In October 2008, I presented a Web Manager University webinar on the topic of plain language in web writing. The topic doesn’t require a hard sell. Essentially, I said that because reading online presents many challenges, users need content that’s written in plain, clear, and familiar language.
January 2012 Update
I came across many wonderful resources while developing the webinar, and I’ve added items since then. I hope these links help you write content “… your audience can understand the first time they read … it.”
Plain language organizations:
- Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN)
- Center for Plain Language
- Plain Language Association International
- Usability.gov
- Clarity – international association promoting plain legal language
- The Swedish Government’s Plain Swedish office (just because…)
Plain language before-and-after examples:
- Florida Department of Children and Families
- Home Equity Loan Contracts (Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner)
- Government before-and-afters at Plainlanguage.gov
- Moving to Plain Language Disclosure
- Letters and policies from Washington State
Plain language guidelines:
- Federal Plain Language Guidelines
- Easy-to-Read NYC
- Plain Language – Making HIPAA Privacy Notices More Readable (Health Resources and Services Administration)
- Guidelines from NIH’s Plain Language Initiative
- FAA’s videos on plain language
- Governor’s Plain Language Handbook (Florida)
- Making Regulations Readable (Federal Register)
- Plain English Handbook (SEC)
- FAA Writing Standards
- Plain Language Guidelines (Oklahoma Department of Human Services)
- Writing to Customers in Plain Talk (Washington State)
- Plain Language Tools (National Archives lists resources from the Office of the Federal Register)
Plain language books
- Letting Go of the Words by Ginny Redish (2007)
- Plain Language for Lawyers by Michele M. Asprey (2010)
- Legal Writing in Plain English: A Text With Exercises by Bryan A. Garner (2001)
- Plain English for Lawyers by Richard C. Wydick (2005)
- How to Write Plain English: A Book for Lawyers and Consumers: With 60 Before-And-After Translations from Legalese by Rudolf Franz Flesch (1979)
- Plain Language in Plain English by Cheryl Stephens (2010)
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