Clear language and design. Joan Acosta

Transcription

1 Clear language and design Joan Acosta

2 What is clear writing? Clear writing involves thinking about your readers and writing for them. It does not mean simply replacing difficult words with easier words and making sentences shorter. It is an approach to writing that will help you communicate more clearly with everyone.

3 Who benefits from clear writing? Writing that is easy to read and understand benefits everyone. However, clear writing is especially important for these groups: people with lower levels of education and literacy people who are new to Canada and are still learning English older people who may have special reading needs people with learning disabilities people who are scared or upset about an illness

4 Follow these steps Step 1: Identify your readers. Step 2: Write your first draft. Step 3: Edit your draft using clear language principles. Step 4: Design the layout using clear design principles. Step 5: Get feedback from readers. Step 6: Revise and edit.

5 Step 1: Find out about your readers Who are your readers? What do they want and need to know? Are your readers familiar with the topic or is it totally new? Do your readers include people who have learned English as a second or additional language? Do your readers include people with limited literacy skills?

6 Step 2: Write your first draft Gather all your notes and ideas together. Write freely. Don t worry about spelling, grammar or format. Write the way you talk. Include all your ideas. You can eliminate some of them later if necessary.

7 Step 3: Edit your draft Edit your draft using clear language principles. Ask someone to read your draft and provide feedback. Make changes until you are satisfied with the content, readability, and clarity. It takes time and effort to write clearly. Be prepared to go through several drafts.

8 Making it easy to read

9 Use short, simple sentences Before In our endeavor to ensure patient safety at all times, please note that fire alarm testing is carried out every Monday at 9.30 am. After We test the fire alarm every Monday at 9.30 a.m. Long sentences over 25 words are usually complex sentences. Try to keep sentences to 10 to 15 words.

10 Use common everyday words Before The importance of a high-fiber diet is not to be underestimated. After It is important to eat food with fiber. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole-grain breads and cereals have lots of fiber.

11 Use the active voice Using the passive voice can make your writing seem vague and formal. Before It was decided that medical fees would be raised. After The government of British Columbia decided to raise medical fees. Tell readers who does what. Try to follow the usual English word order subject, verb, object.

12 Use a relaxed conversational tone Use you to speak directly to your readers. Use we as the voice of the material. Exam ple We want to make sure you get help if you need it. After your baby is born, your doctor or nurse will ask you a list of questions about your feelings. This list of question is called the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score or EPDS for short. Your answers will help your doctor or nurse decide if you need extra help with your feelings. Postpartum Depression brochure

13 Write from the reader s point of view Before Employees are requested to sign in and out when taking lunch breaks. After Please sign in and out when you go for lunch.

14 Explain acronyms and abbreviations Abbreviations, initials or short forms can be confusing to many readers. Write the words in full the first time you use them. Exam ple Here is a checklist of things to do right away: Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN). Register for the Medical Services Plan (MSP). British Columbia Newcomers Guide

15 Limit the use of English idioms English idioms can be confusing for people who speak English as a second language. Although idioms often use common words and phrases, they always have a more complex meaning, for example: catch a cold or draw blood. Exam ple Clean every nook and cranny of the bed frame. You ll feel better down the road.

16 Explain a less familiar or technical term the first time you use it Before A summons is a court order requiring the accused to appear in court to answer a charge. After What if you get a summons in the mail? It means someone is taking you to court. Look at the summons carefully. It says what court it is, who is taking you to court, when, and why. Learning about the Law

17 Get feedback on your writing Ask a group of readers to review a draft of your writing. You can use a small focus group. You can conduct one-on-one interviews.

18 Take time to revise and edit Have a checklist for your final revision. For example: Does the content meet the needs of the readers? Did you make revisions based on feedback from readers? Do you use concrete and familiar words? Can you make any sentences shorter and clearer? Did you correct all typos?

19 Use clear layout and design

20 Layout and design What is layout and design? Layout and design is the way you arrange text and graphics on a page. Why is clear layout and design important? Good page design organizes information and helps with comprehension.

21 Avoid dense text Dense text can discourage readers even before they begin. Dense text gives readers two messages: This is going to be hard. This is going to be boring.

22 Use white space White space provides rest for the eye and draws attention to key points on the page.

23 Choose a font that is easy to read There are two types of fonts serif and sans serif. Serif fonts are often easier to read on paper. Sans serif fonts are often easier to read on a computer screen.

24 Serif fonts Serifs are tiny strokes and lines on the ends of letters. These help to distinguish letters that are similar for example, lowercase l or capital I. Serifs also help the reader s eyes move along lines of type. Sans serif fonts Sans serif fonts have no strokes on the ends of letters. They may be easier to read on a computer screen because there is more space between letters. Times New Roman is a serif font. Verdana is a sans serif font

25 Use decorative fonts sparingly Fancy, artistic or cute fonts are distracting. They call attention to themselves rather than to the message. They are also often hard to read. Limit the number of different fonts Too many different fonts on the same page can make a document look cluttered and create visual noise. Use a serif font for the text and a sans serif font for the headings.

26 Be careful not to overuse highlighting You may want to use boldface type or italics to highlight an important word or phrase. But be careful not overuse these techniques. Large blocks of boldface or italics are hard to read. The purpose of our code of conduct is to inform all members of the hospital community of our shared obligations and responsibilities. The purpose of our code of conduct is to inform all members of the hospital community of our shared obligations and responsibilities.

27 Avoid underlining Underlined text often cuts off the stems of fonts that go below the lines. This can make letters hard to identify. The meeting will begin promptly at eight thirty. Underlining also has a familiar usage: It is used to indicate Internet websites er/emotional/default.htm

28 Select a comfortable type size The size of letters is measured in a unit called points. The larger the point size, the larger the letter. The point size you choose affects readability. Most people can read 12-point type easily. As the print gets smaller, reading becomes more difficult. 18-point font Wash your hands with soap and water. 14-point font Wash your hands with soap and water. 12-point font Wash your hands with soap and water. 9-point font Wash your hands with soap and water.

29 Use upper and lower case letters Try reading each block of text. Which one is easier to read, A or B? Why? A WHEN A WHOLE BLOCK OF TEXT IS PRINTED IN ALL CAPS, IT TAKES UP MORE SPACE AND TAKES LONGER TO READ. B When a whole block of text is printed in all caps, it takes up more space and takes longer to read.

30 Avoid justified type Justified type has a straight left and right edge. This format can create big spaces between words.

31 Avoid hyphenation Reading hyphenated text is especially hard for literacy-level readers. Words that are hyphenated over two lines force readers to remember part of the word at the same time as they may be trying to sound out the word. Hyphenating also breaks up word boundaries where a word begins and ends. Recognizing word boundaries is an important reading skill. Follow instructions carefully when you use hazardous materials at home or at work. Make sure you understand the meaning of all warning labels.

32 Use unjustified type Unjustified type is aligned on the left and has a ragged right-hand side. The spaces between letters and words is the same, and there is no need to hyphenate. Follow instructions carefully when you use hazardous materials at home or at work. Make sure you understand the meaning of all warning labels. Even spacing of words improves readability by allowing readers to see groups of words.

33 Avoid long lines of text If lines are too long, readers often lose their place or read the same line twice. Readers with limited literacy skills read words one at a time. If lines are too long, these readers often have difficulty remembering the beginning of the sentence. Contrary to what many people think, the eye does not read individual words one at a time, but scans the line pausing momentarily to read groups of three or four words. Too long a line tends to tire the eye and makes it difficult to locate the beginning of the line that follows. Try to keep lines of text between 7 and 10 words.

34 Avoid short lines of text Short lines disrupt sentence structure. They also require the eye to change lines too often. Contrary to what many people think, the eye does not read individual words one at a time, but scans the line pausing momentarily to read groups of three or four words. Lines that are too short disrupt sentence structure and require the eye to change lines too often.

35 Avoid centered text Centered text doesn t show readers where sentences begin and end.

36 Break up text into chunks Use headings, bullets or boxes to break up text into manageable chunks.

37 Use colours to provide good contrast Black type on white or light-coloured paper is the easiest to read. For headlines, use dark colours that show up well when printed. Too little contrast will make your text difficult to read. Older readers in particular, need high contrast for readability.

38 Background colours Black type on a dark-coloured background is hard to read. White type on a light-coloured background is hard to read. A document that you create in colour, may be printed in black and white by people who do not have colour printers.

39 Use photos to encourage reading

40 Use clear charts, maps, and diagrams Graphics can often reinforce or replace written information. They can also break up dense text on a page.

41 Get feedback before you print Ask a group of readers to review your document before you print it. You can use a small focus group. You can conduct one-on-one interviews.

42 Signs at a doctor s office: Before and After

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44 Northeast Edmonton Literacy Network

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