Plain Language

Writing in plain language makes our web content more accessible and easier to understand for website visitors.

It is harder to read online and people are in a hurry. Website visitors skim and scan text on a webpage, they will not read it word for word. To assist online visitors, webpages need to be built with the following in mind. The information below is provided by plainlanguage.gov.

Follow these writing tips and helpful resources to make your website content easier to scan and understand. 

• Less is more! Be concise.
• Use even shorter paragraphs than on paper.
• Use short lists and bullets to organize information.
• Use even more lists than on paper.
• Use even more headings with less under each heading.
• Present each topic or point separately, and use descriptive section headings.
• Keep the information on each page to no more than two levels.
• Make liberal use of white space so pages are easy to scan.
• Write (especially page titles) using the same words your readers would use when doing a web search for the information.
• Don’t assume your readers have knowledge of the subject or have read related pages on your site. Clearly explain things so each page can stand on its own.
• Never use “click here” or "hear" or "read more" as links. Link language should describe what your reader will get if they click the link.
• Eliminate unnecessary words.