- Policy Hierarchy
- Writing Style and Technique
- Policy Format
- Summary
- Multiple Choice Questions
- Exercises
- Projects
- Reference
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Writing Style and Technique
Style is critical. A reader’s first impression of a document is based on its style and organization. If the reader is immediately intimidated, the contents become irrelevant. Keep in mind that the role of policy is to guide behavior. That can happen only if the policy is clear and easy to use. How the document flows and the words you use will make all the difference in how the policy is interpreted. Know your intended reader and write in a way that is understandable. Use terminology that is relevant. Most importantly, keep it simple. Policies that are overly complex tend to be misinterpreted. Policies should be written using plain language.
Using Plain Language
The term plain language means using the simplest, most straightforward way to express an idea.
No single technique defines plain language. Rather, plain language is defined by results: It is easy to read, understand, and use. Studies have proven that documents created using plain-language techniques are effective in a number of ways:1
Readers understand documents better.
Readers prefer plain language.
Readers locate information faster.
Documents are easier to update.
It is easier to train people.
Plain language saves time and money.
Even confident readers appreciate plain language. It enables them to read more quickly and with increased comprehension. The use of plain language is spreading in many areas of American culture, including governments at all levels, especially the federal government, health care, the sciences, and the legal system.
The Plain Language Movement
It seems obvious that everyone would want to use plain language, but as it turns out, that is not the case. There is an enduring myth that to appear official or important, documents should be verbose. The result has been a plethora of complex and confusing regulations, contracts, and, yes, policies. In response to public frustration, the plain language movement began in earnest in the early 1970s.
In 1971, the National Council of Teachers of English in the United States formed the Public Doublespeak Committee. In 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon created plain language momentum when he decreed that the “Federal Register be written in ‘layman’s terms.’” The next major event in the U.S. history of plain language occurred in 1978, when U.S. President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Orders 12044 and 12174, with the goal of making government regulations cost-effective and easy to understand. In 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan rescinded Carter’s executive orders. Nevertheless, many continued their efforts to simplify documents; by 1991, eight states had passed statutes related to plain language.
In 1998, President Clinton issued a Presidential Memorandum requiring government agencies to use plain language in communications with the public. All subsequent administrations have supported this memorandum. In 2010, plain-language advocates achieved a major victory when the Plain Writing Act was passed. This law requires federal government agencies to write publications and forms in a “clear, concise, well-organized” manner, following plain language guidelines.
We can take a cue from the government and apply these same techniques when writing policies, standards, guidelines, and plans. The easier a policy is to understand, the better the chance of compliance.
Plain Language Techniques for Policy Writing
The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) describes itself on its website (https://plainlanguage.gov) as a group of federal employees from many agencies and specialties who support the use of clear communication in government writing. In March 2011, PLAIN published the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. Some of the guidelines are specific to government publications. Many are applicable to both government and industry. The 10 guidelines listed here are pertinent to writing policies and companion documents:
Write for your audience. Use language your audience knows and is familiar with.
Write short sentences. Express only one idea in each sentence.
Limit a paragraph to one subject. Aim for no more than seven lines.
Be concise. Leave out unnecessary words. Instead of “for the purpose of,” use “to.” Instead of “due to the fact that,” use “because.”
Don’t use jargon or technical terms when you can use everyday words that have the same meaning.
Use active voice. A sentence written in active voice shows the subject acting in standard English sentence order: subject–verb–object. Active voice makes it clear who is supposed to do what. It eliminates ambiguity about responsibilities. Not “it must be done” but “you must do it.”
Use “must,” not “shall,” to indicate requirements. “Shall” is imprecise. It can indicate either an obligation or a prediction. The word “must” is the clearest way to convey to your audience that they have to do something.
Use words and terms consistently throughout your documents. If you use the term “senior citizens” to refer to a group, continue to use this term throughout your document. Don’t substitute another term, such as “the elderly” or “the aged.” Using a different term may cause the reader to wonder if you are referring to the same group.
Omit redundant pairs or modifiers. For example, instead of “cease and desist,” use either “cease” or “desist.” Even better, use a simpler word, such as “stop.” Instead of saying “the end result was the honest truth,” say “the result was the truth.”
Avoid double negatives and exceptions to exceptions. Many ordinary terms have a negative meaning, such as unless, fail to, notwithstanding, except, other than, unlawful (“un-” words), disallowed (“dis-” words), terminate, void, insufficient, and so on. Watch out for them when they appear after “not.” Find a positive word to express your meaning.
Want to learn more about using plain language? The official website of PLAIN has a wealth of resources, including the Federal Plain Language Guidelines, training materials and presentations, videos, posters, and references.