Technical writing is not just about writing documentation. Learn how you can use plain language to write effectively for the web.

1. Making It Clear
Using Plain Language to Communicate
Ellen Buttolph
STC Mid-Atlantic Conference
March 22, 2104
Follow me on Twitter: @ebuttolph
© Ellen Buttolph

2. Plain Language
“What is plain language?
Information you can find, understand, and use.”
Center for Plain Language
http://centerforplainlanguage.org/
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3. Center for Plain Language
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4. The Plain Writing Act of 2010
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires the federal
government to write all new publications, forms,
and publicly distributed documents in a “clear,
concise, well-organized” manner that follows the
best practices of plain language writing.
Signed into law by President Obama on October 13, 2010.
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5. Why Use Plain Language?
Plain language can help your readers:
• Find information
• Understand what they read
• Save time
• Save money
• Reach a goal
• Avoid confusion
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6. What is Plain Language?
Not just about the words.
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7. Know Your Audience
• Who are you writing for?
• What are their needs?
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8. Make It Easy to Scan
• Busy readers don’t have time
to read it all
• The F pattern of web reading
• Image Nielsen Norman Group, http://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-
pattern-reading-web-content
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9. Main Point First
Main Point
Supporting information
Less important
information
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10. Main Point First
Focus on what’s important
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11. Main Point First
People DO read online.
But they scan FIRST.
Then decide to read more.
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Layer Information

13. • Help users get the right amount of
information that they need.
• Detailed information can appear on the same
page or on different pages.
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Layer Information

14. Layer Information
• Bite: a headline with a message
• Snack: a concise summary
• Meal: the entire document
“The Bite, The Snack, And The Meal:
How To Feed Content-Hungry Site Visitors ”
– Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
http://ewriteonline.com/articles/2011/11/bite-snack-and-meal-how-to-feed-content-hungry-site-visitors/
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Bite, Snack, Meal

15. Writing as Conversation
“Good web writing is like a conversation.”
Ginny Redish
Letting Go of the Words
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16. Direct Conversation
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17. Build a Conversation
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18. Write How You Speak
• Speak directly to your readers
• Use pronouns like you, us, we
• Use contractions
• Use active voice
• Be aware of voice and tone
• Be positive
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19. Use Active Voice
• Active voice makes it clear who is doing what.
• Passive voice uses a form of the verb “to be”
(am, are, is, was, were, be, been) with the past
participle of the main verb.
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Active Voice Passive Voice
You must change your
password after 180 days.
Passwords must be changed
after 180 days.
Students can purchase
recycled computers.
Recycled computers are sold
by the university.

20. Voice and Tone
“Our voice makes us unique, and our tone
makes us sound like humans. “
Kate Kiefer Lee
“Tone and Voice: Showing Your Users That You Care”
UX Magazine
• Voice expresses your site’s personality.
• Tone reflects the feelings or mood of the
voice.
• Voice is consistent, while tone can change.
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21. Define Your Voice and Tone
• Create a list of 4 or 5 personality traits for your
audience.
• Write sample text
• Read what you write out loud. Does it sound
like you are writing for users, or at them?
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We are: We are not: Writing Tips Sample Text
Helpful Bossy Be conversational.
Be practical and
specific.
You must change your password
every six months. We’ll send you an
e-mail to make sure you don’t forget.

22. Informal Tone
http://www.temple.edu/studentaffairs/housing/jump-page/parents-and-family/
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23. Voice and Tone
MailChimp Style Guide: http://voiceandtone.com
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24. Voice and Tone
MailChimp Style Guide: http://voiceandtone.com
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User
Says
User
Emotion
Example
Response
Writing
Tips

25. Write Clearly
“If you can’t explain
something simply,
you don’t understand
it well.”
- Albert Einstein
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26. Use Common Words
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Don’t Write: Write:
Instruct Tell
Receive Get
Assist Help
Facilitate Help
Utilize Use
Subsequent Next
Approximately About

27. Cut Excess Words
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Don’t Write: Write:
A number of Several
Is able to Can
Be responsible for Must
In order to To
On a monthly basis Monthly
At this point in time Now
Subsequent Next
Approximately About

28. Avoid Jargon
• Choose non-technical terms.
• Some jargon is good if you are writing for a specific
audience and it helps communication.
• Only use acronyms and abbreviations if they are well
understood, such as USA.
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Jargon Acronyms
best practices CMS
henceforth COB
synergy RAM

29. • Put the action in verbs, not nouns
• Simple present is the strongest verb tense
• Don’t use hidden verbs
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Use Strong Verbs
Strong Verb Hidden Verb
Apply Make an application
Decide Make a decision
Analyze Perform an analysis
Reduce Make a reduction
Approve Give approval
Purchase Make a purchase

30. Keep It Short
• Write short sentences ,10 to 20 words.
• Write short paragraphs, less than 100 words.
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31. Organize Your Content
• Use space effectively
• Chunk content appropriately
• Write meaningful headings
• Use bullet and number Lists
• Place links effectively
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Avoid the Wall of Words

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Add White Space

34. Use Meaningful Headings
Not Helpful Helpful
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Use Lists

36. Let your users read your
content before sending
them to other pages.
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Use Meaningful Links

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Don’t Overuse Embedded Links

38. Information Design
“Good writing combined with good
visual design can improve the
quality of the communications
people experience.”
Karen Schriver
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39. Information Design
Plain Language and
Information Design
STC Intercom
February 2014
Guest editor:
Karen Schriver, author of Dynamics in
Document Design
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40. Use Visual Cues
• Colors
• Images
• Headings
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• Fonts
• Graphs
• Tables

41. Be Aware of Emotions
“People read not primarily
with their intellect or logical
brain, but far more with their
emotional brain.”
Deborah Bosley, “From Chaos to Clarity: Overcoming
Negative Emotional Responses to Financial
Information”, STC Intercom, February 2014
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42. Accessibility
“Plain language is all about
accessibility—making information
understandable for everyone.”
an Interview with Ginny Redish
A Web for Everyone: Designing Accessible User Experiences
Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/blogs/a-web-for-everyone/universal-plain-language-an-interview-with-ginny-redish/
42© Ellen Buttolph

43. Review and Edit
“Examine every word you put on paper.
You'll find a surprising number that don't
serve any purpose.”
William Zinsser
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
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44. Review and Edit
• Read your work out loud
• Read a section at a time
• Read each word
• Consider each word
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45. Review and Edit
• Eliminate passive voice
• Eliminate redundant words
• Transform groups of 3 to lists
• Cut
• Cut again
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46. Omit Words
“17. Omit needless words.”
William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
The Elements of Style
Steve Krug
Don’t Make Me Think
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47. Keep It Concise
“Concise means minimal. Not short.”
Marcia Riefer Johnston
Author of Word Up!
http://www.slideshare.net/IntelligentContent/write-tighter-rieferjohnston
47© Ellen Buttolph

48. Why Use Plain Language?
When you write in plain language, you
create information that works well for
the people who use it, whether online or
in print.
Center for Plain Language
http://centerforplainlanguage.org/
48© Ellen Buttolph

49. Resources
• Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works, Janice (Ginny) Redish
• The Yahoo Style Guide, Chris Barr and the Senior Editors of Yahoo
• Word Up!, Marcia Riefer Johnston
• A Web for Everyone, Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery
• STC Intercom, “Plain Language and Information Design”, February 2014
• CenterforPlainLanguage.org
• Plain Language Association International
• PlainLanguage.gov
• VoiceandTone.com, MailChimp Style Guide
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50. Thank You!
@ebuttolph
50© Ellen Buttolph