Newsletter #2: Readability, Plain Language, and Clarity

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Tips for Technical Writing is brought to you by a trio of technical people (a chemist, an urban planner, and an engineer) turned wordsmiths with expertise in a variety of technical disciplines. You can learn more about us here: ChristaBedwin.com, ScribeTW.com, and WordsWithPurpose.ca .

 

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Newsletter #2: Readability, Plain Language, and Clarity

You might be the smartest person in the room, but if you don't take the time to learn how to write plainly, clearly, and simply about your complex research, you might not be an effective colleague or consultant. Fear not! There are tools and simple procedures to help you clarify your language. Though many technical people find it more affordable and relaxing to turn their papers over to a technical writer or editor to make sure they're communicating clearly, here are some DIY tips.  

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On Readability - Beaches, Images, and a Video: from CHRISTA BEDWIN

When text is readable, it's pleasant and fun. People want to take it to the beach to enjoy.

When it's heavy, though, even the bookworms get sick of it!!!

Over the years, many people have had the idea that to be taken seriously, work writing must be dry, heavy, and use many complex words. As the researchers at the Civil Engineering Writing Project (CEwriting.org) have shown, however, that is not at all true.

Experienced, successful engineers become more and more readable as their careers advance.

How do you make technical writing readable? Here are the main things I do to a paper when I have a chance:
 

1. Introduce more white space. This might be paragraph breaks, widening the margins (if appropriate), creating bulleted lists.

2. Use fewer words. There are plenty of strategies to deliver the same messages with fewer words. One is to use the active voice instead of the passive voice. Another is to "take out the trash" and reduce wordy phrases -- in fact, some editors even have macros to get rid of the most astonishingly common trash phrases.

3. Use simpler, more elegant words, such as "use" instead of "utilization." One list of examples is here: List of Elegant Words.

4. Reduce repetition by organizing your document well and making everything easy to find. The Table of Contents is the reader's road map to your material. Label figures and graphs well and pay attention to your captions. These help your readers navigate your report.

 

5. Represent ideas in clear images or diagrams when possible.

For example, I paid a designer to make this stack of books instead of a bulleted list to show projects I have experience with on my web page. Give the reader a little bit of fun and you'll keep them with you longer.

 

More word-reducing strategies can be found in this Lunch 'n' Learn style video (suitable to share with a group at work or a friend via a Skype call: watch, pause, and discuss): Readability video  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg_mwbXN-pk&t=347s).
 

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On Plain Language: From LISA ORCHARD 

You’re probably already scanning this for useful information!

Like most people, you decide very quickly if something is worth reading.
 
As the reader, you scan for the information you need. The most effective technical documents help you find it, understand it, and use it the first time you read it.
 
Why are they the best? They’re written in plain language – something every reader appreciates, and, is entitled to (more on that in future).
 
As the writer, help your reader stick with you from beginning to end. Using plain language techniques means that you:
1.       Identify your audience and write for them. 
          We already know you’re brilliant! 
2.       Structure your document logically. 
          Essential information must be easy to find, and be where your reader expects it.
3.       Break up dense sections and paragraphs. 
          Use headings, lists, tables, and graphics.
4.       Avoid – or at least explain – technical terms and jargon.
          Your reader’s attention shifts away every time they stop to wonder what something means.
5.       Leave time to copy edit and proofread. 
          Re-read as if you know nothing, rather than as the expert. And fix those typos!

Plain language doesn’t mean your reports must be dry and dull. It doesn’t mean you have to oversimplify or talk down to your reader. And while it isn’t creative writing, you can still have style!

 

For more: Consider joining Plain Language Canada. For those of you who work in the city-building arena, check out Scribe’s City Builders Write short video series on plain language.                                                                                                  
     

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On Clarity: From ERIN GUTSCHE

Technical communication is most effective when it’s clear. In addition to the wonderful advice above, here are seven more tips to help you write with clarity.

1. Understand the needs of your audience. Why are they reading your work? How much do they know? What level of detail are they expecting?
    
2. Define acronyms. Spell out an acronym on its first use unless you’re confident that your entire audience will know it.
    
3. Quantify where possible. Avoid ambiguous phrases and generalizations (e.g., many, soon, frequently, small) as they can weaken your message.
    
4. Replace dense paragraphs with lists. Use numbered lists when the number of items or their order is important. Use bulleted lists when the sequence doesn’t matter.
    
5. Use parallel structures. When listing things, use the same type of grammatical construction for each item. ​
   I like writing, to read books, and editing things. (This feels awkward, and it will cause a reader to stumble.) 
   I like writing, reading books, and editing things. (This is smoother.)
    
6. Eliminate redundant phrases. Examples of these include really quickly, new innovations, added bonus, end result, and plan ahead.
    
7. Avoid noun strings. These long lists of nouns (and adjectives) are almost inevitable in technical writing, but they can turn your text into mud. Break them up where possible. Consider the following examples.
   The company has a workplace hazardous energy management safety policy. (This is an awkward mouthful.)
   The company has a safety policy to manage hazardous energy in the workplace. (This sentence reads smoother with the nouns separated.)
   The company has a safety policy to manage hazardous energy. (I've eliminated unnecessary words to make the message concise.)

Clarity comes more out of editing than it does writing. Don’t try to be perfect in your first draft! The magic happens in the revisions.
 

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We also think that you might enjoy this article from the Government of Canada about Plain Language: https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tcdnstyl-chap?lang=eng&lettr=chapsect13&info0=13.

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