In September 2019, the ISO ballot approved the proposal to develop a plain language standard ― that’s when the Working Group was established, and the real work began. Hidden verbs come in two forms. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. The plain language definition states, at its core, that plain language is easily and quickly understandable. Ask if one of our experienced trainers is available for your agency. Use plainlanguage. PLAIN offers a variety of introductory classes on plain language. How to Apply Plain Language Techniques in Technical Documents. ” Plain Talk makes it easier for people to read, understand, and use your communications or educational materials. Using plain language on government websites is one of the best ways to reach your target audience. The loosely organized campaign to encourage legal writers and business writers to write clearly and concisely – without legalese – while preserving. Maintained Plain Language intranet and internet webpages. The journal features the latest plain language research, practical advice, before-and-after examples, success stories, campaign strategies and much more. 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. gov. Thanks to internet sorcery, we can even take advantage of free tools to quickly gauge the reading level of our writing. Avoid PDF overload. 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. Buffett from the SEC’s Plain English Handbook, 1998. Source: International Plain Language Federation. Designing for reading is an important part of developing effective communications. readability statistics. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. On October 27 and 28, 2020, the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) will bring experts together to explain how plain language can improve our government communication. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. It is simple and direct but not simplistic or patronizing. CDC’s work aligns with the goals and strategies of the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, CDC’s Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and the federal Plain Writing Act. Plain language summaries (PLS) are summaries of scientific articles and congress abstracts written in easy-to-read, non-technical language . You should format your letter like the one shown in the guidebook. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. The law requires federal agencies to. 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. People who benefit from plain language includes anyone with a disability that effects their reading ability. Learn the definition, guidelines, purposes, and examples of plain language. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 [PDF - 124 KB] on October 13, 2010. Jargon Madness is a plain language conversation starter that cuts across the organizational chart. Is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. Find useful writing tips and fresh points of view from today’s plain language innovators. Plain language also has the secondary benefit of potentially saving courts time and money. Step 1: Identify and describe the target. Whether you call such writing the opposite of gobbledygook or legalese, or just sloppy work, you know. The Clarity Journal is distributed free to. Agency programs and contacts. This timeline is an abbreviated and updated version of A History of Plain Language in the Government by Joanne Locke. Plain Language Writing Act of 2010 The purpose of the Plain Writing Act of 2010 is “to improve the effectiveness and accountability of federal agencies to the public by promoting clear government communication that the public can understand and use. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Just because someone can read instructions written at a grade 14 level doesn’t mean they. It helps us write for people who read at all levels of time, interest, education and. Plain language engages users best, helping them fulfill their purpose for visiting your site. Keep it Short. It not only gives still-very-relevant lessons on why plain. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P. The public is beginning to see the difference plain, clear writing can make. Like: Do not use like as a conjunction when writing; use it as a preposition. Plain language is clear, concise, and easily understood the first time someone reads or hears it. has useful headings. Plain language is universal. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Abstract. This Plain Language Thesaurus has been put together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Marketing. People think I can teach them style. On the six cards below, learn. Utilize technology tools. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 [PDF - 124 KB] on October 13, 2010. Plain Language in Spoken Communication. 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. Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand and use government communications. Christian Miller said that, internally, the plain language description of ProPublica resonated. To ensure the target audience understands WHO information, advice and guidance, communicators must: know what the audience wants and needs. Before and after plain language examples demonstrate how scientific documents can be translated into plain language. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. Plain language is a way of writing that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. This article is structured as follows. Our trainers are federal employees from across. Plain Language: Getting Started or Brushing Up. While the day-to-day work of plain language happens in departments, your program won’t thrive without clear expectations from the top. the proper approach to legal writing. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 into law on. Communicators must translate technical information into messages non-expert audiences can understand. These principles are based on the Federal Plain Language Guidelines and tailored for regulations. webpage . We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in a few words. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Plain language is a way of writing so that more people can easily read and understand your content. Whether you call such writing the opposite of gobbledygook or legalese, or just sloppy work, you know. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. 5, using the Flesch-Kincaid assessment tool in Microsoft Word. Adopting plain language in the workplace is sometimes perceived as overly complicated or not really necessary. Our mission PLAIN is the. In 2021, the Civil Rights Division (CRT) provided Plain Language training both to the Civil Rights Division and to the Department at large. They are emerging as a valuable addition to scientific publications because they have the potential to increase the understanding of scientific data, by making complex information more accessible to wider. Plain language would have helped clearly communicate the purpose to the public, so there would have been less confusion and mistrust. ”. Preface by Warren E. Provides information about any federal government benefit or service. We must use plain language in any document that. The Center supports those who use plain language, trains those who should use plain language, and urges people to demand plain language in all the communications they. Legalese versus plain language by Peter Butt Legal English has traditionally been a special variety of English. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Plain language is grammatically correct language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. People come to government websites and services with a specific task in mind. The bill would create plain language requirements including:Tuesday, October 27, 2020 10:00 AM – 4:15 PM ET. Visit plainlanguage. Contains guidelines for creating plain language materials, as well as an overview of the plain language movement and tools for trainers. By using plain language, you increase the likelihood someone will understand your messaging. A plain language summary exploring a new treatment combination for untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer: enfortumab vedotin plus. gov. Take train-the-trainer bootcamp through plainlanguage. Federal employees speak. Plain language (also called Plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Plain Language Materials & Resources. Plain Language is nothing more than the using clear, familiar language that a range of people can understand. Plain language is a movement that started by simplifying unintelligible legal documents, and has now been embraced by governments and businesses around the world. clear to the mind; evident, manifest, or obvious. It looks as if the proposed law will become effective later this month. To communicate professionally, you need to know when and how to use either active or passive voice. 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. -Governor Jay Inslee signed an Executive Order on Wednesday, Nov. Plain language is clear language. " The January 21, 2009, Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government also highlights the importance of establishing "a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. We’ll train your managers as well. Think through the questions your users likely have and then organize the material in a logical order. gov. § Research tells us that most readability formulas are. In Europe, it’s expected that plain language summaries will. In this course, you’ll learn the writing standards and practices outlined within the plain language field. It’s especially important in letters to engage the reader by using pronouns. This Plain Language Thesaurus has been put together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Marketing. Writing in Plain Language . Originally called the Plain English Network, PLAIN has been meeting informally since the mid 1990s. ” Plain language style involves everyday words and. This glossary of terms is derived from a list copyrighted by the University of Kentucky. Virtual International plain language conference (2020) – Access for all : Plain Language is a Civil Right – Part 1. Apocrypha. Plain language should be easy to read, understand and use. Cochrane Plain language summaries are freely available on cochrane. The National Library of Medicine provides bibliographies, sorted by year, citing many documents about health literacy. Plain language is designed to communicate information as clearly. We provide a free half-day introduction to plain language to federal agencies. Sometimes verb phrases would make good headings for procedural sections of rules. Looking aheadThe Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Choose your words carefully and be consistent in your writing style. They make fewer errors filling out forms. You can flip the cards. Our growing network includes members from over 30 countries working in clear communication in at least 15 languages. Plain language can be useful in an academic setting. organized to serve the reader’s needs. (2) WEBSITE. you get your message across more often, more easily and in a friendlier way. 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. Writing in Plain Language. Top 10 Principles for Plain Language. PLAIN is joining together with Clarity International and the Center for Plain Language to co-host an international online conference with 2 exciting events. Let’s look at two. Help readers skim and scan. 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. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. We hope you enjoy this post. You may use any of the content on this site without. (If you don’t see your agency’s program listed here, contact us so we can include it. Language allows us to communicate our. We’ll use plenty of before-and-after examples. It is. When people understand messages quickly and fully, there will usually be less confusion, less need for re-explanation, and fewer mistakes. But as these pages discuss, we still have a long. Page 5. Ambiguous Wording Rewritten. The Definitive Plain Language Writing Guide. Readers call less often for explanations. An old adage. Its distinguishing features include the tendency toward excessively complicated grammar and overformality. . Start by researching your topic, understanding your audience, and planning and organizing how you will present your information. Plain. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN and. “Shall” has three strikes against it. S. Test your assumptions. , the Plain Writing Act of 2010 took effect in October 2011 (see below). These terms are not the only acceptable plain language alternatives for these vocabulary words. Language allows us to communicate our ideas and thoughts. The U. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Businesses such as banks, insurance companies, law firms, legal services and IT companies use plain language to communicate with customers. Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short. Don’t use slashes. We ask only that you credit our work by citing back to PLAIN. Words to avoid. Speech given to 600 high-level Mexican public servants at the launching plain language conference Lenguaje ciudadano on the 5th of October 2004. Checklist for Plain Language. Also called plain language . Plain language is a way of writing that makes the message easy to read, understand, and act upon by the intended audience. Watch on. And you were writing for a professor as your only reader. At [Agency Name], we are committed to writing in plain language and using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines: We have. It has 5 general areas to consider: audience and purpose, structure, design, expression, and. Plain Language Association International (PLAIN) brings together plain language supporters and practitioners from around the world. Beginning in 2022, Pfizer will be disclosing the results of all global clinical trials—phases 1 through 4—in plain language. We’re accustomed to thinking and speaking positively. One legal scholar calls abbreviations a “menace to prose” (Kimble, 2006). The first step is to implement an official plain language policy. On August 24, 2022, the Plain Language Community of Practice (CoP) will bring together federal employees to highlight plain language successes in many federal agencies at all stages of the communications journey. Plain language is writing designed to be easily understood by all readers the first time it is read. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Download the 2022 Report Card PDF. For the 2021 Federal Plain Language Report Card, the judges focused on the main Coronavirus pages and the main Freedom of. Plain language is grammatically correct and universally understood language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. Then, agencies will simplify and review the content on a regular basis to ensure these documents follow plain language writing and design. 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. “Mike’s talking about a two-step approach with some good language attached to the CR,” Jordan said. Use short sentences: aim for an average word count of 20. Too often, I’ve been unable to decipher just what is. For more than forty years, I’ve studied the documents that public companies file. i. This thesaurus offers plain language equivalents to medical terms, phrases, and references. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an online health literacy training for health professionals. U. Instead, put the emphasis on the agency by using “we”. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Plain English is clear and direct speech or writing in English. 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. . When people understand what they read, they need fewer explanations and make fewer mistakes. Join the national plain language movement. Since legalese takes longer to draft, read, and understand, it often falls short of the drafter’s primary goal of precision. Using plain and clear language helps your audience read, understand and use the information you are giving them. ”. “If you think about it, a lot of the communication that we send out to our families flies in the face of this,” said Ogando. A common myth is that plain language is incompatible with teaching complex subjects. 8-11-2020 workshop and 9-10-2020 workshop. 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. The Plain Language Act aims to make democracy more inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those with lower levels of education. These summaries are intended for a broad and inclusive audience that encompasses. Specifically, writing in plain language increases the ability for people with cognitive or intellectual disabilities to access your programming. It is intended to make government communications. This three-hour online workshop by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) through Digital. This chapter will introduce you to the principles of plain language and allow you to practise them. Today, it has given way to active, clear, concise writing, sometimes known as “plain English” (Bailey, 2008). Before. Resist the urge to sound formal. It is intended to make government communications. In general. Plain Language Act’s Objectives. ”4. On June 1, 1998, President Clinton issued an executive memo. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Historical Quotes. Write to the reader, using the pronoun “you” as much as possible. Great if you need to explain the importance of plain language to your boss. 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. 2. And best practices for a patient audience include keeping content between a 6. Plain Language has been a stylistic goal for all Federal Government communication since at least 2010, with passage of the The Plain Language Act. Cost. Demand. As a federal website, the content is in the public domain. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. recent trends in plain language that move beyond comprehension and task com - pletion to building user trust. As: Use as, as if, as though, or other similar expressions as a conjunction in written documents. Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of "dumbing down" or "talking down" to the reader. Minimize abbreviations. The IRB has compiled a document entitled Consent Library which includes Plain Language descriptions of procedures and corresponding risk information. In each section, you will find a number of cards you can flip through to learn. Plain English is clear, straightforward expression, using only as many words as are necessary. The Plain Language community is a group of government employees and contractors dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communications from government. Testing Your Document’s Readability. The law requires federal agencies to. Write it into contracts to require any vendors and contractors to follow the plain language, people-first style. Use plain language in any new or substantially revised document . Magistrate Judge Allison Claire, a federal judge based in Sacramento, California, in a case called Muniz v. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. It . It is also called plain English or plain writing. Plain-language research also necessarily intersects with design (Mazur, 2000). 71 Plain . Choose your words carefully. Style guides are not a plain language issue, except that your style guide should include directions to write in plain language. 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. Plain language works with. Plain language (also called Plain English or lay language) is communication that your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Consider your audience. For other groups, such as people living with dementia, learning new terms is not. Using plain language doesn’t mean everyone’s writing must sound the same. It is also called plain English or plain writing. § Plain language has evolved significantly over the past 75 years—from a focus on crafting clear sentences to creating effective multimedia, electronic, or paper communications. – use that information. Our aim is to help make health information clear and easy to understand. is Peter (he is doing the watching); We will consider this matter shortly. Schriver. 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. uses active voice. the proper approach to legal writing. Thompson illustrates just how helpful they can be. Antiquated words flourish words such as herein, therein,Plain language is a necessity and can have a big payoff for both consumers and organizations. Indeed, scientific information conveyed in plain language invariable reaches. The active voice eliminates confusion by forcing you to name the actor in a sentence. 5. Her hand shakes so she does not do sign language. That makes their writing ambiguous. Use positive language. The Plain Language Thesaurus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers plain language equivalents to medical terms and phrases. Readers call less often for explanations. Plain language is personal. Plain language is a clear way of sharing information that people can understand the first time they read or hear it. Speakers address debunking myths, meeting varying audience’s needs,. It might be science journalists, healthcare practitioners, academic professionals, policymakers or the general public; they need to understand and engage with the research. Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please, Joseph Kimble, 2012. Plain-language documents are accessible and present information in a way that is easy to absorb. Use plain words Don't use jargon or specialized language that your reader might not understand. 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. Right of use means any authorization under this part to use Outer Continental. When drafting a plain language text, there are 5 general areas to consider: 1. Like: Do not use like as a conjunction when writing; use it as a preposition. Government has embraced plain language, and government agencies are revising written materials and websites to comply with plain language standards. a plain trail to the river. Additional plain language history is covered in Plain Language in the U. Bush’s former Secretary of Health and Human Services, has this to say about plain language and the federal plain language group. “It’s not easily understood. The material available about plain language is. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Plain language writing and design ensures information is concise, inclusive and easy to understand. These new website pages apply the task-focused approach and Plain Writing guidelines to encourage skimming, scanning, and selecting. I do think there’s an obligation to recognize that if your goal is to inform the. Gains Momentum: 1940-2015,” Karen Schriver outlines the following: “Between 1940 and 1970, plain language focused mainly on readability. For example, “Please make an application for a personal loan” is longer and less clear than “Please apply for a personal loan. Executive Order 23-02 directs agencies to prioritize their most-viewed, public-facing materials. In fact, organizations such as Plain Language Association InterNational, Clarity International, and the Plain Language Ac -For most journals, Research Articles are allowed to be up to 25 publication units (PU), where 1 PU is 500 words or 1 display element (figure or table). Every thought can be expressed in many different ways and the variety comes from the individual way we approach an idea or. You may use any of the content on this site without explicit permission. Plain language guidelines and tips. Put the most important information at the top and the background at the bottom. 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. They point to an antecedent. We commit to write content that is easy to read and understand. (link is external) Everyday Words for Public Health Communication. Use plainlanguage. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. Read more to see how plain language can be as . Our biannual journal, The Clarity Journal, is the leading source of plain language news and research from across the globe. Bibliographic resources about health literacy. ”. 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. Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications. Through numerous exercises as well as examples from a variety of federal and state. We also continue to work to ensure plain writing is used in public communications related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. American Sign Language. *You work through modules independently, but you must submit group. As: Use as, as if, as though, or other similar expressions as a conjunction in written documents. The Act was signed in October 2010, but some federal agencies have been promoting the use of plain language for years. Readers can do without archaic jargon such as “hereafter,” “heretofore,” and “therewith. It is also called plain English or plain writing. 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. For regulations and other complex documents, create a comprehensive table of contents. Handbooks and manuals. Plain language is clear, concise, organized, and appropriate for the intended audience. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. The aim is that anyone looking for information about the key points of a Cochrane Review can read and understand them. You may use any of the. There are millions of words in the English language. 2. All of our classes are based on the Federal Plain Language Guidelines and involve interactive writing exercises. While plain language became law for government agencies, it was also used across different industries to improve communication. (Active) The police stopped the riot. 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. What is plain language? Communication with clear wording, structure, and design for the intended audience to easily: – find what they need. 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. Be prepared to educate and learn along the way. Tip: Where possible, choose a simple word or phrase over a complex one. Direct, accessible language is often called plain language. ) places. Plain Language Resources. Writing Plain Language for Law (PLNL510) Plain Language in Health Literacy (PLNL520) Technical Writing and Editing (TCOM120) Copy Editing (EDIT210) Learning materials. According to the government's Plain Language.