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Good presentation can greatly assist Ministers in considering papers. Papers to Cabinet and committees should:
- be concise, coherent and logical;
- be as short as possible, without excluding essential information;
- be written in plain language;
- not assume the reader has expert knowledge;
- be structured so that the key issues stand out;
- avoid detailed lists - summarise instead;
- use charts and diagrams where they can assist understanding;
- have clear recommendations where the decisions needed can be easily and logically assessed;
- use appendices to include detailed information that is vital to the issue;
and, in terms of layout:
- use headings and subheadings, short paragraphs, uncomplicated sentences, bullet points;
- have all paragraphs numbered;
- have all pages numbered, including the appendices;
- use a clear font with a typesize of at least 11.5;
- ensure figures and dates are consistent and accurate; and
- follow the format requirements for standard Cabinet papers.