Attention should be paid to good reader guidance. This means that readers should be able to follow the connections between chapters and clearly recognize the red thread. This goes beyond having a clear structure, appropriate tables and figures, and a suitable style.

For example, it can be helpful to state the objective of a chapter at its beginning (“The goal of this chapter is to define the concept of brand image”) or to announce its components (“First, concept X will be defined. Then, the state of research will be described ...”). At the end of a chapter, you can also create a bridge to the next one.

Reader guidance can also take place between different levels of the outline. If, for instance, Chapter 1 is divided into several subchapters, a short overview can be provided directly under the heading of Chapter 1, explaining what parts (e.g., Subchapter 1.1 and Subchapter 1.2) the chapter consists of. In other words, effective reader guidance briefly explains at the start of Chapter 1 what readers can expect from the entire chapter without preempting the detailed content of the subchapters.

If you choose to use this form of reader guidance between outline levels, you should apply it consistently. This means including such short descriptions before each set of subchapters and on all outline levels.