Plain Language: Improving Communications from the Federal Government to the Public


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How To/Tools>Guidelines> Federal Plain Language Guidelines> Use emphasis to highlight important concepts

Use emphasis to highlight important concepts


Use bold and italics to make important concepts stand out. While it is difficult to use these techniques in regulations, emphasis helps bring out important points in other documents. Limit emphasis to important information, otherwise you’ll dilute its impact.

PUTTING EVERYTHING IN CAPITAL LETTERS IS NOT A GOOD EMPHASIS TECHNIQUE. ALTHOUGH IT MAY DRAW THE READER’S ATTENTION TO THE SECTION, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO READ. AND IN AN ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT IT’S CONSIDERED SHOUTING. Similarly, underlining will draw the reader’s attention to the section, but it makes it hard on the eyes. Besides, in an electronic environment, people expect underlined text to be a link. It’s better to use bold and italics for important issues.


AUDIENCE

• Identify your audience and write to them
• Address separate audiences separately

ORGANIZATION

• Organize to meet your audience's needs
• Address one person, not a group
• Use lots of useful headings
• Write short sections

WRITING: Words

verbs
• Use active voice
• Use the simplest form of a verb
• Don't turn verbs into nouns
• Use "must" to convey requirements
• Use contractions when appropriate
nouns and pronouns
• Avoid noun strings
• Use "you" and other pronouns to speak directly to readers
• Minimize abbreviations
other word issues
• Use short, simple words
• Omit unnecessary words
• Dealing with definitions
• Use the same term consistently for a specific thought or object
• Avoid legal, foreign, and technical jargon
• Don't use slashes

WRITING: Sentences

• Write short sentences
• Keep subject, verb, and object close together
• Avoid double negatives and exceptions to exceptions
• Place the main idea before exceptions and conditions
• Place words carefully

WRITING: Paragraphs

• Have a topic sentence
• Use transition words
• Write short paragraphs
• Include only one issue in each paragraph

WRITING: Other

• Use examples
• Use vertical lists
• Use tables to make complex material easier to understand
• Consider using illustrations
• Use emphasis to highlight important concepts
• Minimize cross-references
• Design for ease of reading

TESTING

• Testing your Document
 
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