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Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:49
From version Icon 3.1 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/04/24 15:03
Change comment: Added more evidence, added subheadings for Health, Legal, Finance specific studies/articles
To version Icon 1.46 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/15 20:02
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Title
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1 -Legal, medical and financial terms
1 +Plain language for law, medicine, money
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
10 10  * **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words involve less cognitive load
11 11  * **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
12 12  * **motor impairments** – it takes less physical effort to navigate shorter content
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16 16  == Guidance ==
17 17  
18 18  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
19 -The legal, financial and medical professions are known for complex terminology. This is not necessary and confuses people. 
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. 
20 20  
21 21  
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 -
32 32  (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Usesimplelanguageforlegalterms." %)
33 33  [[1. Use simple language for legal terms.>>doc:||anchor="#l1"]]
34 34  
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51 51  [[7. Give examples of conceptual financial arrangements.>>doc:||anchor="#mo3"]]
52 52  
53 53  [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UEL"]]
54 -
55 55  
44 +
56 56  ----
57 57  
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 +
58 58  === {{id name="#l1"/}}1. Use simple language for legal terms. ===
59 59  
60 60  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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66 66  
67 67  
68 68  Example:
69 -\\(% class="mark" %)Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section:
63 +\\(% class="mark" %)Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.
70 70  
71 71  (((
72 72  "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)."
... ... @@ -82,6 +82,13 @@
82 82  (% 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."
83 83  
84 84  
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 +
85 85  === {{id name="#m1"/}}3. Write medical information clearly. ===
86 86  
87 87  Users of the information might be in shock or anxious, which reduces cognition.
... ... @@ -89,13 +89,22 @@
89 89  
90 90  === {{id name="#m2"/}} 4. Explain medical terms. ===
91 91  
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.
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.
93 93  
94 94  
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 +
95 95  === {{id name="#mo1"/}}5. Use clear language for financial information. ===
96 96  
97 97  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.
98 -
108 +\\
99 99  
100 100  === {{id name="#mo2"/}}6. Explain financial terminology. ===
101 101  
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109 109  This is important for credit arrangements where there is an initial interest rate that may change.
110 110  
111 111  
112 -----
122 +=== {{id name="#UEL"/}}Usability evidence ===
113 113  
114 -== {{id name="#UEL"/}}Usability evidence ==
124 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
125 +==== Legal ====
115 115  
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".
116 116  
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
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.
118 118  
119 -=== Health specific ===
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.
120 120  
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
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.
123 123  
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
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."
126 126  
137 +====
138 +\\Medical ====
139 +
127 127  [[Guide to medical information>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/medicalguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
128 128  
129 129  [[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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130 130  
131 131  [['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
132 132  
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 +
133 133  [[NHS content style guide beta>>https://beta.nhs.uk/service-manual/content/how-we-write]], January 2019
134 134  
135 135  
136 -=== Legal specific ===
151 +==== Finance ====
137 137  
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 -
157 157  [[A to Z of financial terms (PDF 87KB)>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/financialguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
158 158  
159 159  [[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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164 164  See also:
165 165  
166 166  * [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
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]]
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/]]
170 170  )))
Icon XWiki.XWikiComments[0]
Author
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1 -Anonymous
Comment
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1 -4. Explain medical terms.
2 -Medical terms are unlikely to be understood by your readers. It similar to assuming
3 -
4 -
5 -Should be : it is similar
Date
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1 -2019-04-01 22:40:18.0
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