| Think about who it is for |
What will participants' reading skills be like, and what font size do they require? (For example, older participants, young participants, or those with visual problems may require a bigger font than usual; see NHS (2002), p. 9.) |
| Consider the impact of letter-headed paper |
Letter-heads make correspondence appear more official, and (depending on the nature of the letterhead) more impressive. For example, some letterheads include logos that show your department is award-winning or approved/supported by a related organisation or charity. These factors can be very helpful in getting people to feel happier about supporting a study. However, they may also carry other connotations. For example, a letter-head from a doctor's surgery, hospital, psychiatric service, or other health-related organisation could cause people anxiety, fear, or embarrassment. The same applies for correspondence that appears to be from official (government) organisations, the police, or other legal groups. Therefore decide whether your existing letterhead looks inviting or off-putting, and if it's the latter design a new letter-head that is appropriate to the needs of participants within your study. Finally, don't forget that you need permission from your organisation to use its letter-headed paper. If you are in doubt, check with your tutor or manager to find out whether you can use a letter-head. |
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