The handbook’s focus is on writing and reading in government. This guided our choice of terms.

We use the noun ‘writing’ more often than ‘content’ (the term prevalent in the Style Manual). Writing is the words that are set down in a document, a draft or a complete written work.

We use ‘content’ in a broader sense. Content is the range of government material (including web content) that includes visual, auditory or interactive elements as well as text.

‘Text’ is a group of words or a written work.

‘Document’ is writing software’s equivalent of paper. It is the thing people write in, amend and send for approval.

We use ‘readers’ throughout the handbook. There are 2 exceptions. In ‘Understand who you are writing for and why’ and ‘Make it accessible and inclusive’, we use the standard term for these topics – ‘users’.

We refer to the ‘APS’, the Australian Public Service, throughout the handbook. This is for convenience. Please read APS to include public servants working for state and territory governments.