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Title
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1 -Plain language for law, medicine, money
1 +Legal, medical and financial terms
Content
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6 6  * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is quicker to scan
7 7  * **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious it's difficult to understand complex text
8 8  * **people who are multi-tasking** – when distracted complex text is harder to comprehend
9 +* **people with low literacy** – will not know meanings of complex vocabulary and terms
9 9  * **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words involve less cognitive load
10 10  * **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
11 11  * **motor impairments** – it takes less physical effort to navigate shorter content
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15 15  == Guidance ==
16 16  
17 17  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
18 -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. 
19 +The legal, financial and medical professions are known for complex terminology. This is not necessary and confuses people. 
19 19  
20 20  
22 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
23 +**Health:** People need to understand doctors' letters and consultant reports easily. They need to be able to comprehend online information about health. 
24 +
25 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 +**Finances: **Many people do not understand financial terms. This causes problems. Complex terminology describing conceptual arrangements is not helpful.
27 +
28 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
29 +**Law: **Judges created a set of tools to decide what legal writers intended: Statutory Interpretation. But analyses can contradict each other. Plain English makes meaning clearer from the start.
30 +
31 +
21 21  (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Usesimplelanguageforlegalterms." %)
22 22  [[1. Use simple language for legal terms.>>doc:||anchor="#l1"]]
23 23  
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40 40  [[7. Give examples of conceptual financial arrangements.>>doc:||anchor="#mo3"]]
41 41  
42 42  [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UEL"]]
54 +
43 43  
44 -
45 45  ----
46 46  
47 -== {{id name="l"/}}Law ==
48 -
49 -Judges need to decide what legal writers intended by their writing. They evolved a set of tools for this analysis: Statutory Interpretation. Using plain English can make meaning clear, so that judges avoid relying on sometimes contradictory interpretations.
50 -
51 -
52 52  === {{id name="#l1"/}}1. Use simple language for legal terms. ===
53 53  
54 54  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.
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60 60  
61 61  
62 62  Example:
63 -\\(% class="mark" %)Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.
69 +\\(% class="mark" %)Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section:
64 64  
65 65  (((
66 66  "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)."
... ... @@ -76,13 +76,6 @@
76 76  (% class="mark" %)5 (1) This section describes direct sellers that are, and circumstances in which direct sellers are, exempt from the application of sections 19 to 22 (required contents, direct sales contracts, direct sales contract — cancellation, credit agreement respecting direct sales contract) of the Act."
77 77  
78 78  
79 -----
80 -
81 -== {{id name="m"/}}Medicine ==
82 -
83 -People need doctors' letters and consultant reports to be easy to understand. And they need online information about health conditions to be comprehensible.  
84 -
85 -
86 86  === {{id name="#m1"/}}3. Write medical information clearly. ===
87 87  
88 88  Users of the information might be in shock or anxious, which reduces cognition.
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90 90  
91 91  === {{id name="#m2"/}} 4. Explain medical terms. ===
92 92  
93 -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.
92 +Medical terms are unlikely to be understood by your readers. It's similar to assuming they would know a word in a foreign language. Follow the word or phrase with a plain English explanation.
94 94  
95 95  
96 -----
97 -
98 -== ==
99 -
100 -== {{id name="mo"/}}Money ==
101 -
102 -Many people do not understand financial terms. This causes problems. Complex terminology describing conceptual arrangements about a non-tangible resource does not help anyone. 
103 -
104 -
105 105  === {{id name="#mo1"/}}5. Use clear language for financial information. ===
106 106  
107 107  Dealing with financial issues can be stressful, which means your audience will have less cognitive capability available. Write information so that it is easy for them to understand.
108 -\\
98 +
109 109  
110 110  === {{id name="#mo2"/}}6. Explain financial terminology. ===
111 111  
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119 119  This is important for credit arrangements where there is an initial interest rate that may change.
120 120  
121 121  
122 -=== {{id name="#UEL"/}}Usability evidence ===
112 +----
123 123  
124 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
125 -==== Legal ====
114 +== {{id name="#UEL"/}}Usability evidence ==
126 126  
127 -[['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".
128 128  
129 -[[Plain language: the underlying research>>url:https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/Schriver_Karen%20Clarity2012.pdf]], Karen Schriver slide presentation, pages 29 to 35.
117 +[['Writing content for everyone'>>path:/xwiki/bin/get/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/?sheet=CKEditor.ResourceDispatcher&outputSyntax=plain&language=en&type=doc&reference=https%3A%2F%2Fgds.blog.gov.uk%2F2016%2F02%2F23%2Fwriting-content-for-everyone%2F]], R. Strachan, UK Government Digital Service blog, 2016
130 130  
131 -[[The public speaks: an empirical study of legal communication>>url:http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=christopher_trudeau]], study by Christopher Trudeau (@proftrudeau on Twitter) containing case studies from solicitors about using legal language.
119 +=== Health specific ===
132 132  
133 -[[Richmond vs HRA>>url:http://www.alltrials.net/news/judgment-in-richmond-v-hra-judicial-review/]] A pharmaceutical company called Richmond took the Health Regulatory Authority to court because the website was confusing. A high court judge deemed the site 'unlawful' and ruled against the government. The site was cleared through a legal department. This set a precedent in the UK. You could still be sued even with all the legal language is there, if the information is not clear.
121 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H" %)
122 +[['Department of Health Stakeholder Report: 2012'>>https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-of-health-stakeholder-report-2012]], research by Ipsos MORI, 2012
134 134  
135 -[[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."
124 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
125 +[['Connecting with audiences. An evidence-based language sourcebook'>>http://www.linguisticlandscapes.co.uk/pdf/DH%20Language%20Guidelines%20230710%20FINAL_for%20website_240114.pdf]], Department of Health and Linguistic Landscapes, 2010, 2014
136 136  
137 -====
138 -\\Medical ====
139 -
140 140  [[Guide to medical information>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/medicalguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
141 141  
142 142  [[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.
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143 143  
144 144  [['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
145 145  
146 -[['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
147 -
148 148  [[NHS content style guide beta>>https://beta.nhs.uk/service-manual/content/how-we-write]], January 2019
149 149  
150 150  
151 -==== Finance ====
136 +=== Legal specific ===
152 152  
138 +[['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".
139 +
140 +[[Plain language: the underlying research>>url:https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/Schriver_Karen%20Clarity2012.pdf]], Karen Schriver slide presentation, pages 29 to 35.
141 +
142 +[['The public speaks: an empirical study of legal communication'>>https://works.bepress.com/christopher_trudeau/4/]], Christopher Trudeau, study includes solicitor case studies, 2017
143 +
144 +[['Legislative language and judicial politics: The effects of changing parliamentary language on UK immigration disputes'>>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1369148117705272]], Matthew Williams, 2017. Locked
145 +
146 +[['How Parliament’s failure to clearly articulate immigration policy forces judges to take control'>>https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/parliamentary-language-and-immigration/]], Matthew Williams 'Legislative language and judicial politics' 2017 summarised in London School of Economics blog post
147 +
148 +[['I fought the law and the users won: delivering online voter registration'>>https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/06/20/i-fought-the-law-and-the-users-won-delivering-online-voter-registration/]], Peter Herlihy, UK Government Digital Service blog, 2014
149 +
150 +[[Richmond vs HRA>>url:http://www.alltrials.net/news/judgment-in-richmond-v-hra-judicial-review/]] Richmond pharmaceutical company took the Health Regulatory Authority to court because the website was confusing. A high court judge decided the site was 'unlawful' and ruled against the government. The site was cleared through a legal department. This set a precedent in the UK. You can still be sued even with all the legal language there, if the information is not clear.
151 +
152 +[[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."
153 +
154 +
155 +=== Finance specific ===
156 +
153 153  [[A to Z of financial terms (PDF 87KB)>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/financialguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
154 154  
155 155  [[Plain English guide to financial term (PDF 686KB)>>https://www.nala.ie/resources/plain-english-guide-financial-terms]] from National Adult Literacy Agency, Ireland, January 2009.
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160 160  See also:
161 161  
162 162  * [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
163 -* [[Simple sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Simple%20sentences/]]
164 -* [[Specialist terms>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/#st]]
165 -* [[Words to avoid>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Words%20to%20avoid/]]
167 +* [[Simple sentences>>doc:Plain English.Simple sentences.WebHome]]
168 +* [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
169 +* [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
166 166  )))
Icon XWiki.XWikiComments[1]
Author
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1 +xwiki:XWiki.LizzieBruce
Comment
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1 +Thanks! Feel free to contact me for a wiki edit log in if you spot anything else. lizzie@contentdesign.london
Date
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1 +2019-04-24 11:37:24.0