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The Ekarv method, named after Margareta Ekarv of the Swedish Postal Museum, is a proven set of guidelines, the effectiveness of which has been substantiated by research and has been widely adopted.
1. Use simple language to express complex ideas.
2. Use normal spoken word order.
3. One main idea per line, the end of the line coinciding with the natural end of the phrase. "The robbers were sentenced to death by hanging" is short and to the point.
4. Lines of about 45 letters; text broken into short paragraphs of four or five lines.
5. Use the active form of verbs and state the subject early in the sentence.
6. Avoid: subordinate clauses, complicated constructions, unnecessary adverbs, hyphenating words and the end of lines.
7. Read texts aloud and note natural pauses.
8. Adjust wording and punctuation to reflect the rhythm of speech.
9. Discuss texts with colleagues and consider their comments.
10. Pin draft texts in their final positions to assess affect.
11. Continually reverse and refine the wording.
12. Concentrate the meaning to an "almost poetic level".
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