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From the Plain Language Wizard at plainlanguage.com, who brought you the very first Internet resources on plain language: The Lens That Tells All!
Directions to the people, the books, the blogs, the t-shirts, mugs, and resources on the Internet for those of us to favor straight talk, clear intentions, and profound clarity.
What's here?
Well worth scrolling down...
- What's Plain Language?
- Plain Language WRITING Resources
- Plain Language Wizardry Book Series
- Readability and Useability
- Building Rapport
- CafePress
- Writing, Clear and Simple
- Wikipedia on Plain Language
- General Writing Support
- Visual Literacy and Document Design
- Commentaries and other sources
- Great Stuff on Amazon
What's Plain Language?
Isn't it just plain English?
"Plain language" is language that is understandable to its readers. "Plain English" is the common term but plain language is inclusive and suitable for countries where more than one language is spoken.Plain language refers to a particular approach to communications. Usually people expect a definition of plain language that describes writing of a certain style. That is a narrow perspective on plain language. Plain language is about the process: whether we are discussing the process involved in producing effective documents or the process involved in implementing an effective communications strategy.
Why would businesses or government bother to use plain language?
1) They are either losing money because of poorly written documents or gaining of money because of well-written information
2) Plain language use affects whether they are losing or gaining customers.
3) They must use plain language to comply with laws or regulations.
4) Clear writing in instructions, labels, and warnings helps them avoid legal liability.
5) Because people like it, it creates a good impression of corporate citizens!
Plain Language WRITING Resources
- My Website on Plain Language
- Free resources on writing in plain language. Articles often referenced in college courses on business writing.
- Plain Language Association InterNational
- The only international plain language advocacy group for a general membership.
This site provides free plain-language articles, writing tutorials, Web links, news, networking opportunities, professional support, and e-mail discussion group. PLAIN membership, connections with consultants, and professional conferences. - Plain Language in Government
- In the United States, a government-wide group of volunteers working to improve communications from the federal government to the public.
- Center for Plain Language
- A nonprofit, U.S. tax-exempt membership organization promoting the use of plain language in the public and private sectors.
- PLAIN's Government Links
- Government actions to promote plain language.
- Making HIPAA Privacy Notices More Readable
- leads to the Plain Language Principles and Thesaurus
Plain Language Wizardry Book Series
available from Lulu
Readability and Useability
- Plain Language and the Web
- Janice (Ginny) Redish is the mother of useabilty. This is her presentation to a plain language conference. It concerns plain language philosophy applied to the design and writing of web sites.
- Readability Lens
- An introduction to readability and the resources: "Readability is a basic design goal for anything meant to be read by a general population."
Building Rapport
Cheryl Stephens' blog on clear and simple communication to build rapport between people
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byCafePress
BuildingRapport Store
- Building Rapport
- all the goodies for writers and plain language advocates
Writing, Clear and Simple
by Roy Jacobsen
10 principles for clear writing
By Roy Jacobsen
I was browsing in the local public library and a title caught my eye: The Technique of Clear Writing, by Robert Gunning. I wondered if this Gunning is the creator of the Gunning Fog Index, a method of testing the readability of text, and he apparently is...
"For clear effective writing, follow these 10 principles from the Gunning Formula of Readability.
Keep sentences short
Prefer the simple to the complex
Use the familiar word
Avoid unnecessary words
Put action in your verbs
Write as you talk
Use picturable terms
Tie in with reader's experience
Make full use of variety
Write to express, not to impress"
Good, clear, effective writing is more than hewing to a list like that, but you won't go far wrong by starting there.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWikipedia on Plain Language
- Plain Language
- All the information that survives the rough and tumble wars of posting on Wikipedia
- Plain Language Movement
- a short report
- Plain English
- Apparently some facts are disputed
General Writing Support
If you need guidance on grammar, style, general writing issues.
- Writing, by Stuart Duncan
- some general writing links
Visual Literacy and Document Design
Visualization and design are an early part of the process in plain language
- Squidoo lens on Information Design
- Dave Gray of Xplane maintains the lens on information design is a module in visual thinking school, a course designed to help you learn how to think and communicate better using the visual part of your brain.
- Design at PlainLanguage.com
- at article on document design and text layout
- Edward Tufte
- Tufte is a genius and expert on visual information issues.
- Visual Literacy
- Learn the skills of visual literacy in order to apply them to communications. And connect with the International Visial Literacy Association.
Commentaries and other sources
- Conversational writing kicks formal writing's ass
- a post from the blog, Creating Passionate Users, by Kathy Sierra
- Legal Writing
- My Squidoo Lens on legal writing and how to make it better.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Resources on plain language and plain English
Plain Language - Clear and Simple
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009) 
Plain Language - Clear and Simple
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Plain language resource materials
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
The Plain English Approach to Business Writing
Amazon Price: $15.59 (as of 12/11/2009)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Plain English at Work: A Guide to Writing and Speaking
Amazon Price: $46.75 (as of 12/11/2009)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Oxford Guide To Plain English
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Rudolf Flesch on Business Communications: How to Say What You Mean in Plain English
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
How to Write Plain English
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
The Plain English Guide
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Plain English Approach to Business Writing
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Plain English, please: A rhetoric
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
How Plain English Works for Business: 12 Case Studies
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Writing in Plain English
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for stopping by! If you found this lens useful, scroll up and rate it by clicking on a star. And learn more about Plain Language and Legalese at PlainLanguage.com.
All contents of this lens ©2008 Cheryl Stephens. Plain Language Wizardry is a trademark of Cheryl Stephens.
by Cheryl
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