Using Plain Language in Writing
The question of what kind of writing (and writing skills) should be taught in a college “freshman” composition class is somewhat contentious. Of course everyone agrees that students should be taught to be “good writers,” but what exactly does that mean? For instance, should students be taught how to write essays for college classes and college professors? Should they be taught to write for the workplace? Should they be taught to write more literary genres like poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction? One size does NOT fit all when it comes to writing! In a regular semester, there are approximately 15 weeks (about 40 classroom hours) to cover a particular subject. And writing is a huge topic. You can’t teach everything. So what writing skills should be taught in a required “freshman” composition class to students who may end up doing any major available at a university? Consider that writing classes are usually taught by English department faculty. But are they the best ones to teach a chemistry major or an art major or a physical therapy major or a nursing major or a business major how to write well? On the other hand, could a chemistry professor (art professor physical therapy professor, nursing professor, business professor) teach writing effectively? I propose that all students in a “freshman” composition class be taught the intricacies of plain English (sometimes called plain language) as a foundation for the kind of writing they’ll be required to do in their lives (in whatever workplace they end up in). Plain English is NOT merely a matter of using easy words and short sentences. It’s a complex skill, in my opinion, that requires writers to deliver useful, highly readable information. Writers must work hard so their readers don’t have to. Plain English is never about “dumbing-down” information so anyone can understand it. It’s a matter of giving the reader who will use the information a document written so the reader can understand and use that information. It must never sacrifice accuracy or completeness or even nuance for the sake of simplicity. And it involves what I’d call right content, right organization, and right style.
WHAT IS THE ISSUE FOR THE FINAL REPORT?
The question of what kind of writing (and writing skills) should be taught in a college “freshman” composition class is somewhat contentious. Of course everyone agrees that students should be taught to be “good writers,” but what exactly does that mean? For instance, should students be taught how to write essays for college classes and college professors? Should they be taught to write for the workplace? Should they be taught to write more literary genres like poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction? One size does NOT fit all when it comes to writing!
In a regular semester, there are approximately 15 weeks (about 40 classroom hours) to cover a particular subject. And writing is a huge topic. You can’t teach everything. So what writing skills should be taught in a required “freshman” composition class to students who may end up doing any major available at a university?
Consider that writing classes are usually taught by English department faculty. But are they the best ones to teach a chemistry major or an art major or a physical therapy major or a nursing major or a business major how to write well? On the other hand, could a chemistry professor (art professor physical therapy professor, nursing professor, business professor) teach writing effectively?
I propose that all students in a “freshman” composition class be taught the intricacies of plain English (sometimes called plain language) as a foundation for the kind of writing they’ll be required to do in their lives (in whatever workplace they end up in). Plain English is NOT merely a matter of using easy words and short sentences. It’s a complex skill, in my opinion, that requires writers to deliver useful, highly readable information. Writers must work hard so their readers don’t have to.
Plain English is never about “dumbing-down” information so anyone can understand it. It’s a matter of giving the reader who will use the information a document written so the reader can understand and use that information. It must never sacrifice accuracy or completeness or even nuance for the sake of simplicity. And it involves what I’d call right content, right organization, and right style.
WHAT SHOULD THE FINAL REPORT ACCOMPLISH?
Write a report of no more than 1,000 words (you may but are not required to add any appendices[1] you want to your report, and that information will not count against the 1,000-word limit). It should address the DFW’s concerns. It should also acquaint her with plain English, a topic she’s interested in but knows little about. You could think of this report as a short proposal[2]. In such a short report you can’t cover everything she might wish to know. So your challenge is to create an extremely clear, concise, and useful document that will present YOUR point of view on the issue and help the DFW make her decision.
WHAT SHOULD THE REPORT LOOK LIKE?
Part of your grade will be designing the report. Employ the techniques you’ve read about in our class to make this a highly readable (as well as extremely useful) report. Let me stress that you are not writing an essay for a teacher. This is a real person who has real needs. Don’t waste her time. As usual, I’d suggest a three-part document:
- INTRODUCTION—presents the issue briefly and previews the main points that will be covered in the report.
- REPORT BODY—addresses all the main points and supports all claims with sufficient evidence and examples.
- CONCLUSION—provides a set of “next steps,” which are often recommendations.
[You can use a summary (sometimes called an executive summary) at the beginning of your report, but you are not required to do that. Any words used in a brief summary will NOT count against the 1,000-word maximum word limit for this assignment. You can use tables, charts, illustrations, etc., of any kind, as well.]
Be sure you write this report in your own words! If you use any words (illustrations, etc.) from a source, use some system of citation to make your reader aware that you are borrowing words. If you paraphrase from a source, cite that as well. In the WEB SITES for our Bb course site, you’ll find links that explain what plagiarism is and how to document your sources properly. If you have any questions in this regard, let me know.
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Writing a proposal is similar to but not exactly the same as crafting a persuasive essay or producing a report. Here are brief suggestions for developing a proposal. (this info is largely borrowed from http://www(dot)dailywritingtips(dot)com/how-to-write-a-proposal/.)
1. A proposal should define a problem and describe a solution that will persuade busy, thrifty, skeptical readers to support it.
2. Employ facts, not opinions, to bolster the argument for approval. Research similar plans or projects and cite them, emphasizing their successes and/or how your proposal resolves the weaknesses, omissions, or mistaken priorities apparent in them.
3. Analyze your plan or project, demonstrating possible outcomes. If possible, model a small-scale version of the plan or project, report on the results, and extrapolate how the full-scale plan or project will turn out based on the test.
4. Any discussion of financial or other resources should be conducted carefully and should present a realistic picture of the expense required.
5. Be meticulous in writing, editing, and design of the proposal. Revise as necessary to make it clear and concise, ask others to critique and edit it, and make sure the presentation is attractive and engaging as well as well organized and helpful.
A proposal can include the following elements:
Executive Summary: State the rationale for putting the proposal into effect, and summarize the proposal. (This allows a decision maker to quickly get the gist of the proposal, hence the name.)
Statement of Need: Detail why the plan or project the proposal recommends is necessary.
Project Description: Explain specifics of the plan or project, and how it will go into effect and how it will be evaluated.
Budget Analysis: Provide and explain how the plan or project will be financed and categorize and annotate operating expenses, if necessary.
Conclusion: Make a set of recommendations to the reader.
[1] Information that is not essential to explain your findings, but that supports your analysis, validates your conclusions, or pursues a related point should be placed in an appendix (plural appendices). Sometimes excerpts from this supporting information (i.e., part of the data set) will be placed in the body of the report but the complete set of information ( i.e., all of the data set) will be included in the appendix. Examples of information that could be included in an appendix include figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, questionnaires, transcripts of interviews, pictures, lengthy derivations of equations, maps, drawings, letters, specifications or data sheets, computer program information, or further explanations of points made in the report.
There is no limit to what can be placed in the appendix providing it is relevant and reference is made to it in the report. The appendix is not a catch net for all the semi-interesting or related information you have gathered through your research for your report: the information included in the appendix must bear directly relate to the research problem or the report's purpose. It must be a useful tool for the reader.
Each separate appendix should be lettered (Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, etc). The order they are presented in is dictated by the order they are mentioned in the text of the report. It is essential to refer to each appendix within the text of the report (see appendix A, for example).
[2] See the end of this document for a brief discussion on writing a proposal.
Writing Skills for Career and Life: Using Plain Language in Writing
Name
Institution
Introduction
The issue of what kind of writing skills that a college “freshman” composition class should be taught is a potentially controversial topic, considering that different people in different professions, and therefore different needs, may have contradicting opinions. A news editor may demand “accuracy of facts” and “economy of word” from news writers and reporters, a literature professor emphasize on the use of “literary devices,” and a business executive focus on “clarity of information.” Regardless, the need to communicate is the common denominator in all these instances of writing. Thus, it is reasonable to propose that teaching writing skills for a “freshman” composition class should focus on helping learners to communicate effectively by using language appropriately to convey information. Appropriate use of language need not necessarily involve using complex terms, but choosing words that could convey an idea effectively and that the reader can understand easily. Such deliberate choice of vocabulary for the purpose of making communication easier and effective is what is commonly referred to as “plain language.” It is the use of everyday language, such as the one used in daily conversations, with the aim of helping the reader understand the text more easily. In simple terms, plain language involves avoiding language or word choices that will complicate meaning and make it easier for the reader to understand what is being communicated. In this light, this report discusses the need for teaching writing skills that will help learners not only become effective in their respective fields of work, but also become good communicators in real life situations.
Discussion
Writing and reporting news is one of the few fields where language is used in diverse ways to communicate issues. Considering that space economy is a critical factor in designing news papers, one important skill that student journalists are taught is summary writing and using words economically to covey an idea. Nowhere is this skill applied with more creativity than in caption headings. The challenge, however, is ensuring that meaning is not compromised by word economy. Thus, it is not uncommon to see headlines like “Democrats See Red in Chicago” following a Republican election victory in the state of Chicago. The assumption of the writer is that the readers understand the colors of political parties in the U.S., and therefore can easily make the connection. Similarly, the writer assumes that the readers can infer the correct meaning from the phrase “See Red,” which refers to the Democrats being beaten by the Republicans. In this regard, one focus of a “freshman” composition class should be “writing for a specific...