Garbl's Plain Language Writing Guide
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Focusing on your reader and purpose
Putting the readers' needs first can be hard when you are used to writing from your organization's point
of view. Before you start writing, ask yourself a series of questions that will help you focus your writing and get your
message across most effectively.
Who?|
Why?
|
What?
|
How?
You may have more than one audience.
Look at the characteristics most of your readers share.Figure out the most important or main audience for your
document--and then adapt your writing to the abilities and interests of that audience. Depending on the significance of another
audience, you may have to think about producing a separate publication to meet its needs.
Will there be
a single reader or multiple readers?Your document may have only one reader, such as a supervisor. Or your documents may
have many readers; they may be members of the public or employees with different jobs who work in one department.
Are you writing only for professionals? Is your document intended for working people or seniors? Are their
reading skillsuniversally low or high?
Will your readers include many members of
specific cultural groups? Is English their second language? Will some or many of your readers have
limited English proficiencyand usually speak, read and write in Spanish, Japanese or another language? Is it likely
that your document
will be translatedinto one or more other languages?
What are
the interests of your readers?Are your readers decision-makers who have limited time and want only recommendations and
costs? Or are they technical specialists who want to know the complete methodology and conclusions before making decisions?
Is
your relationship with your readersinformal and personal, or does the situation need something more formal?
How much do your readers already knowabout the subject? Remember that many of your readers are probably less familiar
with your subject than you are. Keep that in mind as you write. It will help you decide what your reader needs to know.
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Singling out one purpose may be hard. But
a document with one primary focus is more likely to express its message effectively.
Are you
writing about something new?Give your reader all the background information needed to understand. Try to link the new
information to things the reader may already know.
Are you
trying to change people's behavior?Make sure you mention how even small changes can bring benefits that are
important to your reader. Will there be skepticism? You'll need to provide more evidence to support your conclusions and
recommendations than you usually would.
Is the document
a "how-to" text?Be sure it includes any background information needed to understand your instructions.
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Focus on what your reader wants and needs to know.
Don't try to say more than you have to.Like you, your readers are bombarded with all kinds of information from many
sources. Like you, your readers have much on their mind at home, at work, at school, and at play. And like you, they don't
have the time and interest to read, understand and act on all the information they get.
So, reading your document is probably not the highest priority for many potential readers. Your readers'
needs and wants should influence what information gets the most emphasis in your document. And
your readers' needs and wants should influence what information you drop from your document.
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How will your reader use this information? How is your reader likely to react?
How people use your document will help you
decide how to organize and write the information in it. Ask yourself questions like these:
- In what
circumstanceswill your reader be using your document?
- Will your document be a
quick referencetool?
- Will your reader find your document
in a display?
- Will your document be
translatedinto other languages for some readers?
- Is your reader supposed to
do somethingafter reading the document?
- Is the reader supposed to
remember certain information?
- Is the reader supposed to
agree with your viewpoint?
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Organizing Your Ideas
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