Guides and playbooks
Plain language checklist
This checklist gives details on how to check if your content is in plain language.
Use it when writing or editing content. You can also make the checklist part of a content audit. It can help you decide where to begin improving your content.
Adapted from the US Department of Labor’s Use plain language for claimant notices
Written for easy reading by the average reader
Measure reading level to make sure it’s not too high for your audience. Check this through Hemingway. Target is grade 8 or lower.
Organized to serve the reader’s needs
Content should be organized around what the reader wants to know and their potential next steps.
Has useful headings
Headings act as landmarks that help people understand what they are about to read, so make these as clear as possible. For example, including “Unemployment insurance benefits” in your heading makes it clear to claimants which benefits they are about to read about, which can be helpful if individuals have applied for multiple benefits.
Uses sentence case, even in titles and headings
Capitalize only proper nouns and the first word in sentences. This makes text easier to read and understand.
Uses “you” and other pronouns to speak to readers
Addressing the reader directly and using a human-centered tone helps readers understand what is relevant to them.
Uses short sections and short sentences
Overly complex sentences can be hard to parse. Review long sentences for core points and break them up into shorter sentences, grouping them by theme or timeline of events to increase clarity.
Uses the simplest tense possible
Speak in the present tense. Simple present is best.
Uses active voice, not hidden verbs
Use the strongest, most direct form of the verb possible. For example: “We scheduled a fact-finding interview” vs. “There was a fact-finding interview scheduled.”
Omits excessive words
Have one main idea per sentence.
Uses common, familiar words
Avoid legalese, jargon, and figurative language.
Places words carefully
Avoid large gaps between the subject, the verb, and the object. Put exceptions last. Place modifiers correctly.
Uses lists and tables to simplify complex material
When possible, provide information in lists, which are easier to process than large chunks of text. Tables can be used for more complex material.