We spoke about Plain English writing in class. Please answer the following in detail:

a. How would you explain to someone what “Plain English writing” is? (3 Marks)

Plain English Writing means to use plain English language when we create content. This is writing a message in a clear, concise, and organized way. This helps readers easily find what they are looking for, understand the information, and use it to meet their needs.

The message is easy to read, short, relevant, positive, and save time.

Plain English Writing

• Know the audience
• Use common words
• Use active voice
• Use clear formats

The use of clear formats facilitates the organization, visualization, and understanding of the content.

b. What makes plain English writing different? (4 Marks)

Plain English writing creates content for an audience that knows and understands. It focuses on writing messages that are easy to read and understand. The way of writing is direct, uses a conversational tone, incorporates words that the audience uses every day, and eliminates all information that is not necessary.

Messages using plain English writing have a clear purpose. They strategically place and present information for the audience. The most important goes first. The use of headlines, infographics, bullets, and visual resources makes the information accessible, organized, clear, and concise.

The writer understands the readers, their needs, motives, and behaviours to consume the content. It makes things easier for them and gets better results from the message than those who do not use plain English writing. This is a effective and efficient way to create content.

c. What is plain language writing for the web and in detail and in your own words, why is it important? (4 Marks)

Plain language in the digital world means create clear, concise, and appropriate content for the intended audience. It makes it easier for the reader or viewer to find what they need, understand it, and use it for their own purposes.

The message is appropriate for the digital platform where it will be displayed. The content created considers how the audience interact with digital media and the information.

The content uses resources that make it easy to view, understand, and consume the message. The information is organized so that the user has a better experience when consuming the content and meets their expectations. The message is relevant, connects with the audience, uses a conversational tone, is clear, digestible, uses active verbs, and only includes the information that is needed.

The content must provide value to the users, it is useless if the audience can not understand the information and use it to meet their needs. This is why plain English writing is a must in the digital world. The only way to connect with the audience is by tailoring the message to its needs and considering its behavior on each digital platform. We should know the audience and make easier for them to consume our content.