by Karon Brandt

Created on: February 07, 2009   Last Updated: February 03, 2010

The American Heritage Dictionary defines an article as "A non-fictional literary composition that forms an independent part of a publication, as of a newspaper or magazine."

As a user-generated, mainly fact-based directory of articles, Helium offers a quality platform for writers from all over the world. As a virtual library of information, Helium includes Creative Writing that allows for informal or colloquial language, but, on the whole, Helium wants to be a site "Where knowledge rules."

In contrast to personal stories, opinions, and debates, nonfiction articles require a more formal level of language, with a more professional tone. Written language ranges from very formal, such as legal documents or technical reports, to the less-formal, such as political speeches and sermons. People may use informal/colloquial language to write about personal experiences or in notes to friends.

Newspaper editorials and popular magazine articles should use language that strikes a note in-between the extremes, depending on the topic.

Helium has developed a glossy format equal to top-quality magazines. Quality is the key word. Web readers come to read quick, but sound, sight-bites of information about topics of importance to them.

Readers have a right to expect that the information is accurate (known, experienced or researched), credible, and written with integrity. Writers have a duty to proofread, fact-check, and write their articles in proper English.

Web readers prefer article lengths in the 400- to 1500-word range. As professionals, writers are expected to self-edit and make certain their articles are formatted correctly: left aligned margins, single spaced writing, with a blank space between paragraphs.

Readability is very important. So are the reputation of the author and the integrity of the site where the material is presented. Looks are important; so is content.

Members are asked to rate paired-articles for their "relevance" to the title and decide which is "more valuable," that is, which is "better." Raters will rate down for grammar, spelling, punctuation errors, and improper formatting. If an article has inaccuracies, is off-topic, or appears to be plagiarized, raters can flag it to Helium staffers.

According to the Scott, Foresman Handbook for writers (1991), article writing requires moderately informal language which includes:

1) a variety of sentence lengths

2) short- to medium-length paragraphs

3) mixed abstract and concrete language

4) some use of 1st and

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