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Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:49
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edited by Lizzie Bruce
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1 1  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
2 -The legal, medical and financial professions are known for using complex terminology. But it's not necessary and confuses people who use their services.
2 +The [[legal>>doc:||anchor="l"]], [[medical>>doc:||anchor="m"]] and [[financial>>doc:||anchor="mo"]] professions are known for using complex terminology. But it's not necessary and confuses people who use their services.
3 3  
4 4  
5 -[[Law>>doc:||anchor="l"]]
6 -
7 -[[Medicine>>doc:||anchor="m"]]
8 -
9 -[[Money>>doc:||anchor="mo"]]
10 -
11 -
12 12  == {{id name="l"/}}Law ==
13 13  
14 14  Judges need to decide what legal writers intended their writing to mean. They have evolved a set of tools for this analysis: Statutory Interpretation.
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21 21  If information on your website is unclear your organisation could be taken to court and lose, even if content is approved by your legal department.
22 22  
23 23  
24 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
25 25  === 2. Explain the law in context. ===
26 26  
27 27  When you refer to a law, or part of it, explain what that law is at the point of user need. Do not only refer to it in a reference section or appendix.
28 28  
29 29  >Example:
30 -> Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.(((
22 +> Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.
31 31  
24 +(((
32 32  "We collect personal information on this form under section 26 the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, because it concerns our programs and activities (c), and it is necessary for planning and evaluating our programs and activities(e)."
33 33  )))
34 34  
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40 40  
41 41  == ==
42 42  
43 -== Usability evidence for plain English in law ==
36 +== Usability evidence: plain English in law ==
44 44  
45 45  [['Joseph Kimble—No, the law does not (normally) require legalese'>>url:http://www.ivacheung.com/2015/07/joseph-kimble-no-the-law-does-not-normally-require-legalese-editing-goes-global-2015/]] Editing Goes Global, 2015. Professor Joseph Kimble discusses the "psuedo-precision of legalese".
46 46  
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53 53  [[Plain English Campaign>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/campaigning/past-campaigns/legal/drafting-in-plain-english.html]] believes legalese is unnecessary and does not do what it was intended to. "The argument that clarity should be sacrificed for a document to be comprehensive does not stand up."
54 54  
55 55  
49 +----
56 56  
57 57  == {{id name="m"/}}Medicine ==
58 58  
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69 69  Medical terms are likely not to be understood by your readers. It is likely assuming they would know a word in a foreign language. Follow the word or phrase with a plain English explanation.
70 70  
71 71  
72 -== Usability evidence for plain English in medicine ==
66 +== Usability evidence: plain English in medicine ==
73 73  
74 74  [[Guide to medical information>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/medicalguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
75 75  
76 76  [[Guidance on writing letters to outpatients>>http://www.aomrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Please_write_to_me_Guidance_010918.pdf]] from Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
77 77  
72 +[['Clarity is king – the evidence that reveals the desperate need to re-think the way we write'>>https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/02/17/guest-post-clarity-is-king-the-evidence-that-reveals-the-desperate-need-to-re-think-the-way-we-write/]] GDS blog, Mark Morris, 2014
78 78  
74 +[['Connecting with audiences: An evidence-based language sourcebook for the Department of Health'>>http://www.linguisticlandscapes.co.uk/pdf/DH%20Language%20Guidelines%20230710%20FINAL_for%20website_240114.pdf]] Linguistic Landscapes, July 2010
75 +
76 +[[NHS content style guide beta>>https://beta.nhs.uk/service-manual/content/how-we-write]], January 2019
77 +
78 +
79 +----
80 +
81 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
82 +== ==
83 +
79 79  == {{id name="mo"/}}Money ==
80 80  
81 81  Many people do not understand their finances and it causes them problems. Complex terminology describing concept-heavy arrangements about a non-tangible resource makes things difficult for everybody.
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90 90  
91 91  Avoid using financial jargon. Acronyms and pseudonyms may make sense internally, but people using your services may not understand them.
92 92  
93 -
94 94  
95 95  === 3. Give examples of conceptual arrangements. ===
96 96  
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99 99  This is important for credit arrangements where there is an initial interest rate that may change.
100 100  
101 101  
102 -== Usability evidence for plain English in finance ==
106 +== Usability evidence: plain English in finance ==
103 103  
104 104  [[A to Z of financial terms (PDF 87KB)>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/financialguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
105 105