Elements of Political Communication

ELEMENTS
of
POLITICAL
COMMUNICATION
Close-up of the line containing the phrase "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,"
Frame
This style guide is an introductory wikibook for beginners who want to produce political messages in various media formats. It is not a rule book; rather, it is a set of guidelines to facilitate effective political communication. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between two distinct styles to create pragmatic, clear, and useful information to establish a consistent tone, style, and format between all of the messages you or your organization produces.

It is meant as a practical guide for anyone, regardless of political affiliation, and it is organized in such a way that a person new to political communication can learn to create convincing and thought-provoking op-eds, letters to the editor, press releases, social media posts, website content, and spoken messages.

Introduction

Background

Style

Spoken message guidelines

Speeches

Debates

General guidelines

Accuracy

Audience

Fairness

Format

Importance

Sound

Succinctness

Traditional media guidelines

Op-eds and letters to the editor

Press releases

Digital media guidelines

Social media

Websites

Appendices

References

Further reading