Tag Archives: clarity

Social justice when writing

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, , ,

Clear, well-written documents from businesses and government agencies help people understand their rights, responsibilities, and options.

When information is written in plain language, more people can access, understand and act on it. This leads to fairer outcomes and greater participation. Complex, technical, or overly formal writing can exclude many readers — especially those who do not have an academic background or who struggle to read.

We can create or exacerbate social disadvantage just by the way we choose to word things and express ideas. That is a really sad outcome. Choosing not to write plainly can create disadvantage, limit access to essential services, and undermine trust.

Writing clearly isn’t just a communication skill — it’s a matter of equity.

Write to communicate

Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, , ,

While writing can be very powerful and useful in helping to develop and clarify our ideas, we often write to communicate our thoughts to other people.
The text we generate is for consumption by others.

We may be communicating instructions or requirements, or perhaps inviting others to engage with us in our thinking.

Strive to achieve both clarity and contact.

Clarity is about making sure your reader picks up your intended meaning without modification. Usually the best way to do this is to write plainly. Use familiar and simple words. And just have one idea in each sentence.

Contact is about conveying to your reader the importance of your message, so they make an effort to get their head around what you are saying and then take appropriate action. To do this, get to know your reader well. Learn about their circumstances and what’s important to them.