Brian clegg, popularscience, june, 2008 lucy rogers book its only rocket science. Its wellwritten, clear, and packed with a wide variety of examples of thoughtful and powerful design. Doublespeak 1989, the new doublespeak 1996, and doublespeak defined, by william d. It attempts to be free of cliches and needless technical jargon, and should be appropriate to the audiences developmental or educational level and their familiarity with the topic. This book shows you how to write for customers and clients in language thats. 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. What do those 2,700 sig members mean by informa tion design. Getting a multiple award schedule mas or schedule contract does not guarantee business with the government. Some time ago i wrote a post about the need to have plain language summaries for research papers. It covers rhetorical principles, writing style, audience awareness, usability, and layout and design. Whats become known as plain language has been evolving since the carter administration when it was called plain english. Plain language approaches each of these issues in a unique and fairly. Plain language approaches each of these issues in a unique and fairly defined way.
Design a checklist for implementing plain language. As of today we have 79,432,207 ebooks for you to download for free. A brief summary, in plain language, of the most important laws concerning women, together with a few observations thereon 1854 by barbara leigh smith bodichon. Plain english or laymans terms is language that is intended to be clear and concise. I would highly recommend it if you want to absorb all the basic facts about rocketry and space travel. On developing plain language principles and guidelines. Although plain language is a familiar idea, many organizations dont use it as often as they should. It takes less than one hour, is in nine parts, and full of jokes, games and quizzes. Buy plain language in plain english by cheryl stephens ebook online at lulu.
To effectively communicate online, you need to follow web standards, design for reading, and repurpose print materials for the web. How to create clear sec disclosure documents is available in pdf format. Britains plain language commission, a privatesector organization, has published a number of excellent books on plain language such as lucid law and other publications. Plain language focuses on ways of writing a text so that it is clear, concise, pertinent, efficient, and flows well for the reader. Multidisciplinary collaborative development of a plain. Writing and presenting information in a plain language style is one step to making healthcare accessible and literacy friendly. Plain language summaries make research available, tangible, and are a way to truly disseminate research findings to all who are interested. Designing for reading is an important part of developing effective communications. The examples are varied so that it can be used in social sciences departments. Cheek, cochairman of the center for plain language this book offers sound, practical advice for improving government writing. An introduction in plain english tries to demystify what is a notoriously complicated. At cdc, we use plain language, not just plain writing. Its a plain english introduction to rocket science. While the legislation covered in the book was enacted in the united kingdom, it is still a valid basis for a guideline to the bim process on an international basis.
Publication manual of the american psychological association. Plain language makes it easier for everyone to understand and use health information. You went to a lot of trouble to put that content online. A very good book has been added to that list is plain language in plain english by cheryl stephens founder of plain language association international, also known as plain. Pdf plain language for lawyers download full pdf book. A portable document format pdf file is a selfcontained crossplatform document. Couldnt agree more with this, but then part of my job is persuading a curiously reluctant organisation to. Users can decide in as little as five seconds whether your site is useful to them. Discusses professional liability as it relates to informed consent. They are not, like grammar, matters of right and wrong, but are matters of. Apr 29, 2015 a brief summary, in plain language, of the most important laws concerning women, together with a few observations thereon 1854 by barbara leigh smith bodichon. May 09, 2016 you went to a lot of trouble to put that content online. I have a feeling that students and young aerospace professionals will find this book useful.
Pdf on developing plain language principles and guidelines. Plain language avoids verbose or convoluted language, jargon, euphemism, and ambiguous language. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money and provides better service to the american public. The united states center for plain language provides a formal definition of plain language. Aug 01, 20 other scientists, journalists, the public, government officials, friends and family, can all better understand science if all research papers were paired with a plain language summary. State your major points first before going into details. This book gives readers a very good overview of plain language techniques, including contributions from plain language experts from around the world. Best practices working grouphealth literacy sectionarkansas public health association annual con.
It shows that it is possible to distill lengthy and complicated health information into simple screening guides and actionable health tips. This book is a feast for the eyes, containing many fullpage color photos showing hundreds of bands woven by the author. Use plain language and syntax so that consumers understand the disclosures. In the event of a medical emergency, immediately contact a doctor or. To view a pdf file, you need the adobe acrobat reader. Plain language also known as plain english is a way of writing or presenting information so that readers can understand it quickly and. In the foreword to a book by the plain english campaign, a private company in the. Plain english writing style is now a legal duty for companies registering securities under the securities act of 1933, due to rules the securities and exchange commission sec adopted in 1998. Making the transition from ten codes to plain language. Albanian language version sigurimi i papunesise manual udhezues per aplikuesit. The plain writing act of 2010 external icon requires federal agencies to train staff and use plain language when they communicate with the public. Claimant handbook languages nys unemployment insurance claimant handbooks. You can shut off the closed captions in the video if you dont need them.
Plain language in plain english is a valuable resource for governments, businesses, service providers, and professionals in any field to improve their communication. In an effort to create standardized prenatal education materials for a diverse population of childbearing women, boston medical centers midwifery service led a multidisciplinary initiative to develop a comprehensive plain. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. A stepbystep guide shows you how to apply federal plainlanguage guidelines to every type of writing from emails, memos, and letters to agency communications, technical procedures, and budget justification statements. Today, plain language and information design have joined to become one. 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. As beth mazur says about plain language in her article in this issue, ask 10 people and youll. Interest in plain language communication has been growing in many sectors of business and government, but knowledge about its development is scattered and in need. A plain language handbook for legal writers provides a practical, workshopina book approach to the techniques of clear writing.
Plain language principles emphasize clarity in writing. Plain language in plain english by cheryl stephens ebook lulu. Writing clearly makes information more accessible and usable for people who dont read well, are reading in a second language, or are listening to the text. Inkle weaving design book by annie machale in celebration. Claimant handbook languages new york state department. The conference will also provide an excellent opportunity for plain language professionals to share knowledge with others from fields such as information design, marketing, corporate communications, technical writing and usability. The plain language action and information network plain is a community of federal employees dedicated to. Federal government richard lauchman plain language. Flesch, rudolf, how to write in plain english, a book for lawyers and consumers, 1979, harper and. This course teaches you basic tools to help you create plain language. Plain language also has in common with information design both a broad and a. Display visual disclosures for a duration sufficient for consumers to notice, read, and understand them.
A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information. A brief summary, in plain language, of the most important laws concerning women, together with a few observations thereon. An information designer who is a graphic designer trained to work. Even with regulations and the limits of publishing in the code of federal regulations, you can use design elements to help users read and understand the information. The securities and exchange commissions a plain english handbook. A plain english document is easy to read and looks like its. Plain language is just as important when we speak as when we write. Text design international institute for information design. This tool presents the principles of plain language writing and how to test the. The information provided should not be used to diagnose a health problem or disease, or as a means of determining treatment. Cdc follows the federal plain language guidelines external icon and uses the clear communication index to assess and improve our public communication materials.
Our websites follow the best practices in web design and. This title is intended as a supplement for statistics or research methods courses, or for any course that uses statistics, or as a reference book to refresh ones memory about statistical concepts. Your contract will need to be managed, marketed, and. An introduction in plain english tries to demystify what is a notoriously complicated subject. Improving document usability requires a basic understanding of accessibility and universal design for learning, plus a few simple tips found in gestalt and plain language principles.
I nformation on health and health services helps people protect and improve their. Plain language, according to nims, is the use of common terms and definitions that can be understood by individuals from all responder disciplines. Plain english means analyzing and deciding what information investors need to make informed decisions, before words, sentences, or paragraphs are considered. Using gestalt principles helps connect concepts within the document in a coherent way. With the sec s plain english rules in place, every prospectus will have its cover page, summary, and risk factors in plain english. Top 10 principles for plain language national archives. Interest in plainlanguage communication has been growing in many sectors of business and government, but knowledge about its development is scattered and in need. These guidelines consider language use and audience, as well as communication organization and design. In plain language, it is a file that will look the same on the screen and in print, regardless of what kind of computer or printer someone is using and regardless of what software package was originally used to create it. Inkle weaving design book by annie machale in celebration of. From organizational guidelines, literacy awareness, and reader expectations, to effective speaking strategies for presentations, plain language in plain english, is a comprehensive. Plain language will help your audience find it, understand it and use it. Couldnt agree more with this, but then part of my job is persuading a curiously reluctant organisation to embrace all these ideas.
Plain language action and information network plain. This is the best book on meaningful design that i have ever encountered. If you have any questions about this course, please contact. President bush, in his turn, has called for plain speaking. In 2011, plain plain language action and information network published federal plain language guidelines. Judy myers new book on plain language in government writing is an outstanding tool for government writers who want to accept the challenge of writing more clearly to their customers. Plain language and ethical action examines and evaluates principles and practices of plain language that technical content producers can apply to meet their audiences needs in an ethical way.
Inclusivity, gestalt principles, and plain language in. Center cdc, and the projects described in her book carry. Lutz, who formerly taught english at rutgers university. Plain language bim guides you through the complexities of the bim process.
A brief summary, in plain language, of the most important. Plain language is an essential component of effective health education material. President clinton formalized the requirement in june 1998 with a presidential memorandum. It is intended for both beginners and intermediate users. Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short. That post generated terrific discussions, new collaborations and many ideas, and i am now trying to write plain language summaries of my own research as it gets published. Plain language does not dumb down content or delete complex information. Plain language in plain english by cheryl stephens ebook.
My definition of document design or information design. Its only rocket science an introduction in plain english. They tended to copy the structure of reference books. Learn what you need to know about color and design for weaving narrow warpfaced bands from one of the contemporary masters. We believe that using plain language saves federal agencies time and money. Graphic designers have the power to make sense of information in ways that transcends language, and malamed shows them how to do it right.
Use audio disclosures when making audio claims, and present them in a volume and cadence so that consumers can hear and understand them. We want our writing to help people get information, comply with requirements, and apply for benefits with the least possible burden. A guide for writing plain language summaries of research. No annoying ads, no download limits, enjoy it and dont forget to bookmark and share the love. Although schedules are the premier vehicle for government sales, including federal, state, and local government agencies, they are not the only option. Nevertheless, it was clear that the new situation would eventually reach the slovene. When the sec prepared the handbook, information design as a profession was relatively unknown in this country. Applying the buroc framework bureaucratic, unfamiliar, rightsoriented, and critical to identify situat. This brochure is an inspiring example of plain language and audiencefocused information design. Claimant handbook languages new york state department of. May 31, 2012 a portable document format pdf file is a selfcontained crossplatform document.
Plain language should be easy to read, understand and use. Plain language is clear, concise, organized, and appropriate for the intended audience. Writing that legible and wellorganized is far easier to understand than more traditional styles. Clear verbal communication techniques, plain language writing and design tips, and readability formulas are just some of the practical tools which will help make the health information you deliver to your clients easy for them to understand, remember and follow. A plain english document uses words economically and at a level the audience can understand. The plain language action and information network plain is a community of federal employees. Dense, cluttered writing deters people from taking the time to read. Richard hollis, in his legendary book on graphic design,4 neatly lists three. Using plain english assures the orderly and clear presentation of. Pdf on information design ebook petra cerne oven, cvetka. The book you have before you is sediment, an oldfashioned. This book is a feast for the eyes, containing many fullpage color photos showing hundreds of.
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