1 Using plain language enables you to connect directly and clearly with all audiences - from research participants, to the general public, to research colleagues. It looks as if the proposed law will become effective later this month. That doesn’t mean that you should put your letter in passive voice. and compelling as any other type of language. – understand what they find. It not only gives still-very-relevant lessons on why plain. This clear writing approach is ideal for public sector employees who write to and for King County taxpayers, ratepayers and other clients and customers. uses “you” and other pronouns to speak to the reader. As an author, you should. gov and the Plain Language Community of Practice. Take train-the-trainer bootcamp through plainlanguage. It has 5 general areas to consider: audience and purpose, structure, design, expression, and. Guidelines for writing PLSs have been developed and empirical research on PLSs has been conducted, but terminology and research approaches in this comparatively young field vary considerably. Don’t use slashes. In most cases, writers mean either “or” or “and. It makes writing easy to read for more people. Replacing complex words with simpler words whenever possible lets your readers concentrate on your ideas and information. To learn more about plain language, read the 12 Plain Language tips accessible only on the Government of Canada network) and contact the Plain Language Community of. 12866, E. Adopting plain language in the workplace is sometimes perceived as overly complicated or not really necessary. Testing Your Document’s Readability. ClearMark Awards: The Center for Plain Language sets a high standard for clarity and simplicity in the documents created by North American companies, governments, and organizations. Refer to the reader as you, but not if it sounds accusatory or insulting. Use short lists and bullets to organize information. We’re accustomed to thinking and speaking positively. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communications from government. View the Jargon Madness slides (PowerPoint presentation, 1. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. It looks as if the proposed law will become effective later this month. , the Plain Writing Act of 2010 took effect in October 2011 (see below). The story so far: New Zealand passed the Plain Language Act on Wednesday, which will require the country’s officials to use simple, easily understood English language in official documents and. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Download the 2022 Report Card PDF. Some have endings such as -ment, -tion, -sion, and -ance or link. Train-the-trainer bootcamp. gov. Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short. If a document does not use people-first language, send it back to the writer and ask them to edit it to comply with the style guide. PLAIN offers a variety of introductory classes on plain language. Actions are verbs. Lists highlight a series of steps, requirements, or pieces of information in a visually clear way. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. Like: Do not use like as a conjunction when writing; use it as a preposition. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 defines plain language as: Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience. Half-day presentations. Plain language (also called Plain English or lay language) is communication that your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. clear or distinct to the eye or ear. Agency programs and contacts. i. They want to scan, not read. ”. Top 10 Principles for Plain Language. Don’t complicate things by using jargon, technical terms, or abbreviations that people won’t understand. Resources. We must use plain language in any document that. The Plain Language Thesaurus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers plain language equivalents to medical terms and phrases. Plain language is writing designed to be easily understood by all readers the first time it is read. You can see it in action right here! plain language. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Plain language makes it easier for everyone to understand and use health information. The report card evaluates these agencies on organizational compliance and writing quality. PLS concisely summarize technical content in simple, jargon-free language for ease of reading and improved understanding. I do think there’s an obligation to recognize that if your goal is to inform the. Checklist for Plain Language. Plain Language. While plain language won’t solve every public health communication challenge, all health communications can be made more efective by communicating plainly. The plain language summaries for completed projects have an average reading level of 8. All of these help users connect to the text and cue the user better than nouns do. There will be two sessions each day. You achieve plain English when you use the simplest, most straightforward way of expressing an idea. A word about “plain English. Describes why plain language is a promising strategy for clearly communicating health information and improving health literacy. Resources for using plain language. Understanding what users are trying to do when visiting your website or reading your communications will help you write clearly and focus on their needs. Sign up for our weekly health literacy updates. 6 What documents must use plain language. Trump also intends to circumvent the 14th Amendment so that he can end birthright citizenship for the children of unauthorized immigrants. (Active) The police stopped the riot. (If you’re writing for the web, here’s the web checklist . In Conclusion. Is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. Demand. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) website was launched in 1994; regular meetings began in 1995. Plain language is a communication that is clear, simple, and easy to understand. Choose your words carefully. President Clinton was an advocate and signed two executive orders and issued a Memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing. uses active voice. You’ll also develop a sensitivity to the issues of literacy and work toward. Plain language is a more complex version of English and baby talk. Cochrane Plain language summaries are freely available on cochrane. Tuesday, August 11, 2020 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. Pointing words. In “The Effectiveness of Plain Language” study, readers judged the plain language samples as “well-written” 64% of the time and “well-organized” 66% of the time (compared to 48% and 49. Step 1: Identify and describe the target. 6 . You can also use the toggle on the top right to switch everything to. Using Plain Language. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Choose your words carefully and be consistent in your writing style. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communication from government. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements. Apparently, the headquarters writer was trying to impress people with his so-called knowledge of economics terminology. As the starting point and at every point, design and write the document in a way that best serves the reader. The credibility of being developed with input and support from many plain-language. • Developed a Plain Language Matrix to document related tasks and steps to begin operationalizing our plain language. Learn more about the government’s plain language standard and find a checklist to help you in your projects. You may be required to prepare a Plain Language Summary for a journal article submission, a grant application. While there was a time when many business documents were written in the third person to give them the impression of objectivity, this formal style was often passive and wordy. gov explains how to write in plain language. gov. She was born early. 2010s. Thanks to internet sorcery, we can even take advantage of free tools to quickly gauge the reading level of our writing. In most cases, writers mean either “or” or “and. To provide an opportunity for public feedback, we created the CMS Plain Language . (the person, group or thing doing the action); (the action itself); and. And you were writing for a professor as your only reader. ”4. Lists are useful because they: Highlight levels of importance. Its distinguishing features include the tendency toward excessively complicated grammar and overformality. Schriver. Hosted by Digital. Find Canadian and international resources. No. The Act was signed in October 2010, but some federal agencies have been promoting the use of plain language for years. The plain language definition states, at its core, that plain language is easily and quickly understandable. This timeline is an abbreviated and updated version of A History of Plain Language in the Government by Joanne Locke. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 [PDF - 124 KB] on October 13, 2010. Plain language fixes this problem. People come to government websites and services with a specific task in mind. As: Use as, as if, as though, or other similar expressions as a conjunction in written documents. The material available about plain language is. Governments at all levels, especially the federal government, are using plain language more extensively. This construction makes clear to the reader who is to. Try to make your reading ease number go up and. Following a successful presentation to STC Phoenix on Plain Language and Simplified Technical English, NAU Senior Lecturer Erika Konrad and alumna Karen Field Carroll joined TechWhirl for a Fast 5 discussion on what’s happening with these two global trends, and how they can impact tech comm and other content professionals. The Nielsen Norman Group has done multiple studies on PDFs and has consistently found. Making information less complex and more concise How we knew we needed a plain language program In 2010, most of our day-to-day communications with county residents were lengthy, overly complex, The Center for Plain Language is a 501 (c) (3), non-profit. (a) the document is in English (but see subsection (3) and section 15 ); and. Break documents into separate topics. This comprehensive plain language writing guide includes a definition, when to use it, tips for using it, and 10 examples of how to write in plain language. Use plain language. In Europe, it’s expected that plain language summaries will. Plain language can be understood the first time it is read or heard. [1] The Act applies to public service agencies and Crown agents. Choose your words carefully. By using words in. S. Antiquated words flourish words such as herein, therein,Plain language is a necessity and can have a big payoff for both consumers and organizations. Readability is a strong ally in the quest for plain language—the more common and less complex a word, phrase, or. A study of how users with lower literacy skills read and navigate on the web, for example, found that even users with graduate degrees completed tasks faster when language was simplified. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Don’t complicate things by using jargon, technical terms, or abbreviations that people won’t understand. Reference Oppenheimer, D. Your Reader is a Person. (b) the agency considers that the intended audience for the document is the public generally (rather than 1 or more. In her literature review “ Plain Language in the U. The bigger the block of text, the harder it is to read. Before and after. Verb phrases are the best headings for sections that relate to procedures. There are a variety of books, articles, videos, and journals that provide different perspectives on the value of plain language in areas as diverse as science, government regulation, and law. Writing that is legible and well-organized is far easier to understand than more traditional styles. Plain language discharge letters written for real patients in the context of experience-based learning improved in quality, providing students with skills to work effectively in an environment where poor health literacy is prevalent. . How to Apply Plain Language Techniques in Technical Documents. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. As a communication strategy, it can save time, money, and effort. But plain language, which is often used interchangeably for plain English or plain writing, is not just best practice or common sense, it is also the law. ) Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications. We’re a nonprofit organization run entirely on a volunteer basis. It is language that avoids obscurity, inflated vocabulary and convoluted sentence construction. What is plain language? Nowadays, we have a (fairly) robust understanding of what makes writing readable. O. You should format your letter like the one shown in the guidebook. ”. S. You may use any of the. gov. But in the process, he wasted at least 30 minutes of two senior executives’ time, not to mention subordinates’ and a consultant’s time. Legalese versus plain language by Peter Butt Legal English has traditionally been a special variety of English. Specifically, writing in plain language increases the ability for people with cognitive or intellectual disabilities to access your programming. Direct, accessible language is often called plain language. The aim of a plain-language standard is to provide — for writers everywhere who are working on any type of document, from a letter to legislation — a tool with: The credibility of ISO, its 165 national-standards body members, and more than 22,500 standards. Plain language means readers understand your documents more quickly. Plain language lists can help spot problem words and consider alternatives, but keep in mind that plain language is more than just a list of words to avoid—it’s a way of writing. Principles of Plain Language (PPTX), our original plain language class; Plain Language and Writing for the Web (PPTX), based on Principles, but with a web focusPfizer began sharing study results in plain language with the general public in May 2021, and people can expect to see more and more of it in the future. Testing your content should be an integral part of your writing and planning process—not just something you just do after the fact. It aims to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the public service by requiring communications to be clear and accessible to the public. Beginning in 2022, Pfizer will be disclosing the results of all global clinical trials—phases 1 through 4—in plain language. A common myth is that plain language is incompatible with teaching complex subjects. Our growing network includes members from over 30 countries working in clear communication in at least 15 languages. In healthcare writing, patients are often the intended audience. [2] Public service agencies have a role in informing the public about any requirements and entitlements that might apply to them. Use Plain Language instead of technical terms; Refer to the PRISM Readability Toolkit which contains information about the principles of Plain Language, and examples for improving readability. They point to an antecedent. It avoids verbose, convoluted language and jargon. has useful headings. Our Plain Language Liaisons report on what staff in their units are doing to review and revise documents — view before/after examples. Plain language is useful for everyone, and crucial for users with language barriers and cognitive challenges. Originally called the Plain English Network, PLAIN has been meeting informally since the mid 1990s. 8-11-2020 workshop and 9-10-2020 workshop. This book is as helpful as it is entertaining. They concluded that the organization did not have a true process or standard for communication, and as a result implemented plain language as the standard. These days, federal job postings for writers, editors, and many other positions either request or require plain language experience—skills, former training, or even some level of expertise called “mastery. Plain Language Act 2022 — New Zealand Legislation. . We provide a free half-day introduction to plain language to federal agencies. 111-274) defines plain writing as: “writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field. Complex topics can be clearly communicated with plain language without losing substance. It’s a lot of edu-jargon. Plain Language WebsiteUsing Plain Language makes it easier for the reader to accurately interpret your message. Plain Language Tips & Examples Plain language helps readers quickly and easily understand your message. The law requires federal agencies to. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. The IRB has compiled a document entitled Consent Library which includes Plain Language descriptions of procedures and corresponding risk information. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P. Organize your writing so it’s easy to follow along. At [Agency Name], we are committed to writing in plain language and using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines: We have. To learn more about plain language, read the 12 Plain Language tips accessible only on the Government of Canada network) and contact the Plain Language Community of. Learning. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communication from government. We’ll train your managers as well. Explains to the public how to comply with a requirement that the federal government administers or enforces. Use even more headings with less under each heading. Published: 2004. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communication from government. Many SAGE journals now accept PLS and some have made them mandatory for all. Building and sustaining a culture of plain language – Hennepin County, Minnesota. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Take train-the-trainer bootcamp through plainlanguage. Plain Language Materials & Resources. The point is that the process is reversible. Author: Londell Buckson. Businesses such as banks, insurance companies, law firms, legal services and IT companies use plain language to communicate with customers. Provides information about any federal government benefit or service. This book shows you how to write for customers and clients in language that's easy to understand. You can also watch the 28-minute, 13-second video on YouTube. Successful plain language projects involve learning and leading from both sides. The Plain Language Act aims to make democracy more inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those with lower levels of education. For example, the phrase “people who are incarcerated” is wordier but more representative and equitable than the term “inmates. For regulations and other complex documents, create a comprehensive table of contents. It is intended to make government communications. Plain language works with. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. Plain language engages users best, helping them fulfill their purpose for visiting your site. Plain language is a way of writing that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. gov. It is. Author: Barbro Ehrenberg-Sundin. Use pronouns when you can. Even with regulations and the limits of publishing in the Code of Federal Regulations, you can use design elements to help users read and understand the information. clear to the mind; evident, manifest, or obvious. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Write in active voice. Accusatory use of you. 3. Here are some examples, both historical and current. 15, to require state agencies to adopt a plain language policy to ensure that information is easy to understand and. Plain language, according to NIMS, is the use of common terms and definitions that can be understood by individuals from all responder disciplines. gov. Tommy Thompson, George W. ”the Plain Language Movement, legal language, and rhetoric, and 3. Words matter. This page last reviewed on. Use language your audience understands and feels comfortable with. If your customers don’t understand your documents, you may have to: Answer phone calls. Learn what plain language is and how to write in plain language with best practices and examples. We at the Department of Health and Human Services are committed to writing all of our new documents in plain language, starting. Think through the questions your users likely have and then organize the material in a logical order. These new website pages apply the task-focused approach and Plain Writing guidelines to encourage skimming, scanning, and selecting. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published a plain language standard: ISO 24495-1:2023 Plain language — Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines. It is communication your audience can understand the first time they encounter it. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. Writing in plain English and legal writing have the same goal: communicating complex ideas in a digestible and manageable form. This can be hard in healthcare where medical terminology and acronyms prevail. This page last reviewed on. The Plain Language Act aims to make democracy more inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those with lower levels of education. And there’s some indication the very first mention of plain language dates back as far as. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 defines plain language as: Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience. When we write in the negative, we place another stumbling block in audience’s way and make it more difficult for them to understand us. Three days virtual conference dedicated to using plain language to break down barriers in society. These “Plain Language Summary for a Pro Se Litigant” sections have now made their way into First Step Act jurisprudence. An old adage. The title, authors, affiliations, key points, keywords, text in tables (but not captions) and references are excluded from word counts. But plain language, which is often used interchangeably for plain English or plain writing, is not just best practice or common sense, it is also the law. Overview. For more than forty years, I’ve studied the documents that public companies file. Magistrate Judge Allison Claire, a federal judge based in Sacramento, California, in a case called Muniz v. Gains Momentum by Karen A. The following Executive Orders emphasize the need for plain language in regulations:Since 2011, the Center for Plain Language has issued a yearly report card to show how well federal agencies follow the Plain Writing Act. Use plain language. It . American Sign Language. If your preceding paragraph describes the process of strip mining, and your next paragraph begins with “this process causes…,” the word this makes a clear connection between paragraphs. uses short sections and short sentences. As Justice Clarence Thomas once said, the “beauty is not to write a five cent idea in a ten dollar sentence” but rather “to put a ten dollar idea in a five cent sentence. The aim is that anyone looking for information about the key points of a Cochrane Review can read and understand them. Rep. Apocrypha. Law and requirements. Testing your writing to make sure it’s clear to. This article is structured as follows. It should summarize your scientific study, its results, and their broader relevance without using jargon so that it is understandable by scientists from outside of your discipline, as well as science journalists. (the person, group or thing that the action is done to). Write for your reader, not yourself. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Like: Do not use like as a conjunction when writing; use it as a preposition. The Plain Writing Act of 2010. What is plain language? Communication with clear wording, structure, and design for the intended audience to easily: – find what they need. You may use any of the. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. They concluded that the organization did not have a true process or standard for. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements. Plain Language is a style of copywriting that makes your content easy to understand because it reaches audiences with various reading levels and cognitive abilities. Don’t write for an 8th-grade class if your audience is composed of PhD candidates, small business owners, working parents, or immigrants. Plain language is a way of writing that makes the message easy to read, understand, and act upon by the intended audience. The Definitive Plain Language Writing Guide. The second event will take place May 11-13, 2021 . During 2021, CRT had a plain language specialist on detail from the Administrative Office of the Courts, and also procured the services of a communications strategy team from GSA’s 18F digital consultancy. Building and sustaining a culture of plain language – Hennepin County, Minnesota. The intended readership of plain language summaries can include patients, patient advocates, caregivers, members of the media, busy. Making information less complex and more concise How we knew we needed a plain language program In 2010,. Apart from fractions, the slash has almost no good uses. Effective plain language content means that the target audience can read, understand, and confidently act on the information in your content. read more. It improves reading comprehension, accessibility, and ethical action. Plain-language summary (PLS) is a synopsis of research findings written in an easily understandable way, so that even lay audience would grasp the content. Plain language is content written for everybody, including degree-bearing individuals. Plain Language in Spoken Communication. Plain Language at NIH. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P. the proper approach to legal writing. Plain language is grammatically correct language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. Tip: Where possible, choose a simple word or phrase over a complex one. But they don’t want to take the time to decide which they mean, so they push the job off on the audience. ) written for the average reader. This Plain Language Thesaurus has been put together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Marketing. Use plain language in any new or substantially revised document . The first task for ISO’s plain language Working Group was to complete the Experts’ Draft and to adopt it as Draft 1. This thesaurus offers plain language equivalents to medical terms, phrases, and references that we often use. ”. “Mike’s talking about a two-step approach with some good language attached to the CR,” Jordan said. The mission of the USAGov program is to make it easier for people to find and understand the government services and information they need—anytime, anywhere, any way they want. You can flip the cards. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. (Active) The police stopped the riot. What stuff it all is!Help your readers quickly find what they need with these web writing tips: Less is more! Be concise. And best practices for a patient audience include keeping content between a 6. Your table of contents should be a reliable roadmap that users can follow to quickly find what they need. Writing in Plain Language . Plain language is not. Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand and use government communications. The Plain Language Action and Information Network defines plain language, also called plain writing or plain English as “communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Use plain words Don't use jargon or specialized language that your reader might not understand. “And/or” is a classic example. Choose everyday words: the shorter the word, the more likely it will be familiar to the reader. By using plain language, you increase the likelihood someone will understand your messaging. They make fewer errors filling out forms. It might be science journalists, healthcare practitioners, academic professionals, policymakers or the general public; they need to understand and engage with the research. (If you don’t see your agency’s program listed here, contact us so we can include it. both plain language and coded language in the same transmission, causing confusion. Also called plain language . Many of your high-level managers and. It improves access to services and creates a better experience for your reader. Use informative headings and subheadings if the document is lengthy? Use white space for easy scanning? Use lists and tables to simplify complex material? Download the PDF Use this checklist to see if your document meets plain language standards. has useful headings. Use informative headings and subheadings if the document is lengthy? Use white space for easy scanning? Use lists and tables to simplify complex material? Download the PDF Use this checklist to see if your document meets plain language standards. ”A clear, simple summary written in plain language helps people to understand complex health evidence. The Plain Language Commission accredits public documents and websites with the Clear English Standard logo and provides training in plain language. that’s understandable and direct. Choose your words carefully and be consistent in your writing style. Just because someone can read instructions written at a grade 14 level doesn’t mean they. First, lawyers regularly misuse it to mean something other than “has a duty to. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is an unfunded working group of federal employees from different agencies and specialties who support the use of clear communication in government writing. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. S. This book has great real-world examples proving how plain language can save your organization money and time. Here are five of my agency’s most common arguments for not writing in plain language: I got an A on these kinds of papers in graduate school. Learn how to use plain language in federal communications and access official writing guidelines, training materials, and examples. Avoid Overly Complicated Language. This website consists of five sections and a checklist you can print. It’s robust and direct—the opposite of gaudy, pretentious language.