Washington state government is one of the nation's leaders in plain language writing and design. The governor updated the state's plain language standards in November 2023. The standards focus on writing principles, design principles, and accessibility.
Among other things, Executive Order 23-02 requires all state agencies to create and adopt a plain language policy.
Why plain language?
State government provides residents crucial information. It’s the responsibility of state employees – not individual Washingtonians – to ensure that information is accessible and easy to understand.
Using plain language minimizes confusion and errors. It also:
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Makes information easier to provide in multiple languages.
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Increases information equity.
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Clears up confusing information.
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Serves your audience better.
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Improves accessibility for people who use screen readers or other accessibility tools.
What is plain language?
Plain language is the practice prioritizing ease of use and ease of understanding in writing and design. The goal of plain language practices is to deliver a message that your recipient will understand on their first read.
Plain language principles include:
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Create short sentences.
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Use common words.
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Avoid jargon.
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Use personal pronouns.
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Use active voice so the reader knows who does what.
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Use verb-driven headings to convey order.
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Tag headings for accessibility.
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Create negative (white) space.
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Label images and graphs with alternative text.
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Design clear pages.
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Employ plain language guidelines and plain language resources.