Plain Language

This essay was written by Valerie Williams. There is an associated video and slides.

Written communication is still the first interface most people encounter when dealing with an agency, or a product. Making it usable (logical organization, easy-to-read design features, and easy to use) lessens frustration and increases use. Plain language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it.

The Plain Language1 movement began around the middle of the twentieth century and gained momentum when Richard Nixon required that the Federal Register be written in layman’s terms.2 In 1977, the FCC issued regulations for
CB radios in the form of short questions and answers that are still being used today.

In 1998, President Clinton was “determined to make the Government more responsive, accessible, and understandable in its communications with the public.”3 He noted that in using plain language, we send a clear message about what the Government is doing, what it requires, and what services it offers. Plain language was to be implemented for new documents within six months and for all documents within four years and agencies were to “use customer feedback and common sense to guide [their] plain language efforts.”4

Plain language requirements vary from one document to another, depending on the intended audience. Plain language documents have logical organization, easy-to-read design features, and use:

  • common, everyday words, except for necessary technical terms;
  • “you” and other pronouns;
  • the active voice; and
  • short sentences.

Before

Sec. 39.1 Applicability. This part prescribes airworthiness directives that apply to aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, or appliances (hereinafter referred to in this part as “products”) when—(a) An unsafe condition exists in a product; and (b) That condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design. [Doc. No. 5061, 29 FR 14403, Oct. 20, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 39-106, 30 FR 8826, July 14, 1965]5

After

39.1 Purpose of this regulation. The regulations in this part provide a legal framework for FAA’s system of Airworthiness Directives.6

StyleWriter,7 a plain English editing software program can be used much the way spelling and grammar checkers are used: to keep redundancies, obfuscations, and jargon out of communication to the reader.

Writing in plain language could cut paperwork by one-third, save money, and make everyone’s life simpler and easier. Ordinary people should be able to understand what is said to them without having to study text closely or consult an expert. People should be able to:

  • find what they need,
  • understand what they find, and
  • use what they find to meet their needs.

So, don’t make up words, use more words than necessary, or run on your sentences. Use common words, logical organization with the user in mind, and easy-to-read design features. If people can’t understand it, they can’t use it. Check out the Plain Language8 website for great tips and examples.

References

  1. Plain language. URL http://www.plainlanguage.gov/. [↩]
  2. W. Lutz. Notes toward a description of doublespeak (revised). Quarterly Review of Doublespeak, 13:10–11, 1987. [↩]
  3. William J. Clinton. Plain language in government writing. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, June 1, 1998. URL http://www.plainlanguage.gov/whatisPL/govmandates/memo.cfm. [↩]
  4. W. Lutz. Notes toward a description of doublespeak (revised). Quarterly Review of Doublespeak, 13:10–11, 1987. [↩]
  5. Airworthy directives rewritten. URL http://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/before_after/airworthydirective.cfm. [↩]
  6. ref:2 [↩]
  7. StyleWriter Writing Software. URL http://www.editorsoftware.com/. [↩]
  8. Plain language. URL http://www.plainlanguage.gov/. [↩]