| The difference between a top-notch article and a | | | | when your article can remain timely for a |
| flop is often the quality of information that | | | | significant period after you submit it. It is |
| constitutes it. It follows that a poor article lacks | | | | important to mention dates or years if you are |
| one or more of the qualities that constitute good | | | | referring to a specific period. Too many writers |
| information. Whether an article is for | | | | refer to "last year" or "recently" in their articles. |
| entertainment or enlightenment, the qualities of | | | | Even if articles bore date stamps, readers might |
| good information can help you to write an article | | | | have to distract themselves from reading to look |
| that would satisfy readers and significantly | | | | at it. Keep in mind that your article is viewable for |
| enhance your writing portfolio. | | | | years after you submit it. |
| Accuracy | | | | Clarity |
| When writing a knowledge-article, your information | | | | Clarity ensures that the reader will be able to |
| should be valid and reliable. In striving for | | | | understand your article easily. You can increase |
| accuracy, writers should double-check the data | | | | the clarity of your article by proper formatting |
| used in writing an article. Since writers aid the | | | | and writing according to a clearly defined structure |
| transformation of data to information, it follows | | | | (logical paragraphing). Using bullet points and |
| that unreliable data will necessarily lead to an | | | | sub-headings can significantly increase clarity. |
| unreliable article. At a deeper level, writing | | | | Other things to pay attention to include proper |
| accurately also suggests that you should not write | | | | spelling, punctuation and sentence structure - all of |
| to mislead readers as well. Therefore, it is | | | | which increase the reader's ability to understand |
| important to write balanced articles or | | | | your article easily. |
| acknowledge when there are alternative | | | | Volume |
| viewpoints or further information on a topic. | | | | You should not subject your reader to information |
| Relevance | | | | overload. State your information clearly and |
| Information written in an article should be | | | | concisely. Articles should be no longer than 1500 |
| pertinent to the title. An off-topic article | | | | words. If you find yourself approaching 1000 |
| disappoints readers and has little chance of being | | | | words, ask yourself if you are just rambling, or if |
| referred or even read. Writers should always ask | | | | all or most of the information that you have |
| themselves if the information that they include is | | | | possesses the other qualities of good information. |
| pertinent to the title. In some cases, it may be | | | | Even if they do (in your opinion), omit some |
| necessary for writers to demonstrate the | | | | weaker points just to manage your article |
| relevance of information they include. Mingling | | | | volume. |
| relevant and irrelevant information to add body to | | | | Confidence |
| an article can lead to an uninteresting, rambling | | | | Readers must have confidence in the information |
| piece - regardless of the length. | | | | that you provide. Unless they are able to trust |
| Completeness | | | | your information or credibility, they are unlikely to |
| Good practice dictates that you write complete | | | | read your other articles. Using all caps, writing |
| articles - not a series of paragraphs that end | | | | unbalanced articles and leaving too many errors in |
| wherever the writer decides to stop. An article | | | | your article can reduce the confidence that |
| should have an introduction, body and conclusion. | | | | readers have in the value of your information. |
| You can also extend the concept of information | | | | Writing a high-ranking article is not difficult, once |
| completeness to how much pertinent information | | | | you consider writing along the lines of quality |
| you include in your article. Do not merely seek | | | | information. Relevance, clarity, accuracy and |
| enough information to write a 400-word article; | | | | timeliness are arguably the most important |
| procure enough to explore the topic without going | | | | characteristics of a good article. If you |
| into unnecessary detail. | | | | consistently write according to these principles, |
| Timely | | | | you will likely write top-notch articles more often |
| Articles should be timeless or evergreen. | | | | than not. |
| Therefore, you should write to seasonal titles only | | | | |