Writing for the Web
The Ruhr University Bochum websites are designed to present content in a clear, accessible, and effective manner.
Good web content is guided in particular by:
- Target Audience Focus
- Readability
- Search Engine Optimization
- digital accessibility
For these purposes, the Office of University Communications recommends the following web writing guidelines.
This website contains general writing conventions for German-language web content. The guidelines for English-language content can be found here:
In a Nutshell: The Most Important Tips
- We put ourselves in the target audience ‘s shoes.
- The most important information is right at the beginning, at the very top of the page.
- The text should be limited to the essentials .
- We write in a clear, concise, and precise manner.
- We use clear, uncluttered sentences of appropriate length.
- We use clear and unambiguous language and explain technical terms that may be unfamiliar to the target audience.
- Avoid using abbreviations that are unfamiliar to the target audience.
- Structure provides guidance: descriptive headings, subheadings, bulleted lists, info boxes, call-to-action elements, etc.
- We don’t produce walls of text.
- Links are clearly marked.
All Writing Conventions
Proper name of Ruhr University Bochum
The university’s proper name can be written in the following forms:
- Ruhr University Bochum
As an abbreviation, if the full name has already been mentioned on the same page:
- Ruhr University
As an acronym, at the request of the Rector’s Office, use the letters “RU” in bold—similar to the logo—provided this is technically feasible in the respective text input field:
- RUB
As an abbreviation—depending on the target audience—suitable, for example, for the study portal:
- University of the Ruhr
Genus at Ruhr University Bochum
The gender of other words referring to Ruhr University must also be feminine.
Examples:
- With 6,360 full-time employees, Ruhr University Bochum is the largest employer in Bochum.
- The Ruhr University Bochum could build 630 soccer fields on its campus.
Structure & Orientation
Online readers scan texts and web pages. They pick out the information that is important to them. That is why texts and content on websites must be well-structured and provide clear navigation at a glance. This is especially true for mobile views of websites.
First things first
Placing key information at the beginning of the text ensures that readers grasp the content right away, even if they don’t view or read the entire page. If the first sentence is too long or uninteresting, users may lose interest or patience and leave the page.
This hierarchy runs throughout the entire page: The most important information is at the beginning, and the least important is at the end.
Meaningful entries in the navigation
We use concise, meaningful wording for the navigation and breadcrumb navigation so that readers can immediately grasp each entry and the text doesn’t become too long.
Short Sentences
Short, uncomplex sentences make the text easier to read—especially for people who skim texts or have them read aloud by a program—and are favored by search engines. Each sentence should contain only one piece of information, if possible.
Example:
Exit Universitätsstraße at the “Uni Mitte” exit. Keep to the left as you approach the parking garage. Turn left after passing the information desk. A designated accessible parking space is located under the canopy next to the bus stops in front of the entrance to the visitor parking lot on the left-hand side.
Paragraphs & Subheadings
Online content often uses many paragraphs so that readers can find and grasp the information at a glance.
Best Practice:
- The subheading should be easy to understand and summarize what the following paragraphs are about.
- A paragraph follows after two to four sentences. Each paragraph covers a specific aspect of a topic.
- A subheading is inserted after no more than three paragraphs.
Structural & Design Elements
Structural and design elements visually organize the text and the website, making it easier to read and understand quickly. We don’t create walls of text!
Therefore, structure your text using descriptive headings, subheadings, bullet points, lists, infoboxes, and call-to-action elements, such as buttons.
Be sure to use photos, icons, and (interactive) graphics to convey content visually.
Search engines give preferential treatment to websites structured in this way.
Emphasis & Formatting
We use formatting sparingly. This may include exclamation points or bold text. This helps ensure that the page remains easy to read.
Important information can be highlighted using design elements incorporated into the web design, such as info boxes.
By default, readers interpret underlined words as links, so underlining is not suitable for highlighting.
You should also avoid using ALL CAPS and italics to emphasize text. Strikethroughs should not be used either.
Links
When creating links, choose descriptive and unambiguous labels . Avoid vague labels such as “More” or “Further Information.”
It is recommended that you avoid placing links within the body text. Links are more noticeable when they are presented more prominently . Good options here include, for example, bulleted lists, buttons, info boxes, or link areas.
It is also recommended that you avoid including additional quotation marks or other special characters in the link—this can look cluttered. Links are usually automatically highlighted by content management systems, for example, by underlining and/or using a different font color.
Links should not be marked with the characters > (“greater than”) or < (“less than”) . This markup is not accessible; screen readers will read these characters aloud as the words indicated.
We therefore use other labeling methods.
Style: Target Audience, Word Choice, and Grammar
Consider the target audience
We tailor our language to the target audience so that the information reaches exactly the people we want to reach. In doing so, we take the target audience’s prior knowledge into account. This is how we ensure consistency.
Salutation
- The personal pronouns “du” and “ihr,” as well as “dein” and “euer,” are always written in lowercase.
- The polite forms of address “Sie” and “Ihr” are always capitalized.
Specific Statements
We use specific details to avoid misunderstandings, such as when time references change or when adjectives can be interpreted in different ways.
Recommended:
- The application period for the summer semester of 2026 ends on January 15, 2026.
- The fee is increasing by 10 cents.
- The application period ends in three weeks.
- The contribution will increase slightly.
We also avoid double negatives and instead phrase things clearly and in a way that is immediately understandable.
Recommended:
- The surgery was complicated.
- The surgery was not without complications.
Verbs Instead of Nouns
Using verbs instead of nouns makes the text seem more lively and vivid. A nominal style tends to sound stiff and like “bureaucratic German.” Strings of nouns make the text harder to read. This is especially true when people with visual impairments have a program read it aloud to them.
Recommended:
- The measurements were delayed.
- There was a delay in conducting the measurements.
Active Instead of Passive
We use the active voice instead of the passive voice. Active sentences are shorter, make the text more lively, are easier to understand, and generally provide readers with more information, since the agents of the action are named.
Recommended:
- In the online application, you can only choose from courses that are scheduled to begin in the upcoming semester.
- The online application form lists only those courses that will begin in the upcoming semester.
Foreign & Technical Terms
The use of foreign and technical terms depends on the target audience’s prior knowledge. When in doubt, it is better to explain foreign and technical terms one more time. The explanation should be brief, concise, and easy to understand.
Example: Explanation of the term “qualification for admission to higher education” in context:
- Most German applicants are eligible to study at Ruhr University Bochum because they have an Abitur, which is a general university entrance qualification. This university entrance qualification (HZB) is generally the basic requirement for studying at Ruhr University.
Filler Words & Adjectives
Without filler words and with few adjectives, the text is more concise, allowing the content to get across to readers more quickly. Filler words usually pad out a sentence unnecessarily and distract from the main point.
Examples of recommended phrasing:
- Employees at Institution X devised a new process to make the allocation of funds more efficient.
- Filler words are common in spoken language.
- Creative individuals came up with innovative ideas.
→ This sentence contains only the following specific information: “People came up with innovations.” - Filler words do tend to come up quite often in spoken language.
Abbreviations
Using only common abbreviations makes it easier to understand the text. While abbreviations that aren’t widely known can be defined, readers who skim the text rather than reading it thoroughly may overlook the definition.
Headings, taglines, and teasers should not contain abbreviations that are not widely recognized.
Abbreviations that the target audience may not be familiar with should be explained the first time they appear in the main text.
Example:
- The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Award is presented once a year and comes with a prize of 1,000 euros. The DAAD Award is given to international students at the RUBwho have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and social commitment during their studies.
Even common abbreviations such as “e.g.,” “approx.,” “etc.,” and “Mio.” disrupt the flow of reading. It is therefore recommended to write them out in full.
Examples:
- Among other things, he studied German language and literature and history.
- The grant amount is 2 million euros.
Gendering
The guide to gender-inclusive language from the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent Development at Ruhr University Bochum, which includes tips on phrasing and terminology, can be found here:
Notation: Numbers, Dates, and Units of Measurement
Proper nouns
Proper nouns and their abbreviations should always be written in the manner preferred by the relevant individuals or institutions —that is , as they themselves do or specify.
Common terms, such as iPad, YouTube, or eLearning, should also be spelled the way the respective companies or organizations spell them.
Numbers & Figures
Numbers up to twelve are written out in words; numbers 13 and above are written as digits.
Examples:
- Ten people participated in the study.
- The 24-year-old student attended six classes during her first semester.
Numbers with decimal places and monetary amounts are generally written as digits.
Examples:
- The structure is 2.5 nanometers in size.
- The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is providing 2 million euros in funding for the project.
- The fundraiser raised exactly 3,150.50 euros.
When comparing two numbers, one of which is less than 13 and the other is greater than or equal to 13, the smaller number is also a digit.
Example:
- Children ages 6 to 13 can participate in the event.
To make the number easier to read, the thousands digit should be separated from the other digits by a period.
Example:
- The lecture hall has 1,300 seats.
Data & Time Information
Time
Times are written as numbers without leading zeros. Hours and minutes are separated by a period, followed by the word “o’clock.”
Example:
- The event begins at 9:30 a.m.
- The event begins at 9:30 a.m.
Date
The date is written without leading zeros. Month names are written out in full. The year follows as a four-digit number.
Example:
- The event will take place on November 18, 2026.
- The event will take place on November 18, 2026.
- The event will take place on November 18, 2026.
Time Periods & Schedule Overviews
When referring to time periods , the word “until” is spelled out in the body of the text.
Example:
- Students can register from August 8 through August 16, 2023.
- Students can register from August 8 to 16, 2023.
In schedule overviews , months may be represented by numbers, and the word “until” may be abbreviated with a dash (–) without spaces on either side (no hyphen).
Example:
- October 10, 2023–September 10, 2024
- 10.10.2023-10.9.2024
Units of Measurement & Currencies
It is recommended to write out units of measurement and currencies in full, rather than using abbreviations, to improve readability and understanding.
Examples:
- The branch office is 1.5 kilometers away.
- The book costs 9.95 euros.
- The temperature is 23 degrees Celsius.
- The branch office is 1.5 km away.
- The book costs €9.95.
- The temperature is 23 °C.
Special characters
It is recommended to use special characters, such as >,
Example:
- Grades are assigned based on the evaluation score. The evaluation score is determined by the exam results and the accompanying rationale.
- Grading Based on a Scoring Metric: Test Results + Justification
Contact Information: Titles, Phone Numbers, and Addresses
Title
Doctoral degrees are abbreviated as“Dr.,”and professors are abbreviated as“Prof.”The doctoral degrees held by professors are also listed.
Examples:
- Dr. Mona Mondschein
- Prof. Dr. Sonja Sonnenschein
- Prof. Sonja Sonnenschein
- Professor Dr. Sonja Sonnenschein
Phone numbers
Phone numbers are listed without special characters; the only exception is the plus sign in the country code. Whether to include the country code always depends on the target audience.
To indicate that a number is a phone number, the abbreviation “Tel.:” is placed before it.
Groups of digits, such as the area code, are separated by spaces. This allows users to tap the numbers on their smartphones. We therefore format phone numbers as links.
Example:
- Phone: +49 234 32 00000
- Phone: 0234 32 00000
- +49 (0)234 32 00000
- 0049 234 32 00000
Email addresses
Email addresses should ideally be written in lowercase letters; the domain @ruhr-uni-bochum.de should be written out in full and not abbreviated as @rub.de. In contact information, the word “Email:” should precede the address.
We format email addresses as links.
Example:
- Email: max.mustermann@rub.de
- Email: Max.Mustermann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Street Names
Street names should be written out in full.
Example:
- 150 Universitätsstraße
- University Street 150
Buildings & Locations on Campus
The abbreviations for buildings and locations on campus are unfamiliar, especially to newcomers at Ruhr University Bochum. Therefore, the names of buildings and locations on the Ruhr University campus should be spelled out in full and explained once more, and, if necessary, their locations should be briefly indicated again in the text.
Of course, this depends on the target audience’s prior knowledge.
Examples:
- Student Service Center (SSC)
- The Service Point in the lobby of the University Administration (UV) provides information on all matters related to organizing your studies.
- SSC
- The Service Point at the UV provides information on all topics related to organizing your studies.