In this part we will look at how you can write effectively. This section will go through some easy steps that you, your colleagues, or your employees can take to help others understand your information.
To write effectively to give information to customers, staff, or the public just check the 3 Ls:
Language: Use plain language #
Everyone can use plain language to make texts reader-friendly. You don’t need specialised training. Plain language suits all readers.
Plain language is not dumbing down your writing – it’s communicating clearly and concisely.
Plain language is quick and easy to use. The basic steps are:
- Check your vocabulary or word choices
- Write simple sentences
- Use consistent numeracy information
- Choose graphics that support the message
1. Check your vocabulary or word choices #
Familiar words are easier to read and that means they are easier to understand. When we read, we slow down when the words are unfamiliar. We might need to reread or skip words. This can cause difficulty with comprehension.
- Choose words that are easy to read and understand.
- Use common, short words.
- If you need to use technical words, explain them.
- If you need to use uncommon abbreviations, explain them.
- Use personal pronouns if it suits your tone and if it is inclusive.
- Use an active voice.
- Use the same spelling where words can be spelled (or spelt) differently.
- Use the same terms to describe things (or items).
- Stick with the same tense.
What do all the technical terms above (in bold) mean? Click the boxes below to find out more about each one.
Technical words
Technical words are also called jargon or terminology. They are the words used in a profession or specialist area. They are known by people in that area, but they are not commonly used by the public.
Sometimes it is important to use the exact technical word, so when you need to use technical words – explain them.
See the Case study on p 40 Case study – NSW Health explains technical terms
See the Case study on p 40 Case study – Drop the Jargon Day
Abbreviations
Abbreviations are shortened or contracted forms of words or phrases. Common abbreviations like NSW, Vic, TAFE, Aust, Rd and DOB are OK. Other abbreviations that are not well known need to be explained.
Write the words in full the first time you use them in your text and put the abbreviation in a bracket. After that, you can just use the abbreviation.
Read more: The Australian Government Style Manual12 is for everyone who writes, edits or approves Australian Government content. Use it to create clear and consistent content that meets the needs of users. The section on abbreviations has useful tips on when and why to limit the use of abbreviations: Abbreviations | Style Manual
Personal pronouns
Personal pronouns take the place of a person’s name: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us and them.
Personal pronouns can be used to speak to your reader in an engaging way.
For example, refer to the reader as ‘you’ (You can submit the form…)
and to your organisation as ‘we’ (We will email our response…)
When using pronouns, it’s important to be inclusive and respectful of your audience.
Read more: The Australian Government Style Manual12 is for everyone who writes, edits or approves Australian Government content. Use it to create clear and consistent content that meets the needs of users. The manual has useful information about using language that is culturally appropriate and respectful of the diversity of Australia’s peoples:
Active voice
An active voice is easier to read because:
- It uses fewer words
- the writing is more concise
- it creates a faster-moving narrative, which is more engaging for readers
- sentence structure is not complex so there are fewer grammatical mistakes.
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.
✓ ‘Write your answers below’
✗ ‘Answers should be written below’.
✓ ‘Complete this table with the correct words’
✗ ‘This table should be completed with…’
If you are confused about the difference between active and passive, a useful guideline is to start the sentence with an active verb. In the examples above, write and complete are active verbs.
Read more: The plain English information from 26TEN explains the active voice, gives examples, and helps you get started.
26TEN is a network of people and organisations working together to improve adult literacy and numeracy rates in Tasmania. The 26TEN online guide to plain English is for anyone who needs to communicate information to others and wants to do that as clearly as possible. Step 3 has information about using active voice: Step 3: Write your content (26ten.tas.gov.au)
Tense
There are three tenses in writing:
- The past – things that have already happened (The section was open)
- The present – things that are happening right now, or things that are
continuous (The section is open) - The future – things that have yet to happen (The section will open)
You can write in any tense but be consistent. Changing tense makes comprehension difficult.
CASE STUDY
NSW Health explains technical terms
In health, technical words can be hard to avoid. NSW Health have a webpage that explains technical terms used in communications about covid. It has been developed by Council for Intellectual Disability.
It is in plain language. There is a downloadable and printable version.
Read it here
CASE STUDY
Drop the Jargon Day
Drop the Jargon is a day for professionals in Australian health, community services and local government to use plain language. It is important because many Australians have trouble understanding and using information provided by organisations. They also have trouble navigating complicated systems like healthcare services. Jargon, technical terms and acronyms make it harder for people with low health literacy to understand and use information.
The project started in 2014, when organisations interested in clear communication were looking to build on the work they had done at the Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health as graduates of their Health Literacy Course.
Free tools to use:
- Examples of why plain language is important
- Six basic ways to reduce confusing jargon
- Free resources:
- Use plain language
- Have plain language descriptions of confusing terms at your fingertips
- Check understanding
- Low English proficiency
The Drop the Jargon Day website has more information: Drop the Jargon – Drop The Jargon Day
2. Write simple sentences #
- Aim for short sentences.
- Short sentences are easy to understand. A short sentence limits the content, which helps comprehension.
- Longer sentences are OK sometimes. Different sentences lengths can help readers stay engaged.
- Be concise. Don’t give long explanations if they are not needed. Avoid unnecessary words.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
26TEN resources have information, examples and checklists
- 26TEN: The plain English guide is for anyone who needs to communicate information to others and wants to do that as clearly as possible. It has been produced by 26TEN, a network of people and organisations working together to improve adult literacy and numeracy rates in Tasmania: Communicate Clearly: About this guide (26ten.tas.gov.au)
- 26TEN have a checklist to help your organisation or business:
26TENOrganisationPlainEnglishChecklistFINAL.pdf - 26TEN have a checklist for writing documents and forms:
26TENPlainEnglishChecklistJuly2019FINAL.pdf
CASE STUDY
The Fair Work Commission
The Fair Work Commission is re-drafting awards in plain language. They follow a planned process to do this:
- Consulted with stakeholders and developed plain language guidelines
- Ran a pilot project to create a plain language Pharmacy Award
- Employed a plain language expert to redraft the Pharmacy Award using plain language principles without altering the legal effect
- Tested the new award with employees and employers covered by the Pharmacy Award
The results were used to inform re-drafting of other awards.
Read more here: Plain language re-drafting | Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au)
CASE STUDY
The Law and Justice Foundation
Legal information is often complex and difficult to read. The Law and Justice Foundation show that legal information can be presented in a reader-friendly way.
They explain that plain language helps people understand the law and the legal assistance available to them. It can improve an agency’s service delivery. For example, when people clearly understand who they need to contact, or the process they need to follow, or how to complete a form, it can save time and avoid errors.
The Foundation has a series of How to Guides and an online newsletter with plain language updates. The Plain Language Law (PLL) is a bimonthly email newsletter for anyone interested in plain language legal information and education resources and initiatives.
Read more here: Law and Justice Foundation – Writing in plain language (lawfoundation.net.au)
Subscribe to the newsletter: Law and Justice Foundation – Plain Language Law Newsletter (PLL) (lawfoundation.net.au)
3. Use consistent numeracy information #
In some texts, there are conventions that need to be followed. If you have a choice, use these tips to be reader-friendly:
- Be consistent. Choose a style and stick to it.
- Numerals are easier to read than number words. eg: 50 not fifty.
- Use commas for 1,000 and above. A comma separates the digits into groups of 3 (from right to left). eg: 6,345 23,694,000 1,000,065. Screen readers have difficulty with spaces in numbers so use a comma with no space.
- For large numbers that are rounded, use a numeral and word eg: 5 million 23 million.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The standard for Australian Government writing and editing
The Australian Government Style Manual12 is for everyone who writes, edits or approves Australian Government content. Use it to create clear and consistent content that meets the needs of users.
They have guidelines to help you use mathematical language consistently and meet accessibility requirements: Numbers and measurements | Style Manual
4. Choose graphics that support the message #
Pictures and other visuals, such as graphs and tables, can act as signposts for readers. Some tips:
- Choose graphics that can take the place of written text. This can reduce the amount of reading.
- Choose graphics that support your information.
- Don’t add graphics just for the sake of it. White space is better for readers than graphics that don’t help comprehension or add to the message. If graphics are not clear they can just create confusion.
- Use accessible images. Add text alternatives (called alt text) that describe them for people with disabilities who are using screen readers and other technology. Adding alt text to photos allows screen readers to tell the reader what the image is of, or what it means. Alt text is also useful because it is displayed in place of an image if an image file cannot be loaded.
Add Alt text:
- Right click on the picture
- Select Edit Alt Text
- Write your description
For the picture below we wrote: Reading Writing Hotline Banner. 25 year anniversary. Call 1300 6 55 06
CASE STUDY
The Reading Writing Hotline uses menu pictures
The Hotline uses images to draw attention to the menu choices.
The images relate to the topic.
The text is minimal.
Read it here
Layout: Use signposts #
Adult readers want to go straight to the information they need, so they skim to find what they want. They use layout features as signposts. We want clear and easy to navigate signposts, so readers engage with our texts and understand our message.
The important signposts that help readers navigate our texts are:
- Headings
- Sub-headings
- Bold font
- Colours
- Links
- Images
- Lists (using dot points) and numbered lists (showing order)
- Tables
- Borders
- Page breaks
- Font style and size
- contrast
CASE STUDY
COVID-19 vaccination – easy read resources
The Department of Health and Aged Care has a set of COVID-19 vaccination – easy read resources.
They are printable fact sheets about COVID-19 in easy read format.
They use layout to make reading easier: bullet points, spacing, bold, headings and subheadings, and pictures.
See them here: COVID-19 vaccination – Easy Read resources | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Other points to remember when you design the layout: #
- Logical order makes easier reading.
- A clear visual structure with an easy-to-read font is quicker to scan and read.
- White space helps readers.
- It looks more inviting.
- It allows them to skim quickly.
- It is not as overwhelming as dense chunks of text.
- For text that has many ideas, use paragraphs. They let readers pause and reflect on their comprehension before they move to the next idea. Paragraphs also help readers skim to find relevant information.
- Chunk information by using line breaks. Line breaks:
- help readers understand one idea at a time
- make information stand out
- aid skim reading
- Readers with colour blindness or limited vision can struggle with grey text or coloured backgrounds.
- Left aligned text is easier to read. Justified text, which aligns to both sides of the page, is harder to read because the spacing between letters interrupts visual processing.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The standard for Australian Government writing and editing
The Australian Government Style Manual12 is for everyone who writes, edits or approves Australian Government content. Use it to create clear and consistent content that meets the needs of users.
The information on structuring content will help you control the rhythm of your writing. It has information to help you write effectively using structure, headings, links, lists, paragraphs, tables, text boxes, and call-outs.
Read here: Structuring content | Style Manual
Location: Make it easy to find #
If your information is online, make it easy to find.
Digital literacy and access are barriers you can address with clear links and accessible information.
CASE STUDY
The ATO uses a landing page
The ATO uses location to guide readers to the information they need. They locate easy to read guides in the same place. For example:
- What is a tax file number?
- How to link your myGov to your tax and super
- Proving who you are to link your myGov account to the ATO
- If you can’t lodge or pay on time (easier to read, without images)
See them here: Easier to read information landing page
Does the location change the layout? #
Yes, Your location should change the way you use layout. We read screens differently to printed texts and we read large screens differently to smaller screens. The layout needs to suit the location and format of your messages.
- On larger devices, we tend to start in the middle of the screen, then scan outwards. Eg on a laptop.
- On smaller devices, we tend to scan the whole screen, then scan for signposts. Eg on a phone.
- In print, we tend to read from top left to bottom right.
Use signposts to help your readers find information. Help them scan to go quickly to the parts they need.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The HeLLO Tas! Toolkit
The HeLLO Tas! Toolkit has been developed collaboratively by the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS), Public Health Services (Tasmanian Government) and Primary Health Tasmania. Their toolkit includes information about designing online content and how to locate information to be reader-friendly.
Read it here: Tool 12 – Designing a Health Literate Website.pdf (hellotas.org.au)
CASE STUDY
Find Legal Answers, State Library NSW
The Find Legal Answers website provides legal information to the people of NSW. People can find online books, fact sheets, links to legal organisations and sources of help all in one place.
The landing page uses headings and formatting to make navigation easy. The site helps readers find what they need with clear signposts such as Where do I start? It uses clear navigation at the top of the site, eg Books online and Getting help.
Read more here: Find Legal Answers | State Library of NSW