Hobbies: Writing - articles, hints, and tips for the freelancer and professional

Communication Canada - Successful Communication Tool Kit - Literacy and You

From Prof Joe Kimble's analysis of research _

Pay attention to document design — the typeface, length of line, white space, and so on.

Use short sections, or subdivide longer ones.

Use lots of headings. In public documents, try putting the main headings in the form of a question.

Group related ideas together, and order the parts in a logical sequence.

At the beginning of most documents, have an executive summary (for memos and judicial opinions) or a purpose statement (for legislation) or a table of contents (for manuals and long contracts).

Don't hesitate to use examples, tables, and charts.

Eliminate unnecessary words and details.

Break up long sentences.

Don't put too much information before or between the main subject, verb, and object.

Prefer the active voice.

Put the the central action in verbs, not in abstract nouns.

Use a vertical list — at the end of the sentence — for multiple conditions, consequences, or rules.

Try to address the reader as "you" in public documents.

Give shall the boot; use must instead.

Use familiar words — the ones that are simple and direct and human.

Impact Information: Your One-Stop Source for Plain Language Services:

Bill DuBay's Plain Language Services has a really neat resources/links page

Professional Editorial Standards

"ADOPTED by the association's membership in 1991 and revised in 1999, these Standards list the skills and knowledge needed for editing in English-language media in Canada. The full text of Professional Editorial Standards is reproduced below. Copyright © 1999 by the Editors' Association of Canada/Association canadienne des réviseurs. All rights reserved. "

Accelerated Reader ATOS Summary: "Guiding students to appropriate-level books is now much easier and more accurate than ever before, thanks to the ATOS Readability Formula for Books. ATOS eliminates many of the problems educators have always had with existing readability formulas. ATOS is the first formula to include statistics from actual student book-reading (over 30,000 students, reading almost 1,000,000 books), not just data based on short test passages."

Clear drafting in Sweden - a pdf file (4 pp)

In the very heart of the Swedish legislative process there are five linguists who encourage the government officials to use a plain language approach in their drafting.

Acts and ordinances, bills and commission reports must be clear and user-friendly. These texts have an impact on decision-making at all levels of society. A democracy must ensure openness and clarity within the public administration and guarantee that documents are
written in a way that meets the readers’ needs.

In addition to the linguists there is also a special committee in the Ministry of Justice, The Plain Swedish Group, which encourages Swedish authorities to start plain language projects.

The Plain Swedish Group

It is a legal requirement that the authorities must endeavour to express themselves in a way that is easy to understand. Clear and intelligible information promotes democracy, saves money and increases people’s confidence in the authorities.

Therefore, in 1993, the Swedish government set up the Plain Swedish Group in order to promote clear and simple language in official documents and to encourage government agencies all over Sweden to start plain language projects.

Plain English writing guide

From "the word centre" a commercial outfit based in Sheffield UK

Writing911.com

Through our Writing for the Real World Series, we give you the no-nonsense, easy-to-understand tips and tools you need to quickly improve the way you write at work.

Plain Language Australia

Plain language involves making sure that documents are written in the most direct and clear way so that readers can easily understand and use the information. It removes jargon and unnecessary official, legal or bureaucratic wording. It replaces lengthy, complex sentences with concise ones. It pays attention to design and layout of documents to make them as accessible as possible. Plain language is a vital tool for clear communication.

Universal Declaration of Human rights
UDHR: Plain Language Version

The Earth Summit's Agenda for Change
a plain language version

http://www.plainenglishwriting.com/

Mindfulness in plain english

www.onelook.com

a Dictionary portal

writing for results
- neat links page

US Govt site for plain language with good links
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/

A singular use of THEY - how to overcome the he and she problem

A plain language bookshelf