Table of Contents

My Philosophy of Communication

  • Three Important Communication Issues
  • Universal Design
  • Information Processing Styles
  • Is There an Average Reader?

Part A: Preliminaries
1. A Definition of Plain Language
2. The Plain Language Process

Part B: Audience Considerations
3. Identify Your Audiences
4. Research Your Readers
A Cloze Test Sample
5. Reach Readers with Special Needs
6. Consider Readers’ Literacy
7. Write Plainly for International Readers

Part C: Prepare to Write
8. Identify the Purpose of the Document
9. Build Structure and Organize Content
10. Plan a Plain Design
11. Create a Working Draft
Fish Safe Case Study

Part D: Write and Rewrite Plainly
12. Use Words the Reader Knows
Simplified: How to Write Definitions
13. Follow Usage Guidelines
14. Write Plain Sentences
15. Watch Your Tone
16. Write Plain, Effective Paragraphs
17. Use Plain Punctuation and Lists

Part E: After You Write
18. Check for Bias
19. Prove Your Document Is Plain
20. Measure Readability Using Formulas
21. Measure Readability Using Task Analysis

Part F: Implement a Plain Language Policy
22. Working in Plain Language
23. Use Style Guides as Arbiters
24. Write Plainly for Oral Delivery

Part G: Resource Collection
The IALS Rating Scale
Robert Gunning’s 10 Principles of Clear Writing
Word Substitution List by Cheryl Stephens
A Writeability Glossary by Cheryl Stephens
Top 10 Writing Tips to Ensure Clients Understand You by John Blois
Letter Etiquette Checklist by Cheryl Stephens
Document Assessment Tool by Kate Harrison Whiteside
and Cheryl Stephens
Writing Glossary