Plain Language
This workshop is for people who need to make their writing more reader-directed. Participants may or may not represent your organization to the general public; Plain Language is essential in internal documents too, and people who write policies, memos, directives, and reports also benefit from this training. Participants should have a good grasp of the mechanics of English.
Objectives of the Training
After attending this workshop, participants should be able to write a reader-directed document. Participants will learn, for example, how to:
- Organize their ideas according to how people actually read
- Use dozens of page-design devices that invite reading, clarify organization of thought, and appropriately emphasize ideas
- Understand how to restrict their use of jargon and terms of art
- Use fewer abbreviations
- Feel comfortable using "I," "you," and "we" when appropriate
- Avoid using unnecessarily complex words and phrases like shall and subsequent to
- Create and maintain an appropriate tone
- Write shorter, clearer, and more emphatic sentences
- "Chunk" information for the reader
- Walk the reader through even the most difficult material
- Adjust scope and word-choice according to the audience
- Recognize and easily eliminate clutter
- Know when to use active and passive expressions
The Plain Language Handbook
One of the handouts we use in this training is the Plain Language Handbook, written by Richard Lauchman. The handbook is available free of charge on this website by clicking the link above. It is in PDF format to simplify downloading and printing.
Enrollment
Maximum enrollment is 15.
Lauchman Group
1324 Wild Oak
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone 301-315-6040
Fax 301-838-9044
email richard@lauchmangroup.com
1324 Wild Oak
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone 301-315-6040
Fax 301-838-9044
email richard@lauchmangroup.com
