Writing a Submission

A broad practical guide to writing clear submissions to government. This guide is for any submission written to Governement, not only for funding.

Writing A Submission: A guideline of how to write clear submissions to government agencies. Helen Ting. 2002

This guideline draws on the experience of many years of reading submissions from government agencies, private companies, community organisations and individuals. I wrote this guideline while working for the NSW Department of Planning. The advice contained in the guideline, however, does not reflect the views of the Department of Planning.

Communicate through clear writing and good design

This guideline contains tips on writing clear submissions. This advice mostly relates to longer submissions (of more than a page) but should still be helpful for short ones too.

Many people are already practising the principles mentioned in this document. Surprisingly though, even large organisations sometimes produce documents that are confusing and ambiguous.

This guideline is designed to help people to be better communicators: the way you express your message can help to make sure that your message has the desired effect.

Many government departments invite written submissions to collect views on government proposals. Each year government department officers read hundreds of submissions on discussion papers and other publications and proposals.

Clearer submissions will allow you to convey your message quickly and effectively. They will also allow government department staff to provide accurate advice on your views to their management and to their Minister.
In this guideline I have focused on style and not content. The two key principles guiding the advice are:

• plain English and
• principles of good document design.

Anyone making a submission to a government agency should find this guideline useful, whether you are using a word processor, typewriter or writing by hand. You might be writing as an individual or for an organisation. Whoever you are, this document is for you.

I hope that you find these suggestions simple to use and that, as a result, you are pleased with the effect they have on your documents.

Helen Ting

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