The Impact of Writing Style on Compliance with Instructions

Abstract

Advice for writers of business communication implies that certain stylistic conventions will contribute to the effectiveness of that communication. The case for improved readability and comprehension which arose from high-impact style is well made; however, a comprehensive review of the literature reveals little consideration as to the impact of the effect of writing style on behavior. To test the effect of writing style on compliance with instructions, the authors operationalized effectiveness as compliance with written instructions and conducted a field test involving 129 military officers. Instructions inviting subjects to obtain certain study materials were prepared in accordance with high-impact, low-impact, and high-impact with bottom line last prescriptions, and were provided to each of three randomly formed groups. Subjects in the group who received high-impact instructions complied with those instructions at a significantly higher rate than the group which received instructions in the low-impact style. Compliance data collected in the study also indicates that high-impact style elicits more timely compliance with instructions and that bottom-line first instructions may be more effective than other styles. The study generally validates the presumption that high-impact writing style is positively correlated with effectiveness in eliciting a desired behavioral response.