Our obvious experiences of plain English are seen in the media when a doctor or lawyer begins speaking jargon and the patient or client asks for the verdict in “plain English”. But what exactly does plain English mean? And why is plain English so important when we communicate?
The answer is quite simple really. If we don’t communicate in plain English, or in a language that is understandable by all parties involved in the act of communication, misunderstanding and confusion can result. There are a number of actions we can take in order to communicate in plain language. These can include specific techniques or even the use of a plain English Editor.
Tips for Writing Clearly
In an age where communication is the key to success, it has never been a more important time to develop good writing skills. Written communication is a form of communication that needs to be well-developed in order to succeed. Hershberg (2005) suggests you can improve your writing with instantaneous results. All you have to do is:
- Write for clarity rather than to show-off. Writing is about conveying a message. It could include presenting research findings; presenting a solution to a problem; emailing a reply; or writing a sales letter. Whatever the purpose, there is a message to be told and it is vital those receiving the message understand it. If you are just out to impress, it is possible that neither you nor the reader will understand the message – resulting in ineffective communication.
- Although it is important you understand the rules of writing and why they are in place, it is not always in the best interests of the writer or reader to follow them to the letter. This is by no means condoning writing chaos and ignoring all that we’ve learnt; rather, it is saying that, at times, conveying an interesting message might mean breaking a rule – on the odd occasion.
- Revision and rewriting are imperative. Revising and rewriting the original draft is what makes the difference between a really good writer and a poor writer. The writing piece might require a number of rewrites before you are happy with it. To believe that the final writing product is how it looks after a quick once-through is misguided.
- Consider the audience. Write for the reader. After all, it is the audience who will be reading your writing. Write how you think they want the piece to be. Tailor it to their requirements.
When undertaking written communication, the use of pre-determined headings to structure a written piece can sometimes prove more harm than good. According to Minto (1999), if your writing is resolving a problem for the reader, headings should revolve around how you intend to address concerns or solve problems. Rather than using fixed headings, which may not produce a logical piece of writing, Minto (1999) suggests taking the following steps to structure a writing piece:
1. Provide a definition of the problem and the concerns that are to be addressed.
2. Present the information that is required to solve the concerns.
3. Collect data that will also offer conclusions.
4. Develop other ways that the concerns can be addressed.
5. State the positives and negatives of the arrived at recommendations.
6. Choose the best recommendation.
If you write a piece with these tips in mind and then go back and edit, you will be assured that your document is written in plain English. This is not about cutting out the pizazz in writing. It is simply removing complex words that confuse or put-off the reader. It also ensures that repetitive text is removed.
Editor Software: Achieving Plain English
With the help of editor software, you can achieve a writing piece that is clear and concise. Achieving plain English and logical writing has never been easier when you use editor software, such as StyleWriter. Among other things, the StyleWriter program can help you to not overuse complex words, jargon, and abstract writing, and can help with foreign expressions, legal words, and signpost language.
References
Hershberg, J. (2005) ‘It’s Not What You Say’, Training, 42 (5): 50.
Minto, B. (1999) ‘Think your way to clear writing: Part three’, Journal of Management Consulting, 10 (3): 40-50.