Library & Knowledge Services: Plain Language

Structure your document to help your audience find important information.

Now that you know who your audience is, and what your audience needs to know or do, choose a structure for your document. To do this: 

First, break your information into chunks.

Example: You are preparing to send a child home with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). You are writing a document for their parents. This document will tell caregivers how to take care of a child's PICC.

Your document might include information about:

• Parts of the PICC
• What to watch out for (problems)
• Information about their child's PICC (length, size)
• Who to call with questions or problems
• How to keep the PICC safe

Then, put the chunks into an order that makes sense to your reader.

For our PICC example, you might choose the following order. [Explanations in square brackets.]

1.     Who to call with questions or problems.

[Why? The caregiver will need this information quickly, in high-stress situations]

2.     Information about the child’s PICC (length, size):

[Why? The caregiver will need this information if they call with a question or a problem.]

3.     Parts of the catheter.

[Why? Caregivers must know the parts to understand the next section.]

4.     What to watch out for (problems).

[Why? Caregivers need to know when to call with questions or problems.]

5.     How to keep the PICC safe.

[Why? These are everyday or regular tasks. The caregiver will revisit the document until they learn these processes.]

Lastly, give each chunk a heading.

You can use a question (What must I watch out for?), description (Problems to watch out for), or simple phrase (Watch out for these problems).

Use 1 or 2 levels of headings.

For our PICC example, you could explain what to watch out for like this:

What should I watch out for? [level 1 heading]

• Dressing lifting off [level 2 heading]
• What to do: Put a dressing on top of the dressing that is lifting off.
• To avoid it: Keep the dressing clean and dry. A little bleeding at the exit site is normal for the first few days.

 - Source: Cheryl Stephens (2010). Plain language in plain English. Vancouver, BC: Lulu.com.

Write clearly. 

Include only what your reader needs to know. Try these tips:

Use an active voice when you can. Use subjects with verbs.

Passive: Your child will be brought into the operating room.
Active, with subject: A member of your child’s healthcare team will bring them into the operating room.

Use positive phrases when possible.

Negative: Do not forget to take both pills.
Positive: Remember to take both pills.

Address your reader as ‘you.’

Does not address the reader: Social workers will tell patients and families about community groups.
Addresses the reader: Social workers will tell you about community groups for patients and families.

When writing Q & A, use ‘I.’

'I' question: What do I do if the bandage peels off?
    Call your nurse.

Use ‘they,’ ‘their’ or ‘them’ when you write about a single person.

Uses 'his or her': Your support person must wear his or her hospital bracelet.
Uses 'their': Your support person must wear their hospital bracelet.

Use ‘must’ when an action is necessary.

Uses 'should': You should wear gloves.
Uses 'must': You must wear gloves.  (Or, write in the imperative: ‘Wear gloves.’)

Keep instructions simple.

Unclear: Scrub the cap for 15-30 seconds.
Simple: Scrub the cap for 30 seconds.

If your reader needs to know a medical term or acronym, define it.

Important definition: The A1C blood test checks glucose (blood sugar) levels for the past 3 months.

If your reader does not need to know a medical term or acronym, use everyday words instead.

Unnecessary medical term: Your child may have difficulty with gait (walking). 
No medical term: Your child may have difficulty walking

- Sources: Cheryl Stephens (2010). Plain language in plain English. Vancouver, BC: Lulu.com.; Checklist for plain language. (n.d.) Plainlanguage.gov.

 Use these resources to review your documents:

• Hemingway App: Scan your text for adverbs, passive voice, and hard-to-read sentences. Get a grade level score for your writing. (Aim for Grade 6.)
• Plain Language Medical Dictionary, from the University of Michigan: Search for plain language alternatives to medical terms.
• Everyday Words for Public Health Communication, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Search for plain language alternatives to public health terms. 
• Contact your Health Literacy Information Specialist

Design your document to be accessible.

Make your document easier to read, understand, and use with these tips:

Use:

• Black text on a white background.
• Images: choose clear photos or black and white illustrations. Images must work with your text to help the reader understand your message. Remember: icons or symbols must be universal.
• White space: Leave space at the margins, between lines and words, and around images. White space helps readers scan and understand your document.
• Accessible fonts: Choose sans serif fonts when writing for web. Use 1 or 2 fonts in your document.

Avoid:

• ALL CAPS
• underlined text
• Italics

- Sources: Cheryl Stephens (2010). Plain language in plain English. Vancouver, BC: Lulu.com; Mindlin, M. (2015, July 8). Serif or sans? [Blog entry.] Center for Plain Language.

Does your document work for your audience?

Review the SickKids Plain Language checklist.

Ask patients and families about the document with:

• Interviews,
• Surveys, or
• Focus groups

- Source: Cheryl Stephens (2010). Plain language in plain English. Vancouver, BC: Lulu.com.

Did you know?

The Patient Experience Department at C+W supports staff in getting patient and family feedback. Contact them by email.