User testing may not always be necessary or cost effective, such as with an internal email. Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of "dumbing down" or "talking down" to the reader. 7 Plain Language Techniques . Use plain language Communicators must translate technical information into messages non-expert audiences can understand. When drafting a plain language text, there are 5 general areas to consider: Start by considering what you want to achieve in writing a communication. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. You must tailor your speech to your audience. 1. What are the common structures used for this type of communication? By understanding how people take in information during a crisis, we can better plan to communicate with them using simple messaging. Always evaluate whether your text is likely to succeed before you send it. Design. The Act is designed "to improve the effectiveness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." Plain language style involves everyday words and expressions in a familiar group context and may include contractions. It’s about using common words and presenting information in a straightforward, logical way. Material is in plain language if your audience can: There are many techniques that can help you achieve this goal. We developed these guidelines to help you and your agency write clearly, so your users can: ... We continue to revise them every few years to provide updated advice on clear communication. Supertext serves Switzerland and Germany. Plain language is a modern communication philosophy and a world-wide movement. Also consider visual devices such as tables, diagrams, photos, charts, and bulleted lists to present information in an accessible and engaging form. 1. President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 [PDF - 124 KB] on October 13, 2010. © 2021 Plain Language Association International (PLAIN), Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award, who your audience is – their age, profession, education, and skills, what information they may already know and what they may need, what they will want to achieve by reading your communication. Start by considering what you want to achieve in writing a communication. 946/Public Law 111-274) on October 13, 2010. Plain Language at NIH By realxweb October 26, 2020 January 18th, 2021 COVID-19 Resources. It is clear, concise, and well-organized. Never has medical research been more in the public eye. 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 believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. Principles to apply as you refine your structure include: Increasingly, the visual appearance of a communication is just as important as the structure and language. If it succeeds, what will happen? If it succeeds, what... 2. Plain Language is an important tool in this effort and has shown substantial results in saving customers time, resources and most of all – headaches that result from confusion. using summaries to present key information before the details, dividing each section into roughly equal chunks, considering some transitional text to link one section to the next. Consider what your audience hopes to gain from listening to you. Simply ask the listener or reader to repeat back his or her understanding of the communication in his or her own words to ensure that the correct information has been received and re… You will also find social stories as well as helpful website links here. A plain-language summary (PLS) can play a key role in communicating clinical research more broadly to patients. Select a font and type size that will be easy to read. Communications – Plain Language. Plain language is about clear communication. The above definition also includes a way of measuring plain language success. The Plain Language Action and Information Network develops and maintains the content of this site with support from the General Services Administration. It’s the reader-focused way to write, ensuring every sentence is easy to read and understand. How might you measure that? Plain Language Europe is a network of communication agencies that was founded in 2005 by Bureau Taal in Amsterdam. Plain Language Association International (PLAIN) is the international association for plain language supporters and practitioners around the world. While some techniques will vary from language to language, key areas to consider include: Once you’ve written your information in plain language, the final step is to review whether your audience can understand and use the information they find. Knowing how to write clear, concise, effective online content for readers and platforms will help you connect. In addition, patients and their caregivers are becoming increasingly involved in decision-making about their care. A definition of “plain English” from a leading book on legal writing, Garner’s Legal Writing in Plain English. 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. Federal plain language guidelines. Patient communication, especially how physicians can talk to their patients, is becoming paramount. 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 defined by a scholar of plain language, Australian Robert Eagleson. What are the common structures used for this type of communication? Today, it has given way to active, clear, concise writing, sometimes known as “plain English” (Bailey, 2008). Clear writing and plain language as defined by Nick Wright in the EPA writing course. Plain language, when combined with other good communication skills, helps to increase accurate communication of pertinent information. Revisiting Plain Language, Beth Mazur, Technical Communication, the Journal of the Society for Technical Communication. Plain Language lets you reach more readers. Our growing network includes members from over 30 countries working in clear communication in at least 15 languages. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. Plain language is as important in spoken communication as it is in writing. What sequence will be logical and easy for readers to navigate? Finally, think about the wording. These guidelines consider language use and audience, as well as communication organization and design. PLAIN developed and continues to revise The Federal Plain Language Guidelines to provide updated advice on clear communication. This means that well designed plain language communication lets you widen your target audience, including people with: Cognitive difficulties. Use meaningful headings to help readers navigate. Plain language can be used in all forms of communication—oral, print, web, … – Plain language summaries (PLS) use clear and concise language to summarize scientific articles for a wide range of readers, including healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. In this chapter, you have recognized plain language as a way to get your message across clearly and concisely when writing and speaking. A plain language communication balances word choice, structure and design. Plain language puts readers first and online readers have specific characteristics. These are the official guidelines for the Plain Writing Act of 2010. Clear communication, in plain language, about health information and services will help create and promote health literacy. The reader finds what they need, understands what they find, and uses that information. President Barack Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (H.R. Plain Language Act. Background: Although plain language is almost universally promoted by teachers of professional writing, editors, and communication professionals, some have argued that the effects of and preferences for plain style in written messages differ among groups of individuals. People are more likely to trust and act on information they understand. Plain language is grammatically correct language that includes complete sentence structure and accurate word usage. When speaking to a group, follow these guidelines: Know your audience. Wherever possible, carry out some user testing with your audience. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. For more resources and materials on plain language, visit CDC’s Plain Language site. Learn about upcoming events and get the latest news from the federal plain language community. This group covers: - brain injuries But it becomes more important for a document that has a wider audience, like a user manual. Assessing your audience in this way will help you select the best mix of the following language and design elements to employ. These measurements are not easy to come by. It means removing the content that detracts the reader from your message. 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. Why use a $100 word when … By incorporating an iterative “feedback loop” into important or critical communications, you can dramatically improve understanding and retention of spoken and written word. If the public doesn’t understand your message, then your staff is going to spend extra time answering phone calls and questions on social media, writing extra letters/documents, or (worst-case scenario) litigating. What are Plain Language Summaries of Publications? At a simple level, this may involve editing the communication against a standard or checklist, or having another person review it. For the purpose of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), plain language is designed to eliminate or limit the use of codes and acronyms, as appropriate, during incident response – Plain language is clear and concise communication that can be understood by any audience. You know your agenda as the speaker. Audience and purpose. Plain Language is defined as: communication that can be understood by the intended audience and meets the purpose of the communicator. What structures will readers be... 3. Plain language (also called Plain English or lay language) is communication that your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Using plain language is just good customer service–it makes life easier for the public. To select the right structure for a communication, ask yourself: For example, a procedure may be best organized in a chronological order, while a longer report may have a series of topic-based chapters. Tips for Using Plain Language Among the most common are: We’ve developed templates, checklists, and in-depth writing guidelines to help you develop communications in plain language. Plain language is easy to read and understand. What structures will readers be familiar with? Plain language means keeping your writing clear and succinct. This might be through surveys, interviews, or testing with people who are representative of your readers. Structure. An official website of the United States government. No Comments. There are two types of PLSs, a clinical trial summary (CTS), which is mandated by law on clinical trial databases, and a publication PLS, which summarizes the results of a publication (abstract or manuscript) in plain language. Research questions: 1. Make sure there is plenty of contrast between the text and the background, and the spacing between lines and paragraphs is at least the same as the size of the type. After all, the whole point of communication is to share information so if you’re using language or a writing style that your audience doesn’t understand you’re not communicating well. Plain Language at NIH. What is plain language? by Londell Buckson. France, Italy, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands are served by local partners. In a crisis, every word counts. Attendees will learn the about specific challenges of communicating research to a non-research audience, gain practical tips for addressing those challenges and developing reader-focused content, and work through a step-by-step approach to planning a plain language communication project. It is also an approach for communicating in a way that fits the needs, interests, and abilities of the intended audience. Elements of Plain Language, Joe Kimble, Michigan Bar Journal. Subscribe to our mailing list Plain Language in Spoken Communication. Here, there are 3 areas to consider: Make sure that the layout and margins include plenty of white space as that helps to separate different parts of the text. Tips for starting a plain language program, International Conference on Plain Language, Plain Language Action and Information Network, Understand what they find the first time they read or hear it, Easy-to-follow design features (lists, headers, tables). Integrating plain language practices into your online content development is important to succeed. In light of OPM guidance and increasing concerns about COVID-19 (coronavirus), we are suspending accepting training requests. They require expensive user testing and focus groups. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Using simple, plain language can help your messages reach the people who need to act on them. Agencies and community groups have created helpful documents in plain language on what COVID-19 is, how to prevent its spread and how to cope. Plain language, sometimes called “plain English,” is a set of guidelines that, when followed, allow an audience to more easily read, understand, and use a communication [1]. International Conference on Plain Language, 2002, paper by Christopher Balmford, on the evolution of Plain Language on the international stage. Plain Language approach requires understanding how particular users will receive and use information that you provide to them.
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