Editor's Corner

It’s another beautiful day—a perfect day to talk about plain language.

What is plain language? It is a style of writing, most often used in professional settings to communicate something as briefly and clearly as possible. It is written with a simple structure. Typically, the sentences and paragraphs are short: they are written in active voice, they use clear, universal vocabulary, and they avoid filler (unnecessary) words. This kind of writing gets right to the point and provides only the details that are needed to help a reader understand; it is intended to make the job of reading as easy as possible. It is the kind of writing we strive for in all our documentation and client correspondence.

Plain writing is not a dumbing down of material. In fact, it is often used in legal documentation, technical documentation, and governmental documentation to ensure that difficult concepts are clearly communicated and easily digested. To make it accessible to the widest range of people, the Grammarly blog says, “It avoids jargon, complex sentence structure, and any potentially confusing vocabulary. This includes figurative language like metaphor and allusion, which may include references that readers with different backgrounds find difficult to understand.” Grammarly provides these clean, crisp examples:

Example 1

The enrollment period for international students begins on November 14 and ends on December 5. Please submit all of your documents to the International Education office on or before December 5. You will receive your course schedule by January 11.

Example 2

All driving tests are administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Please arrive for your test with two forms of identification (a passport, student ID, or government-issued ID is acceptable). Wait in the designated waiting area until you are called to the desk. The receptionist will then bring you to the testing area.

I know that a lot of you write creatively as a hobby or a side job. And for that kind of writing, an expanded vocabulary, imagery, symbolism, repetition, and other figurative language makes the writing and the reading more fun. When writing professionally, however, your readers expect the efficiency of plain language. Give them what they want. Always review and revise your writing to make sure it is clear and concise. And all of you Jack Henry associates can use this link to send your editing to a JH editor who will check it for plain language and other One Company JH standards.

Here’s hoping your day is anything but plain.

Donna Bradley Burcher |Technical Editor, Advisory | jack henry™

Pronouns she/her/hers

9660 Granite Ridge Drive, San Diego CA 92123

Symitar Documentation Services

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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