"A government by the people and for the people should also be understood by the people.” |
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| Noel Brinkerhoff, writer and political journalist | |
In October 2010, President Obama signed into law the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-274), which directs federal agencies to communicate in concise prose that “avoids jargon, redundancy, ambiguity, and obscurity.”
Those of us who have read and written federal government prose for years might need a little refresher course on what “plain writing” looks like. Surrounded every workday by mind-bending sentences and an alphabet soup of acronyms, we sometimes forget the power—and rewards—of issuing simple, clear statements.
Here are a few tips to get us back in the habit of communicating with crystal clarity.
Use a dynamic, active voice – Compose active sentences as often as you are able. These sentences emphasize and join the subject and verb for a message that is clear, direct, and brief.
“The agency issued a beach advisory on Wednesday.”
Active sentences also clearly assign responsibility to an actor (“the agency issued”), providing the accountability and transparency your readers expect.
Passive sentences de-emphasize and separate the subject and verb, creating lengthier messages that are less direct.
“A beach advisory was issued on Wednesday by the agency.”
The worst passive-sentence offenders—consider the infamous “mistakes were made”—are likely to leave your readers with the impression that you are shifting responsibility and accountability. So include your “actor” in each sentence, even when describing complex projects. Subject phrases like, “local coastal officials,” or “members of the county’s disaster-reduction committee” can work.
Keep your terms simple and straightforward – An anonymous wit has described “bureaucratese” as the practice of “using big words to express little ideas.” Try to avoid slipping into bureaucratese and choose simpler messages instead.
Bureaucratese: “Upon receipt of this memo dated September 25, please be herewith informed that our fishing license policy will be effectuated immediately.”
Better: “Our new fishing license policy takes effect on September 25.”
If you must use technical or little-known terms, explain – If you have any doubt about whether your audience knows a term, include a brief, lay-friendly definition.
Example: “Local waterfront areas are changing because of coastal inundation (a condition in which normally dry land is covered with water).”
Avoid acronyms whenever possible and use full, spelled-out terms. Even the full name of a program and agency can leave constituents with questions, so provide a thumbnail description.
Example: “The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System helps us collect, deliver, and use ocean information to protect the environment and enhance safety and the economy.”
For more tips and tools on producing clear, concise communication, visit www.plainlanguage.gov.
