Section 2.8.4

Style Guides

Style guides are widely used in the professions and in organizations to achieve a uniformdocument look by identifying formal requirements for document appearance. They are task-oriented documents in the sense that they provide definiteinstructions for preparing a document. In style guides, instructions are generally provided fornumerous document elements, including most of the following:

For many documents, it is a good idea to identify a standard of style so that you achieveconsistency of style. Consistency is important, not only because it genuinely improves thereader's ability to understand your material, but also because it gives the reader confidence inyour ability to assert control over detail.

You may set the standard of style by simply designating a document to follow as a model. Youmay also prepare your own style guide, something that may require only a one- or two-pagelisting of style guidelines. Most writers adopt a publication that gives style guidelines. Here aresome common style guides:

For further discussion of documenting sources, see Citing Sources andListing References.

## Style Guides ##


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