To ensure that users of our website have the same experience across the entire website, it is important to set up all forms in the same way. In addition to the general Content guidelines, the following additional style conventions apply to forms:

• Address form users with 'you'.

• Introductory texts are not bold or italicised.

• As far as possible, use separate fields for (from a visitor's perspective) matching data (to avoid input errors), even if this information does not need to be stored separately in a system.
  • Do: "First name" / "Insertion" / "Surname"
  • Don't: "Name"
  • Do: "Street" / "House number" / " Addition"
  • Don't: "Address"

• Field labels are short and snappy.
  • Do: "First name"
  • Don't: "Your first name", "What is your first name?", etc.

• Field labels do not end in a colon.
  • Do: "First name"
  • Don't: "First name:"

• When it is necessary to ask for gender, offer (if possible given the system the data is to be stored in) the inclusive options below.
• The options depend on why you want to know the user's gender.
  1. If we want to know how to address the user in communication:

(You only add the last two options if any underlying system can handle them)

2. If we need to know the official gender as stated in the passport:

• When someone needs to log in and/or you need to know the employee number, student number, etc., use the following terms:
  1. If it is a form that requires login: use the term "Radboud account". In the explanation, put whether it is a number or an e-mail address.
     • Do:

• Don't: “U-/Z-/E-number”, “Employee number”, “Personnel number”, “Student number”

2.  If it is for any other reason for which the number is needed use the term "Employee number" or "Student number".

Do: “Employee number” of “Student number”
Don't: “U-/S-/Z-/E-number”, “Personnel number”

Are there any other issues we should have style agreements on? Please pass this on!