- About this resource
- Why readability?
- Word template and guide
- PowerPoint template and guide
- Foundations of readability for documents and presentations
About this resource
This page presents freely available templates for Word and PowerPoint designed to make it easier to create more readable and accessible documents and presentations.
Each template is supported by detailed guidance about how to use the template and how to modify it for different purposes.
Why readability?
Readability is a dimension of accessibility that is often overlooked when people focus on accessibility. Readable documents can help people with disabilities, as well as many others.
Readability means documents that are easier to:
- understand the overall message (skim)
- find information in quickly (scan)
- understand (cognitive accessibility)
- modify for different people’s needs (digital accessibility).
Readable documents are easier for:
- people with dyslexia and attention difficulties
- people with visual impairments
- people with English as an additional language
- people who have high demands on their time.
It is also much easier to make readable and well-structured documents accessible.
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Word template and guide
The Word template is designed to make it easier to make documents that are structured and readable.
Key features of the template
There are two versions of the template. 1: Generic documents and 2: Meeting minutes with set numbering. They both share the same features:
- pre-defined heading styles with consistent formatting
- set larger default font
- pre-defined additional styles often used in academic documents
- pre-defined keyboard shortcuts for common styles
- created as a Template file (.dotx) to avoid accidental overwrites.
Download Word templates
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PowerPoint template and guide
The PowerPoint Template is designed to make it easier to create presentations that focus on amplifying the speaker’s words and reduce the cognitive load demands on the audience.
Key features of the PowerPoint template
The PowerPoint template predefines layouts that encourage a style of slides that is easier to process. The key features are:
- layouts for section titles, end slides
- layouts for short text, lists, graphics, and quotes
- large default fonts
- all layouts have a title (some hidden) to promote accessibility
- traditional title and bullet layouts as fall back
- created as a Template file (.potx) to avoid accidental overwrites.
Download PowerPoint template
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Foundations of readability for documents and presentations
This document outlines key principles of readability for documents and presentations. The templates are designed to support creating these documents, but there are many more features of readable documents that require structure. The guide contains:
- 5 Principles of Readability (with illustrations)
- 10 Simple things to make documents more readable
- 10 Simple things to make presentations more impactful
- Accessibility for users of screen readers and magnifiers
- Examples of simplified language
- Outline of evidence for document readability.
Download foundations of readable and accessible documents and presentations.
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