We at the U.S. Department of Education are committed to writing documents in plain language using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines . The Plain Writing Act requires federal agencies to use clear language that the public can understand and use. If you look at page A-2, section q of this order, it shows a sample of how a typical federal order describes this shift from "shall" to "must." "Learn how to have great conversations through your site or app. Meet your business goals while satisfying your site visitors' needs. Learn how to create useful and usable content from the master - Ginny Redish. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to write "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." After all, OPM's mission is to recruit, retain, and honor a world-class workforce. This is Joseph Kimble's second book of essays. The first, published in 2006, was acclaimed as "superb," invaluable," and "a treasure." Seeing Through Legalese collects his more recent writings and promises to be equally good. (2) Federal plain writing guidelines. Starting in October 2011, the Act requires us to write new and substantially revised documents in plain language using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. Found insideAn important feature of the book is a key that enables the non-specialist to identify the plants. Indices of scientific, English and local names, plus a glossary of botanical terms, have been included to aid the reader. Fundamentals of Philosophy is an ideal starting point for those coming to philosophy for the first time and will be a useful complement to the primary texts studied at undergraduate level. These include common, everyday words, except for necessary technical terms. To ensure that you are communicating clearly, evaluate the document or, better yet, have another person read it and offer suggestions for clarification. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communications from government. Plain Language at NIH. Using plain language avoids creating barriers that set us apart from the people with whom we are communicating. 1, May 2011 1 I. Additional information about the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) can be found at https://www.gsa.gov/about. Before sharing sensitive A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. It's a big hassle. In this new edition, Garner preserves the successful structure of the original while adjusting the content to make it even more classroom-friendly. And the fact is, even though "must" has come to be the only clear, valid way to express "mandatory," most parts of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs) that govern federal departments still use the word "shall" for that purpose. SAMHSA is committed to writing new documents in plain language as of October 2011, using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. This volume discusses the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the rights it guarantees to those with disabilities including employment, transportation, public accommodations, government services, telecommunications, and access to ... Think about your audience . Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation; Inclusion of appropriate devices, such as dating, page numbering, and consistency; Consistency and effectiveness of layout and typographical devices; and. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communications from government. Training our employees. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use plain language when communicating with the public. As part of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS), we apply modern methodologies and technologies to improve the public’s experience with government. Also, "must not" are the only words you can use to say something is prohibited. PLAIN developed and continues to revise The Federal Plain Language Guidelines to provide updated advice on clear communication. Write at a reading level that is appropriate to your intended audience. This law requires that all federal agencies use "clear government communication that the public can understand and use." Ten years later, we decided it was time to revise it. ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. That's not true. A decade ago, Congress passed the Plain Writing Act to ensure that people can understand the information they receive from federal agencies. "Must" is the only word that imposes a legal obligation on your readers to tell them something is mandatory. The importance of these texts is linguistic, anthropological and sociological. They are persistent in their ability to give definition to creole culture, surviving in South Asia from the seventeenth century to the present. amy.bunk@nara.gov and kathryn.catania@dhs.gov to make this determination. 2020 Federal Plain Language Report Card. 13563.. Clear writing tells the reader exactly what the reader needs to know without using unnecessary words or expressions. The Plain Writing Act was signed into law on October 13, 2010. Report fraud, waste, or abuse to the Office of the Inspector General, Submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Consider what your readers need to know and want to know. Plain language is clear communication that the public can easily understand and use. This text provides a comprehensive how-to approach to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, plus gives students the information they will need to develop the decision-making skills necessary to provide comprehensive and quality rehabilitation ... Federal agencies should use We developed these guidelines to help you and your agency write clearly, so your users can: This book will serve as a vital resource for both sponsors and producers of systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research. Think About Your Audience: One of the most popular plain language myths is that you have to "dumb down" your content so that everyone everywhere can read it. 1, May 2011 1. 12988, and E.O. Use common, everyday words but avoid slang. Next, we discuss writing principles, starting at the word level and moving up through paragraphs and sections. This is the most extensive topic. We follow principles of writing documents with principles of writing for the web. Promoting plain language across the Department. 800 Independence Avenue, SW AHRQ is committed to using plain language and complying with Federal Plain Language Guidelines in all new documents written for the public, other government entities, and its workers. Our websites follow the best practices in web design and navigation. CDC has trained many staff in plain language and is training many more. View Plain Language Guidelines. LockA locked padlock Alert box notification is currently enabled, please, follow this link to enable alert boxes for your profile, follow this link to disable alert boxes for your profile, Plain Writing Act of 2010 (H.R. 866.835.5322 (866-TELL-FAA), United States Department of Transportation, Aviation Safety Draft Documents Open for Comment, Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program, Legislation & Policies, Regulations & Guidance, Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators, Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations, The Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook (Section 3), The Federal Plain Language Guidelines (page 25), Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). We first developed this document in the mid-90s. Federal Plain Language Guidelines. A lock ( Through numerous exercises as well as examples from a variety of federal and state agencies, this practical guide walks you step-by-step through every phase of the writing process, providing tips for improved clarity, conciseness, and ... The Act is designed "to improve the effectiveness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." Prospective, current, and former employees – as well as their families and other stakeholders, many of whom also receive benefits through OPM – deserve to receive clear and consistent information from us. 946/Public Law 111-274) on October 13, 2010. Digital.gov is a product of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, and managed by the Office of Solutions. Help your readers find what they need by following these Web writing tips from PlainLanguage.gov: 1. We are committed to the use of plain language in all new documents written for the public, other government entities, and fellow workers. Lists highlight a series of steps, requirements, or pieces of information in a visually clear way. Control and Prevention (CDC) to comply with the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and achieve goals set forth in the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and the CDC Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. Plain language is a strategy for making written and oral information easier to understand. It is one important tool for improving health literacy. Plain language is communication that users can understand the first time they read or hear it. Help readers skim and scan. The first rule of plain language is: write for your audience. Use common, everyday words whenever possible. Visitors to our website are often in a hurry to find the information they need. But in your next breath, be sure to say "yes, shall is a perfectly good word, but it's not a perfectly good word of obligation.". President Obama also emphasized the importance of establishing "a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration" in his January 21, 2009, Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government. the lowercasing of the word capitalizing “federal” is in line with Language Action and Information writers will spell out numbers under section 1.10.) Read more. Appearance is an important aspect of clear communication. Plain Language (Updated for 2021) The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to write "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." Other qualities include the use of personal pronouns; the active voice; logical organization; and easy-to-read and understandable design features, such as bullets and tables. Later, finding support in the federal rules, Congress also issued the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (the Act), which required all federal agencies to follow the federal plain language guidelines and use must instead of shall when imposing requirements. Even the Supreme Court ruled that when the word "shall" appears in statutes, it means "may. Recognizing the need for an overarching emergency communications strategy to address these shortfalls, Congress directed the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) to develop the first National ... Apply plain language principles and improve the clarity of your writing. The Federal Plain Writing Act and the Federal Plain Language Guidelines only appeared in 2010. It invites readers to question their own assumptions and understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and past with hope and love. Plain writing is the law.Here are four tips from the Federal Plain Language Guidelines to get you started with writing for plain language:. Who says so and why? Have feedback or questions? This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 defines plain language as: Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience. We first developed this document in the mid-90s. Edit. The Act is designed "to improve the effectiveness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use.". Read more, TTS Solutions is a portfolio of products and services that help agencies improve delivery of information and services to the public. When a federal agency writes in plain language, it shows a commitment to the public and a desire to communicate effectively. We at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) are committed to improving our service to you by writing in plain language. FAA Plain Language Program Manager Federal civilian employees, military employees, and contractors and anyone else who wants to develop the skills needed to make their writing clearer and easier to understand. The FAA supports and advocates plain language through the FAA Plain Language Program in the Office of Communications. This includes not Communicating clearly is its own reward as it saves time and money. As a disclosure agency, the SEC is committed to communicating with investors in easily understandable language. If you mean prohibited, write "must not. The Plain Language Program trains employees throughout the FAA and supports plainlanguage.gov, a website devoted to improving communication from the federal government to the public. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to write "clear government communication that the public can understand and use.". Join 60,000 others in government and sign-up for our newsletter — a round-up of the best digital news in government and across our field. The .gov means it's official. They may scan a page as they look for quick answers to their questions. ", What should you say if someone tells you "shall is a perfectly good word?" When drafting covered documents, your agency should follow the Federal Plain Language Guidelines available at DoD’s Plain Language Pledge . You can learn more about PLAIN at www.plainlanguage.gov. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. style. ", Those are some of the reasons why these documents compel us to use the word "must" when we mean "mandatory:". You can contact PLAIN’s co-chairs, Amy Bunk and Kathryn Catania, at . If you've got comments or questions about this, please contact: Dr. Bruce V. Corsino Documents Required to be in Plain Language At Interior, we will use plain language in any document that: Is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. The January 21, 2009, Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government also highlights the importance of establishing "a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration." Why are the instruction manuals for cell phones incomprehensible? These include common, everyday words, except for necessary technical terms. An official website of the United States government. email: bruce.corsino@faa.gov, Page last modified: March 12, 2020 11:37:39 AM EDT, Federal Aviation Administration Federal Plain Language Guidelines address how we should implement the Act. It also improves reader response to messages. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to writing new documents in plain language by October 2011, using the Federal Plain Language Guidelines and following the Office of Management and Budget's final guidance issued on … Last updated by hursey013 on Jul 14, 2020 at 2:11 pm ET. As of October 2011, using the Federal plain language Guidelines available at ’. Design and navigation tips from the Federal plain language through the FAA supports and advocates plain language as of 2011... Making written and oral information easier to understand oral information easier to understand page as they look for quick to. 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