When we think about plain language, we often focus on the words we choose and the punctuation and grammar we use. But what makes a text 'plain' goes well beyond these. In this post, we'll look at some of the other things you can do to make a document or text easier to read and understand.
Layout and design
The layout and design of a text – whether a book, report, website or white paper – can be the difference between someone even starting to read it, or casting it aside for a later that never comes.
The design of a document doesn't necessarily mean a glossy agency-developed publication. It can be as straightforward as using defined heading styles and adding an extra line space between paragraphs. Pages crammed full of text soon feel overwhelming, whereas one that is broken up into manageable chunks, separated with logical headings and subheadings, is more approachable.
Another benefit of separating a text into smaller chunks is that it helps us identify the logical flow of a document more easily. As we start defining the headings for each section (or subsection), it becomes easier to spot when there are blocks of text that would be better if they were in a different order, or where there is information missing to better connect one section to the next.
Other layout and design decisions might include:
using bullet points to make a comma-separated list stand out
using numbered lists for steps of a process or to illustrate a specified number of points
using multiple columns to help present information more clearly and to add contrast and interest to the page layout.
Font choice
The aesthetics of a font might be the reason we choose it, but for plain language writing, we're more interested in how clear a font is than how pretty or stylistic it is. Some fonts are easier to read than others, and some have connotations that we might want to avoid depending on what it is we're writing.
Typography – font style and appearance – is a vast subject, and there are many resources online that explain how to choose the right font for a given purpose. The style and size(s) of the fonts we use will vary depending on how our text is going to be published – online (and read from a screen) or in print.
For online reading, generally, fonts should be at least 16pt in size for the main text. Whether you choose a serif or sans-serif font (one with or without extra hooks – this website, for example, uses a sans-serif font, while this one prefers a serif font) will depend on the volume of text on a page and the look and feel you want.
Serif fonts work better for longer blocks of text, such as papers and long articles. They are considered 'traditional'. While sans-serif fonts work well for shorter chunks of text with more white space. They are considered more 'modern'.
For printed text, such as in books and newspapers, it's more common to see serif fonts. Sans-serif fonts tend to be used in marketing and brochure-style publications. Publishing standards generally recommend a minimum font size of 12pt.
Use of colour
Colour adds interest and variety to a page. Especially when printing costs are not a factor (such as for a website or blog post) colour can be a great way to break up the monotony of a document. It's not always necessary, but it's another way of making a text more engaging to read.
A big consideration here though, is that not everyone can see colour, and not everyone sees colour in the same way. The biggest factor to consider is contrast, between the text and its background. If there's a high level of contrast then most people will be able to read it. Where the contrast is less distinct, that's when it becomes a problem.
There are many tools online to help select a colour palate that works even for individuals with colour-vision impairments. Coolors.co generator, for example, allows you to view the way a colour palate is affected by different types of colour blindness.
Figures and tables
A picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes it is far easier to present information in a table, with a diagram or using an image than it is to describe it in words. Plain language is about making it as easy as possible for readers to find the information they need and use it, and figures and tables are very useful tools for this.
Building a piece of flat pack furniture is easier to do when there are simple written instructions alongside diagrams showing, for example, which piece fits where. Comparing data over time is likely to be easier to understand represented in a chart or line graph than in an explanatory paragraph. Relevant illustrations can also help with design and layout because they help to separate long blocks of text.
White space
This relates to design and layout as well as font choice (more accurately, typography). White space matters in a long document. It helps provide natural break points for a reader to rest for a moment before carrying on. White space prevents the overwhelm that comes from page after page of relentless text.
Even in traditional book publishing, where white space can be expensive, it still exists; chapter headings notably start part way down a new page, scene changes within a chapter are often represented with an extra line between the paragraphs – a thought break, and each new paragraph is slightly indented.
In brochure-style publishing, marketing materials and online, white space is much used much more widely. Here we see additional lines between paragraphs rather than indents, wider line spacing throughout the main body of a text, and more space between sections separated by headings and subheadings.
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