How can I learn the plain language?
Five Steps to Plain Language
- Step 1: Identify and describe the target audience.
- Step 2: Structure the content to guide the reader through it.
- Step 3: Write the content in plain language.
- Step 4: Use information design to help readers see and understand.
- Step 5: Work with the target user groups to test the design and content.
What is plain language training?
Effective plain language content means that the target audience can read, understand, and confidently act on the information in your content. Plain language helps you better understand your audience and how your audience uses the content you create.
Who is required to use plain language?
Use plain language in any document that: is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. provides information about a federal government benefit or service, or. explains to the public how to comply with a requirement that the federal government administers or enforces.
What is an example of plain language?
“You” and other pronouns. Active voice, not passive. Short sentences and paragraphs. Common, everyday words.
What are the 5 principles of plain language?
Crafting Your Message with Plain Language proofread another student’s work, or your own, with a focus on the five principles of plain language: active voice, common words, positive tone, reader focus, and short (concise) words and sentences.
What are the principles of plain language?
Top 10 Principles for Plain Language
- Write for your reader, not yourself.
- Use pronouns when you can.
- State your major point(s) first before going into details.
- Stick to your topic.
- Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short.
- Write in active voice.
- Use short sentences as much as possible.
- Use everyday words.
Why plain language is important?
Plain language is good customer service and makes life easier for the public. Plain language means readers understand your documents more quickly. Readers call less often for explanations. They make fewer errors filling out forms.
What are four traits of plain language?
Plain language is clear, concise, organized, and appropriate for the intended audience.
- Write for your reader, not yourself.
- Use pronouns when you can.
- State your major point(s) first before going into details.
- Stick to your topic.
- Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short.
- Write in active voice.
What is government plain language?
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. Originally called the Plain English Network, PLAIN has been meeting informally since the mid 1990s.
Why is plain language better?
Plain language means readers understand your documents more quickly. Readers call less often for explanations. They make fewer errors filling out forms. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements.
What is the major goal of Plain?
PLAIN is the acronym for the Plain Language Association International, and its aim is to encourage the use of ordinary language in government documents. Government documents written using the values of PLAIN will be easy to read, understand, and use by the average American.
What are the four traits of plain language?
How many people do you need for plain language training?
You must have at least 20 participants. Ask if one of our experienced trainers is available for your agency. We need trainers to help us provide plain language training to government agencies. Our trainers are federal employees from across the government who volunteer 1–2 classes a year (outside of their own agencies).
Where can I get free plain language training?
The Federal Aviation Administration has made its basic course and plain language toolkit available online. The National Institutes of Health offers a free plain language training course that introduces you to the basics of plain language.
Why does the federal government use plain language?
We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the American public. Learn about upcoming events and get the latest news from the federal plain language community.
Who is the plain language community of practice?
This summit will showcase Plain Language Community of Practice members’ experiences and successes in plain language: their projects, their efforts, their edits. 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.