Tools and resources for applying the editorial guidelines

AI tools for content editing and production

An AI chat tool can help you with all sorts of things related to editing. It can help you evaluate whether you've successfully applied certain principles and guidelines to content. It can also help you find alternative wording, provide examples, etc.

Be sure to mention the audience you're writing for, for example:

• non-native speakers
• current international students from around the world
• incoming exchange students
• international media, etc.

Also mention that the answers should be in plain, British English.

Remove or replace any personal or sensitive information from your prompts and texts before asking the AI tool. 

Always be critical of the output – you're the expert. Ask follow-up questions and make changes if necessary.

We have access to Copilot through the University.

Check your writing with AI

Use online AI resources like DeepL Write (free) to check your writing and make any adjustments you agree on. Ask an AI chat tool to review the updated version. Repeat this process until you're satisfied and the phrasing sounds natural, clear and simple. 

Stay alert and critical throughout the process and make sure the content still communicates what you want it to.

Tools and resources for finding the right words

As well as or in addition to AI, you can use trusted online dictionaries such as the Cambridge Dictionary. You can also use your favourite search engine or language corpus to find specific examples of natural language.

UK and international university websites can also provide useful and relevant examples of language in use. However, their choices may not always be the most appropriate or intuitive for a wide (student) audience. 

Stay critical, explore different sources and use additional (AI) tools. If possible, ask for feedback from colleagues or representatives of your target audience. A little effort often goes a long way.

Ask colleagues or students

Colleagues can also be valuable resources and reality checks – fellow editors, regular colleagues and translators.

For example, ask your colleagues if they actually know a word or phrase you are considering but are unsure about. What do they think of your suggestions? Can they suggest simpler or more appropriate alternatives that fit in the context? Think of this as a mini user test.

Most of us are non-native English speakers, and this can be a real strength. Our global audience includes both non-native and native speakers, and they all need to understand and engage with our content.

If your content has a student audience, see if you can ask some of them to give you feedback on a small scale.

Quality assurance tools

You can also use quality assurance software to check readability and improve clarity. 

For this website, we use Silktide.

Web analytics tools

Web analytics tools show how people interact with content. High reading times or bounce rates may (but don't necessarily) indicate that the content is too complex or not fully relevant. Keep this in mind when making adjustments.

For this website, we use Matomo.