HOW TO WRITE A JRF VIEWPOINT
Introduction
A Viewpoint is JRF’s format for a ‘thinkpiece’ – a piece of writing that puts forward an argument,
backed up by evidence, that informs a current debate.
Format and length
Viewpoints are the only JRF publication format that use an A5 format (rather than A4). This is to
differentiate them from our other publications – they are part of an author’s point of view rather
than presenting evidence objectively as our other publications do.
The first three pages follow a set format – see the graphic on the next page.
Word counts:
Page 1: Outline of your main argument and questions you’re exploring – up to 50 words.
Page 2: Background – up to 300 words.
Page 3: Key points – up to 300 words.
The ideal total length is 8 or 12 pages. The word limit for 8 pages is 2,650 (p1: 50 words, p2: 300
words, p3: 300 words and maximum of 400 words for each main page). The word limit for 12
pages is 4,250 (as above with 4 extra main pages). Viewpoints can be longer (up to a maximum of
20 pages, 7,450 words) if the additional content strengthens and clarifies your argument, but try to
write as concisely as you can – the longer the Viewpoint, the less likely a reader will read it all.
Other standard content
Start with an introduction on page 4, then you can choose other headings to use throughout the
main text. Close with a conclusion and a paragraph headed ‘About this paper’, in which you
briefly explain the purpose of the paper. If you have a list of references, this should come after the
conclusion and ‘About this paper’. See http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications for examples of
Viewpoints and other JRF publications. For more about presenting references, see our style guide:
http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/writing-style-guide.pdf
Process
Your Programme Manager at JRF will work with you on the content of your draft Viewpoint. They
then send it to the Content & Publishing team, who will co-ordinate the detailed editing and
production. Drafts are edited in-house or by a freelance editor. The level of editing can range from
a light copy-edit to a rewrite or restructure if necessary. We will discuss any changes with you and
highlight any queries. You will always be sent the final draft of the text for comment or approval.
Once a final draft has been agreed, our designer will lay out the proofs according to JRF house
style, including redrawing any figures or tables. We do not send proofs of Viewpoints to authors.
Writing style and related information
•
Always write in plain English and use active not passive sentences e.g. ‘Ben ate an apple’
not ‘An apple was eaten by Ben’.
•
Appeal to the broadest readership possible – not all readers will understand specialist
terms that are everyday language within the field.
•
Please cite references for the evidence you draw on and list these at the end of your
Viewpoint.
•
Please check the copyright for any graphics you wish to include, and supply these as
separate files, not embedded in Word.
TITLE ⇒
Your contact in
the Content and
Publishing team
will work with
you to ensure
the title is clear,
concise, selfexplanatory and
will show up well
in internet
searches. There
is no space for a
subtitle.
⇐ FRONT PAGE
Two or three short
sentences, outlining
the issues you’re
tackling and the
context to your
argument.
⇑ PAGE 2
Up to 300 words of background/context
for your Viewpoint. What’s the basis of
your argument and why is it
relevant/important now?
⇑ KEY POINTS
Bullet points with punchy, concise
text summing up the main points from
your Viewpoint.