Plain language makes it easier for everyone to understand and use health information. This is the 11th time the Center for Plain Language has issued a yearly Report Card evaluating how well agencies follow the Plain Writing Act. Cochrane Plain language summaries are freely available on cochrane. By using plain language, you increase the likelihood someone will understand your messaging. Plain Language Day is celebrated on 13 October each year. O. View these before and after examples to see how the National Archives is. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a hardline. You may be required to prepare a Plain Language Summary for a journal article submission, a grant application. Writing in plain English and legal writing have the same goal: communicating complex ideas in a digestible and manageable form. gov. Language allows us to communicate our. . PLAIN offers free consultation to federal agencies on how to start an internal agency plain language program. When people understand what they read, they need fewer explanations and make fewer mistakes. . In business, a message is only effective when it is understood. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN. Pointing words. 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. We provide a free half-day introduction to plain language to federal agencies. gov, plain language helps the reader: Find what they. Typically it is written at a 6th-8th grade reading level for the. Content types. In short, you should always aim for clarity, readability, and brevity. ”. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. Plain language is designed to communicate information as clearly. Choose your words carefully and be consistent in your writing style. This Plain Language Thesaurus has been put together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Marketing. gov. Try to make your reading ease number go up and. 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. Write in a conversational tone. That makes their writing ambiguous. A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended audience can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information. complete group discussion assignments (usually due Tuesdays and Fridays) spend about 2 hours per week on coursework. They also didn't have a negative reaction to the simplified content. feedback form posted on the page. What stuff it all is!Help your readers quickly find what they need with these web writing tips: Less is more! Be concise. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. This book is as helpful as it is entertaining. This page last reviewed on. 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. Plain language is grammatically correct and universally understood language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. Designing for reading is an important part of developing effective communications. “And/or” is a classic example. To provide an opportunity for public feedback, we created the CMS Plain Language . Find out the benefits of plain language for different audiences and purposes, and explore the sources and resources on plain language from various. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Style guides are not a plain language issue, except that your style guide should include directions to write in plain language. 5. Lists are useful because they: Highlight levels of importance. Great if you need to explain the importance of plain language to your boss. Morkes, J. As an author, you should. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. gov. Historical Quotes. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Use plain words Don't use jargon or specialized language that your reader might not understand. Plain language is universal. Plain language can be useful in an academic setting. 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. We will explore five stories or themes that show how plain language can increase access. • the importance of using plain language; • best practices and helpful tips; • leadership’s interest in and support of plain writing; and • training opportunities (within and outside of the Department). 2010s. You should format your letter like the one shown in the guidebook. President Clinton was an advocate and signed two executive orders and issued a Memorandum on Plain Language in Government Writing. But in the process, he wasted at least 30 minutes of two senior executives’ time, not to mention subordinates’ and a consultant’s time. View the Jargon Madness slides (PowerPoint presentation, 1. A common myth is that plain language is incompatible with teaching complex subjects. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (PWA) [2] and Executive Order 13,563 [3] require agencies to use plain language in various public-facing documents. Plain. We believe that using plain language saves government agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Compare the following examples to get the idea of the plain language. Her hand shakes so she does not do sign language. As the starting point and at every point, design and write the document in a way that best serves the reader. Author: Barbro Ehrenberg-Sundin. Consider your audience. Letters and notices. Plain Language Resources. Find out the benefits of plain language for different audiences and purposes, and explore the sources and resources on plain language from various experts and organizations. O. Use even more headings with less under each heading. Using plain and clear language helps your audience read, understand and use the information you are giving them. Agencies earned grades between A and F for both. Keep in mind that the average U. Identify their top tasks. What is Plain Language? Importance of Plain. 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. That's likely why readers across a wide variety of audiences prefer it, but plain style also has other benefits, like making documents more cost-effective and easier. We’ll train your managers as well. uses “you” and other pronouns to speak to the reader. Plain English is clear and direct speech or writing in English. Established by the Secretary of Homeland Security, NIMS only requires plain language for mutual aid scenarios, though it strongly encourages the use of plain language during day-to-Plain language legal writing refers to legal writing that is well thought-out, well organized, and understandable to the client without interpretation: the language is clear, the legal concepts are explained and the technical terms are defined. We at the Department of Health and Human Services are committed to writing all of our new documents in plain language, starting. gov’s presentations and handouts after you become a trainer to create your own plain language training class and/or make your own educational materials based on your training materials and NIH’s plain language resources. A challenge in writing plain language summaries is to avoid oversimplifying terms or concepts, which can lead to content that is misleading or inaccurate, or that. And best practices for a patient audience include keeping content between a 6. By the mid-1980s, there was a widespread sense that plain-language advocates. Published: 2004. Plain language guidelines and tips. 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. You should format your letter like the one shown in the guidebook. ”. Steps to success 1. It is intended to make government communications. “It’s not easily understood. For regulations and other complex documents, create a comprehensive table of contents. This website consists of five sections and a checklist you can print. How to Apply Plain Language Techniques in Technical Documents. S. Find Canadian and international resources. 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. President Clinton wrote, “By using plain language, we send a clear message about what the government is doing, what it requires, and what service it offers…Plain language documents have logical organization; common, everyday words, except for necessaryPlain language is writing that the intended audience can understand and act upon the first time they read it. 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. While the Act does not cover regulations, three separate Executive Orders emphasize the need for plain language: E. You can help us to meet our plain language goals by letting us know when we fall short. Learn how they used plain language in COVID-19 agency responses, and how they combined plain language, accessibility, and user experience. It helps Veterans and their families access and use VA services and benefits. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 into law on. This. People think I can teach them style. It is not baby talk, nor is it a simplified version of the English language. 1 This tool aims to support a systematic review of your material to ensure it follows plain language guidance and meets the needs Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Dictionaries, thesauruses, and grammar sites are excellent tools that can help you clarify your word choice. Clear words benefit individuals who live with cognitive and learning disabilities, language impairments, memory impairments, and autism. The loosely organized campaign to encourage legal writers and business writers to write clearly and concisely – without legalese – while preserving. A study of how users with lower literacy skills read and navigate on the web, for example, found that even users with. ” Writing in plain. It improves reading comprehension, accessibility, and ethical action. The analysis outlined above is the first step before creating programs and platforms forA clear, simple summary written in plain language helps people to understand complex health evidence. The Plain Language Act aims to make democracy more inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those with lower levels of education. You achieve plain English when you use the simplest, most straightforward way of expressing an idea. both plain language and coded language in the same transmission, causing confusion. It looks as if the proposed law will become effective later this month. He includes the following words in. Online Plain Language Training. Legal language is a major source of annoying jargon. Using plain language on government websites is one of the best ways to reach your target audience. For other groups, such as people living with dementia, learning new terms is not. has useful headings. that’s understandable and direct. " SAMHSA. " The January 21, 2009, Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government also highlights the importance of establishing "a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. These are valuable to a range of readers, including patients, patient advocates, the general public, non-specialist clinicians, research scientists, decision-makers. Federal employees speak. They make fewer errors filling out forms. The law requires federal agencies to. A plain language standard provides all sectors, in nearly all languages, with a set of guidelines and strategies to make information more accessible and effective. There will be two 15-minute breaks and one 30-minute break for lunch. You must have at least 20 participants. One legal scholar calls abbreviations a “menace to prose” (Kimble, 2006). Words matter. This clear writing approach is ideal for public sector employees who write to and for King County taxpayers, ratepayers and other clients and customers. Many famous writers, politicians, and others have commented over the centuries on the importance of writing clearly and briefly. Lists highlight a series of steps, requirements, or pieces of information in a visually clear way. Apocrypha. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. WHAT IS PLAIN LANGUAGE? Plain language (also known as plain English) is a way of writing or presenting information so that readers can understand it quickly and easily. We’re a nonprofit organization run entirely on a volunteer basis. 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. 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. Plain language (or plain English) is an approach to writing that concentrates on the needs of your readers. It aims to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the public service by requiring communications to be clear and accessible to the public. S. 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. 2. Apart from fractions, the slash has almost no good uses. Watch on. Posting PDF versions (PDFs) of original documents on your site would seem to be an obvious alternative to rewriting your content in web format. Wednesday, August 24, 2022 10:30 AM – 3:45 PM ET. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Introduction. • Developed a Plain Language Matrix to document related tasks and steps to begin operationalizing our plain language. 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. (If you don’t see your agency’s program listed here, contact us so we can include it. One of the types of technical writing is legal writing. 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. Our mission PLAIN is the. 6 . The second event will take place May 11-13, 2021 . They are the most basic building blocks of written and spoken communication. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. Plain language is clear, concise, organized, and appropriate for the intended audience. This timeline is an abbreviated and updated version of A History of Plain Language in the Government by Joanne Locke. Our Plain Language Partners. Reports and brochures. Pointing words – including this, that, these, those, and the – refer directly to something already mentioned. This glossary of terms is derived from a list copyrighted by the University of Kentucky. Making information less complex and more concise How we knew we needed a plain language program In 2010,. 2020-2021 Access for All: Plain Language is a Civil Right. —The plain writing section described under paragraph (1)(E) shall— (A) inform the public of agency compliance with the requirements of this Act; and (B) provide a mechanism for the agency to receive and respond to public input on— (i) agency implementation of this Act; and (ii) the agency reports required under section 5. Plain language should be easy to read, understand and use. There is no one ‘right’ way to express an idea. vivid. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Thompson illustrates just how helpful they can be. Sometimes verb phrases would make good headings for procedural sections of rules. Using Plain language: In general, keep language. Preface by Warren E. After. Contact us if you have suggestions on ways to improve our documents or website. This three-hour online workshop by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) through Digital. Communicating Research Intent and Value in NIH Applications. A word about “plain English. 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. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an online health literacy training for health professionals. Thanks to internet sorcery, we can even take advantage of free tools to quickly gauge the reading level of our writing. March 2011Revision 1, May 2011. Share your thoughts and challenges. Although NIMS guidance only requires plain language use in mutual aid events, the wayThe Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires agencies to train their staff in plain language. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. gov. They also allow audience members to skim chunks of text to easily gather. According to plainlanguage. ” Plain language style involves everyday words and. The first step is to implement an official plain language policy. The legal community is moving to a strong preference for “must” as the clearest way to express a requirement or obligation. Author: Londell Buckson. The Plain Language Thesaurus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers plain language equivalents to medical terms and phrases. This group was and remains the center of the US movement for plain language. The Nielsen Norman Group has done multiple studies on PDFs and has consistently found. Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand and use government communications. And you were writing for a professor as your only reader. We continue toOLYMPIA, Wash. Her parents think she recognizes a couple dozen signs. ”. Join 1,990 Plain Language community members. You may use any of the. Plain Language in Plain English. 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. A hidden verb (or nominalization) is a verb converted into a noun. The Summit will begin at 10:00 am, ET, and conclude at 3:45 pm, ET. Resources. Plain language is information that readers can understand the first time they read it and use easily. The Plain Language Act aims to make democracy more inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those with lower levels of education. -Governor Jay Inslee signed an Executive Order on Wednesday, Nov. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Use this checklist to see if your document meets plain language standards. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. The state Department of Health’s Center for Public Affairs has developed resources to help you effectively. L. USA. Here are some examples, both historical and current. Plain language is good customer service and makes life easier for the public. Additional plain language history is covered in Plain Language in the U. Demand. Apart from fractions, the slash has almost no good uses. 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. Plain language allows the reader to locate, understand, and act on the information presented. Outline other rules related to word. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. clear to the mind; evident, manifest, or obvious. Plain Language saves money, increases efficiency, and reduces the need for clarification. Short Definition of Plain Language. 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. The bigger the block of text, the harder it is to read. Award winners. Plain language is a way of writing so that more people can easily read and understand your content. Don’t use slashes. We first developed this document in the mid-90s. When people understand messages quickly and fully, there will usually be less confusion, less need for re-explanation, and fewer mistakes. Whether you call such writing the opposite of gobbledygook or legalese, or just sloppy work, you know. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. (Active)National Archives staff are continually informed about plain writing through internal newsletter articles, an internal web page, and blog posts on plain writing. The active voice eliminates confusion by forcing you to name the actor in a sentence. Use plain words Don't use jargon or specialized language that your reader might not understand. They want to scan, not read. Plain-language advocates often trumpet this utility by demonstrating that doc - uments written in plain language are easier to use than docu-ments that feature jargon, convoluted paragraphs, and crowded visual design. This is crucial. Plain language is a way of writing that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. (b) the agency considers that the intended audience for the document is the public generally (rather than 1 or more. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. 1, with a range of 6. Antiquated words flourish words such as herein, therein,Plain language is a necessity and can have a big payoff for both consumers and organizations. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in a few words. (2) WEBSITE. ”. 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. (the person, group or thing that the action is done to). This award recognizes people who. You should format your letter like the one shown in the guidebook. During the 1970s, some practitioners began to employ usability testing. The Plain Language community is a group of government employees and contractors dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communications from government. It saves people and government time and money and improves the accessibility of your content. Today, it has given way to active, clear, concise writing, sometimes known as “plain English” (Bailey, 2008). Plain language makes information easier to find, read and understand. PLAIN offers a variety of introductory classes on plain language. Plain language strategy #1: We make shorter paragraphs. ) places. Pointing words – including this, that, these, those, and the – refer directly to something already mentioned. Plain Language in Government Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide shows you how to apply federal plain-language guidelines to every type of writing — from emails, memos, and letters to agency communications, technical procedures, and budget justification statements. The purpose of a plain-language approach in written communication is to convey information easily and unambiguously. They are the most basic building blocks of written and spoken communication. The material available about plain language is. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. Effective plain language content means that the target audience can read, understand, and confidently act on the information in your content. Provides information about any federal government benefit or service. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements. Source: International Plain Language Federation. Some of that spilled over to Twitter: We also published this story in more accessible plain-language English, audio & Spanish. We first developed this document in the mid-90s. The Definitive Plain Language Writing Guide. M. Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of "dumbing down" or "talking down" to the reader. Virtual Event, 13 October 2020. ”. 2. [9] For instance, the Plain Writing Act 2010 requires US federal agencies to use simple English in their documents so that they can be understood by everyone. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements. That makes their writing ambiguous. Tuesday, August 11, 2020 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET. It’s especially important to test our assumptions in government, because we’re often writing for thousands or even millions of people. To ensure the target audience understands WHO information, advice and guidance, communicators must: know what the audience wants and needs. Use plain language in any new or substantially revised document . Join the national plain language movement. 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. Rep. We at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) are committed to improving our service to you by writing in plain language. The aim is that anyone looking for information about the key points of a Cochrane Review can read and understand them. 12988, and. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. 5, using the Flesch-Kincaid assessment tool in Microsoft Word. Being direct and plainspoken is not talking down. agenda (unless you’re talking about a meeting) advancing; collaborate (use working with) combating (use working against or fighting) Plain language can be understood the first time it is read or heard. Plain Language 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. Legal language is a major source of annoying jargon. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Words matter. uses “you” and other pronouns to speak to the reader. Simple words help you express your message clearly. ”the Plain Language Movement, legal language, and rhetoric, and 3. Cochrane Plain language summaries are freely available on cochrane. A discipline that might eventually become known as ‘plain language studies’ is beginning to emerge through the collaboration of individual plain language proponents (plainers for short). 4. 1, May 2011 i Introduction 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. Plain Language has been a stylistic goal for all Federal Government communication since at least 2010, with passage of the The Plain Language Act. The plain language summaries for completed projects have an average reading level of 8. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. 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. Write in the active voice. Use plainlanguage. Please feel free to use these terms in place of medical jargon, wherever you feel they might be better understood. Plain Writing Act of 2010. This incident shows what an unnecessary time-waster non-plain language can be. plain language. In most cases, writers mean either “or” or “and. All of our classes are based on the Federal Plain Language Guidelines and involve interactive writing exercises. Agency programs and contacts. We’ll use plenty of before-and-after examples. Use pronouns when you can. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P. organized to serve the reader’s needs. (2) WEBSITE. As an editor of technical, statistical reports, I see authors making a number of mistakes in approach, execution and English. Split topics up into logical sections separated by informative. 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. These summaries are intended for a broad and inclusive audience that encompasses. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Today, it has given way to active, clear, concise writing, sometimes known as “plain English” (Bailey, 2008). Like: Do not use like as a conjunction when writing; use it as a preposition. ”. If your customers don’t understand your documents, you may have to: Answer phone calls. What is plain language? Communication with clear wording, structure, and design for the intended audience to easily: – find what they need. Plain language has been around in the government for over 40 years. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short. It helps us write for people who read at all levels of time, interest, education and.