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics), GTE (Government Training Establishments), and ITO (industry training organisations).

Use PTE for private training establishments only.

Use ‘providers’ for all of the above, except ITO.

student/learner Use ‘student’ for secondary students and ‘learner’ for tertiary.

new zealand qualifications authority · the extent to which documents should be reviewed and signed...

Documents