Briefing Section Summary (wip)

Migrated from Word to be cleaned up.

All briefings have the following sections, providing a consistent structure that helps readers quickly orient themselves and move between related topics.

Preface Section

• The Preface section is automatically generated from form fields and other information entered when editing a briefing. After the excerpt is a series of Show/Hide panels. Take a moment to view any briefing to see what information is provided in this section.

Summary Section

• The Summary Section provides a broad overview of the contents of the briefing in a few paragraphs. It is to be written after all other sections are completed.
• Though this has not always been the case, and we are working to correct it, the summary should be more conversational in tone. It should be what you would say if someone asked you about a topic and you only had a minute or two to respond.

Context Section

• This section places the topic of the briefing in its larger global context, outlining the background, conditions, and broader forces that shape the issue and explain why it matters. It provides essential orientation before the briefing turns to specific claims or evidence.

Key [Descriptor] Section

• This section forms the core of the briefing, presenting its central talking points, insights, concepts, suggestions, or other key takeaways.
• Every briefing includes a Key [descriptor] section, where the descriptor indicates the type of content presented.
• In most cases, the descriptor is Points, resulting in a Key Points section. However, the descriptor is intentionally flexible so the section label accurately reflects the nature of the material. Note that Objections briefings will almost always use Key Points.
• Examples:
  • “Veganism 101: An Introduction:” Key Points
  • “Getting Started with Going Vegan:” Key Suggestions
  • “The Rights-Based Approach to Animal Ethics:” Key Concepts
  • “Fish Injustices and Suffering:” Key Injustices
• Other appropriate descriptors may include Key Findings for research-focused briefings or Key Steps for briefings organized around a sequential process.
• The descriptor also determines the expected form of the entries that follow.
  • Most briefings use descriptors such as Key Points or Key Suggestions, which call for complete sentences because they express claims, observations, or guidance.
  • In some cases, however, the descriptor refers to items that are more naturally expressed as terms or short phrases rather than sentences. For example, Key Concepts identifies important ideas or topics, which are typically presented as short phrases rather than full sentences.
• On the backend, the nomenclature key something may be used instead of key descriptor.

Devising the Key Points

• Note: For purposes of discussion, we assume the descriptor is Points unless otherwise stated. For a full explanation of how descriptors are chosen, see “Determining the Key section descriptor” above.

Understanding the Role of Key Points

• The Key Points section is the heart of the briefing. The term Key Points is used rather than Talking Points to avoid alienating the veg-curious, though everyday vegans and activists may think of them as advocacy talking.
• Review the Key Points (or Key Suggestions, etc.) in existing briefings to understand how they are typically formulated.

Developing the Key Points

• Considerable care should be taken when devising the key points. They are foundational to the structure of the briefing and central to its usefulness for advocacy.
• As with all text in a briefing, the sentences should be rhetorically clear and persuasive where appropriate.
• Although the briefings can provide rhetorical support for advocacy, they must also remain accessible to the veg-curious. The language should therefore be direct and compelling without being alienating.
• Different authors may arrive at different sets of effective key points. To the extent possible, however, the list should be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive, meaning that each point expresses a distinct idea while the set as a whole captures the essential elements of the topic.

Workflow

• After identifying the proposed key points, it’s a good idea to review them with the editor before writing the supporting sections. This helps avoid substantial rewriting if the structure of the key points changes.

Counterclaims Section

• The counterclaims section provides responses to likely “yes, but” retorts related to the topic. The retorts often arise during a discussion of the topic of the briefing, and the intent is to arm the activist with a response.
• Similar to the previous section, each counterclaim is numbered and presented as a sentence. This is followed by text that debunks the claim or demonstrates its irrelevance.
• The counterclaim sentence is preceded by the text Claim.
  • Example, from the /hunger briefing:

Counterclaim Variations

• See vbriefings.org/hunger for an example that addresses multiple counterclaims with little nuance.

• For some briefings, a counterclaim is presented but only summarily addressed because it is covered in another briefing. A link to a briefing that covers the topic more thoroughly is then provided. See the Counterclaims section of briefings.org/cruel for an example.
• For some briefings, a counterclaim references a claim addressed in the same briefing; in such cases, an explanation of where in the briefing it is covered is provided. This is to make the counterclaim more explicit. See the Counterclaims section in vbriefings.org/protein for an example.
• Some objection briefings address no counterclaims because the nature of an objection briefing is that the entire briefing is itself addressing a counterclaim of sorts. In this case, the Counterclaims section will provide the text “Counterclaims are often not included in objection-type briefings because the objection itself functions as a form of counterargument.”
• Some briefings do not address any counterclaims; in such cases, the section simply states, “No counterclaims are addressed in this briefing.” See vbriefings.org/cow-sentience for an example.

Supplementary Info Section

• The Supplementary Info section provides additional information that may prove useful. information that may prove useful for understanding the topic or in outreach.
• Unlike the Further Study section that follows, the information is provided directly in this section rather than through links.
• If the information is lengthy, or it is a video that can be started inline, it should be enclosed in a show/hide control.