# Presentation: 331849

## Plain Language at NIH

- Karen Pelham O’Steen
- Director, NIH Executive Secretariat
**	****	****	****	****	**

**Notes:**
SLIDE 1:  Plain Language at NIH

My name is Karen O’Steen, and I’m the Director of Exec Sec.

Dr. Hammond asked me to come and speak to you today about the Plain Language Initiative at NIH. 

## Overview:

-   What is plain language?
-   Why am I telling you about plain language?
-   What is NIH’s plain language plan?

- Overview:

**Notes:**
SLIDE 2:  OVERVIEW 

I want to begin by answering three questions-- 

.  What is plain language?

.  Why am I telling you about plain language?

.  What is NIH’s plain language action plan?

## What is Plain Language?

- Plain language is not a simplified style of writing.  It involves more than replacing jargon and complex language with shorter sentences and familiar words.  Plain language looks at the whole message--from the reader’s point of view.  Clear writing, effective organization, and inviting presentation are all keys to creating readable, informative documents.          Canadian Plain Language Web site.

**Notes:**
Slide 3:  What is Plain Language?

First, What is plain language?  

Essentially, it’s reader-focused writing

Plain language is simply a way of writing so that the reader understands what we write the first time he or she reads it. 

This is an International effort and I particularly like the definition from the Canadian Plain Language Web site which is on the slide: 
Plain language is not a simplified style of writing.  It involves more than replacing jargon and complex language with shorter sentences and familiar words.  Plain language looks at the whole message -- from the reader’s point of view.  Clear writing, effective organization, and inviting presentation are all keys to creating readable, informative documents.

Perhaps the best way to define Plain Language is to show you an example. [next slide]:

## What is Plain Language?

-            If the State Secretary finds that an individual has received a
-            payment to which the individual was not entitled, whether or
-            not the payment was due to the individual’s fault or
-            misrepresentation, the individual shall be liable to repay to
-            State the total sum of the payment to which the individual
-            was not entitled.
- 				Versus -
-            If the State agency finds that you received a payment to
-            which you were not entitled, you must pay back the entire sum.

**Notes:**
SLIDE 4 Title:  What is Plain Language?

Read:.... “If the State Secretary finds that an individual has received a payment to which the individual was not entitled, whether or not the payment was due to the individual’s fault or misrepresentation, the individual shall be liable to repay to State the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled.”

Vs. “If the State agency finds that you received a payment to which you were not entitled, you must pay back the entire sum.”

## Two Goals of Plain Language

-   Help the reader ***find*** the information
-   Help the reader ***understand*** the information

**Notes:**
SLIDE 5 Title:  Two Goals of Plain Language

.Help the reader find the information

.Help the reader understand the information

. In fact, I’d like to go one step further—make sure the reader cannot  
  misunderstand our information.

## Why am I telling you about Plain Language?

- _Why am I telling you about Plain Language_?
- The ultimate goal of NIH research is to improve people’s health, and that won’t happen unless we clearly communicate the results of our research to our ‘customers’--the public, our grantees, physicians, Congress, and others.

**Notes:**
Slide 6:  Why am I telling you about plain language?  

Next, why am I telling you about plain language?  Dr. Kirschstein is committed to implementing plain language at NIH, and she asked me to spearhead that effort.  
Plain language is something I believe in and is one of those Government requirements that actually makes sense.  The ultimate goal of NIH research is to improve people’s health, and that won’t happen unless we clearly communicate the results of our research to our ‘customers’–the public, our grantees, physicians, the Congress, and others.”  
NIH already does an excellent job of communicating with the public–many of our consumer publications are first-rate as evidenced by the outstanding products submitted for the recent Plain Language award ceremony. 
I want NIH to get credit for the things we’re doing well and improve those areas that have room for improvement.

## Why use Plain Language?

-   Helps the reader find and understand information
-   Improves compliance with instructions or requirements
-   Reduces follow-up clarifications (saving time, effort, and money)
-   Eliminates barriers between citizens and their Government

**Notes:**
SLIDE 7 Title:  Why Use Plain Language?

1.  Writing in plain language helps the reader find and understand information, quickly and efficiently. 

2.   It improves compliance –In an article in the August 18, 1999 issue of JAMA, the authors found that providing eligible patients ( age >65) an easy-to-understand brochure about the benefits of pneumococcal vaccination increased the rate of vaccination.

3.  Using Plain Language reduces follow-up letters, memos, telephone calls, or conferences ( e.g., outcome of peer review committee, waiver denial, EEO process) -- and thus saves time, effort, and money.

4.  It eliminates barriers between citizens and their Government - 
     Using the same language as the reader avoids creating barriers between us and the people for whom we are writing – it eliminates the image of a heartless bureaucrat writing legalistic, jargon-filled documents that make no sense and that either frustrate or infuriate the reader.

## Federal Plain Language Initiative

- October 1, l998
- January 1, l999
- January 1, 2002

**Action**
- All new documents that explain
- benefits or how to comply with
- regulations
- All new regulatory documents
- All other documents, even old ones

- _Federal Plain Language Initiative_
-   President’s June 1998 Memorandum to Government Departments
-   National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR)

**Notes:**
SLIDE 8 Title: Federal Plain Language Initiative
Let me give you the history of the Federal Plain Language Initiative.
Former President Clinton’s June 1998 Memorandum to Government Departments established deadlines for phasing in the Plain Language
Initiatives:

Deadline		Action
October 1, 1998	All new documents that explain benefits or 		how to comply with regulations	
January 1, 1999	All new regulatory documents	
January 1, 2002	All other documents, even old ones	
                 We are now at this point with the initiative
This initiative was started as part of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, and this an an initiative that transcends Administrations

Secretary Thompson strongly supports plain language and is insistent that all HHS agencies use “plain language and avoid both jargon and highly technical language” in all documents			

## NIH Communication Types

- Speeches
- E-mail, correspondence, Web sites
- Support Contracts (scope of work)
- Congressional Justification
- Consensus Conference Reports
- Scientific Highlights
- Vacancy Announcements
- Policies/Procedures
- Forms (generated by NIH)
- Meeting Notices, Minutes Summaries
- Grant Application Guidelines
- RFAs and PAs
- Informed Consent Forms

- _NIH Communication Types_

- _NIH Audiences_

- General public
- Media
- HHS/ Other Departments
- Contractors
- Job Applicants
- New Employees
- Grant Applicants
- Awardees
- NIH Colleagues
- Scientific Reviewers
- Researchers
- Administrators
- Congress and Staff
- Advisory Councils Physicians

**Notes:**
SLIDE 9 Title:  NIH Communication Types & NIH Audiences
I’m not going to try and convince you that implementing of plain language at NIH is going to be easy.  It is not – We have an almost endless variety of types of communications.
	Fact Sheets
	Patient Consent Forms
	Letters to potential trainees
	Requests and instructions for extramural grant proposals
	Responses to colleagues requesting a cell line
	Position Descriptions and Vacancy Announcements
	The charge to a committee
	Speeches and information for consumer advocates
And we have an equally large variety of audiences.  I have listed a few on the slide.  
I’d like to take a minute right now to stress that Plain Language does not mean “dumbing down” what we say --one size does not fit all--a message to the general public will be written differently than a message to scientific colleagues.  But...using plain language will improve the clarity of any communication.  Clarity and precision usually go hand-in-hand.  If your reader needs specific technical or legal details, put them in.  But think carefully about what’s really necessary.  It was Einstein who said, “Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone.”

## What is NIH’s Plain Language Action Plan?

-   The Plain Language Coordinating Committee (PLCC) is
-    composed of members from each IC and OD Staff
-    Office to coordinate plain language implementation
-   The word is out:   Articles in the *Catalyst, NIH Record, and*
-                            Washington Post
-                                  Presentations and Posters
-   NIH Plain Language Guidelines
-   Resource list of available training options
-   Annual awards
-   Web site: **www1.od.nih.gov/execsec/plainlanguage.htm**

**Notes:**
Slide 10: What is NIH’s Plain Language Action Plan 

What is the NIH plan to write in plain language? 
We are doing this as simply as we can -- we don’t want this to become another “bureaucratic hurdle.”  We do want to improve what we write -- by informing you of the requirements, providing training options and guidance, and recognizing those who achieve the most.  I firmly believe that when you understand the benefits of writing in plain language, you’ll never want to use anything else.
Plain Language goes far beyond controlled correspondence, and the purview of my office, so we established the NIH Plain Language Coordinating Committee (PLCC) to promote plain language, provide resources and monitor our progress in implementing it.  It is composed of representatives from each IC and OD Office (Jane DeMouy is the representative for NIDDK)
What have we done so far?
The word is out - The Catalyst, The NIH Record, and the Washington Post have had articles on plain language.  I’ll continue doing presentations like this and posters (like the one I am presenting to Dr. Hammond) and bookmarks like those you will receive today are all available to remind NIH staff of plain language.  There is a Training and Resource List of available training options listed on the Exec Sec Web site (www1.od.nih.gov/execsec/plainlanguage.htm).  The PLCC has developed written plain language guidelines for NIH and copies of these are in your hand-outs today.
We won several government wide awards from NPR and we have developed our own award program at NIH.  We just concluded our 2nd annual “Celebrating Plain Language at NIH” award ceremony recognizing 87 excellent products.  This years winners included Web sites, brochures, CDs, manuals, and press kits to name a few.  The top scoring product was a CD geared towards extramural grant applicants.  NIDDK was honored for 11 individual products. I would like to encourage you to start thinking about submitting and nominating NIDDK products for the 2002 plain language award program.
What’s next?
We are in the process of developing a plain language computer based training for all NIH employees and hope to have it available by the end of the year.

## Tips and Techniques for Writing Plain Language

-   Identify the reader
-               --Why does the reader need your document?
-                --What is the reader’s level of knowledge?
-                --What is the best approach for that reader?
-   Anticipate the reader’s questions
-               --Why are you sending this to me?
-  --How does this affect me?
-  --What am I supposed to do?
-   Organize your document to answer the reader’s
-     questions

**Notes:**
SLIDE 11 Title:  Tips and Techniques for Plain Language Communications
Let’s talk about Tips and Techniques. First Identify the reader – Put yourself in their place ...In journalism classes, they call this “knowing your audience.”

     - Why does the reader need your document? 
                     Is your reader a decision-maker / influencer / implementer?
    –  What is your reader’s knowledge of the subject? (no matter what the level of  
        knowledge, always avoid jargon and unnecessary legal or technical terms)   
    _  What is the best approach for that reader? For example, do you expect the reader 
         to be receptive or resistant to your message?

  Anticipate the reader’s questions – what does your reader want to know? 
      These questions could include:
        – Why are you sending this to me?  How does this affect me?  What am I supposed to 
           do?

 Organize your writing to answer those questions

## Tips and Techniques (continued)

-    Use non-technical, non-bureaucratic words whenever possible
-    Use personal pronouns such as “we” and “you”
-    Use the active voice
-     Use short sentences and paragraphs
-     Use easy to understand design features
-     Edit your writing carefully and seek feedback as appropriate

**Notes:**
Slide 12 Title: Tips and Techniques (continued)

Plain Language “Hallmarks”– will help you deliver your message better
I can’t stress this enough

•  Use common, everyday words [non-technical, non-bureaucratic] whenever possible.
   I’ve included a chart in your hand-outs that gives you some word choices.  
   For example:  Use These	Instead of These	
	Ease, reduce, lessen	Alleviate	
	Begin, Start		Commence	
	If you do not...		Failure to...

• Use personal pronouns:  “you” for the reader and “we” for NIH
   This is a real change for government writers.
   --Pronouns pull readers into the document and make it relevant to them.
   –Pronouns reduce the need for the reader to “translate” and allow you to eliminate               
      wordiness (i.e., write to one reader)
     Let me show you and an example to illustrate this	-

##   To establish eligibility for a grant, an applicant must show that the applicant is an Indian and that the present housing of the applicant is substandard and inadequate. 

-   To establish eligibility for a grant, an applicant must show that the applicant is an Indian and that the present housing of the applicant is substandard and inadequate.
- 			VS.
-   To establish eligibility for a grant, you must show that you     are an Indian and that your present housing is substandard and inadequate.

**Notes:**
Slide 13:  Example

Original Version
To establish eligibility for a grant, an applicant must show that the applicant is an Indian and that the present housing of the applicant is substandard and inadequate (28 words).

Rewritten using personal pronouns
To establish eligibility for a grant, you must show that you are an Indian and that your present housing is substandard and inadequate (23 words).

That’s only a difference of 5 words, but it’s much clearer.

## Tips and Techniques (continued)

-    Use non-technical, non-bureaucratic words whenever possible
-    Use personal pronouns such as “we” and “you”
-    Use the active voice
-     Use short sentences and paragraphs
-     Use easy to understand design features
-     Edit your writing carefully and seek feedback as appropriate

**Notes:**
Slide 14 Title: Tips and Techniques (continued)

    Next, get rid of the passive voice (often a cover for fuzzy thinking) and use the active         
     voice
     -- Passive voice disguises the actor (the person who is doing something) and
        creates ambiguity about responsibility (“The application must be completed.” VS
        “You must complete the application.”)
     -- Passive voice - the actor follows the verb.  Example: “The reports are prepared
        by Dr. Hill.” VS “Dr. Hill prepares the reports.”                                          

## Tips and Techniques (continued)

-    Use non-technical, non-bureaucratic words whenever possible
-    Use personal pronouns such as “we” and “you”
-    Use the active voice
-     Use short sentences and paragraphs
-     Use easy to understand design features
-     Edit your writing carefully and seek feedback as appropriate

**Notes:**
Slide 15 Title: Tips and Techniques (continued)

    Limit the length of sentences and paragraphs whenever possible
     --Short sentences and paragraphs often avoid needless confusion and complexity

    Use easy to understand design features
      --For example - plenty of white space, introductions, headings, vertical tables and
         lists
    Evaluate your writing
      --Carefully edit your own work
      --Get feedback from a second reader or test documents going to a broad, public
         audience by using focus groups, as appropriate.

## Focus Outward - - On the Reader

-    Think:  What does ***the reader ***need to know?
-      Not:     What do ***I ***want to say?
-    Think:  How can I serve *the* ***reader’s ***interests?
-      Not:     How can I protect ***my ***interests?
-    Think:  What can I clearly express to ***the reader?***
-      Not:     What can I do to impress ***you?***

**Notes:**
Slide 16: Focus Outward--On the Reader

   Focus Outward -- on the Reader (another way of identifying the 
     reader)

This is the single most difficult adjustment for people used to the old way of Government writing...

Think!
     --What does the reader need to know?
        Not:  What do I want to say?	

     --How can I serve the reader’s interests?
        Not:  How can I protect my interests?

     --What can I clearly express to the reader?
        Not:  What can I do to impress you?

## What Can You Do to Implement Plain Language?

-    Begin writing all new documents in plain language
-    Encourage staff training
-    Implement throughout your Institutes, Centers, and
-     Offices
- 	www1.od.nih.gov/execsec/plainlanguage.htm

## Quintilian, A.D.  35-95 

- “One should not aim at being possible to understand,  but at being impossible to misunderstand.”

**Notes:**
SLIDE 18 - Title: Quintilian	

Plain language is nothing new.  Let me quote Quintilian, who lived a very long time ago and said:

“One should not aim at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.”

Plain language is something I’ve always believed in, something that Dr. Kirschstein believes in, and, something the Secretary believes in.  

I’d like to conclude with a quote from Secretary Thompson.

## Power to the People, Tommy G. Thompson, August 1, 1996

**“****if ordinary people don’t understand what Government is doing, then what Government is doing probably isn’t right.  Government doesn’t have to be complicated.”**

**Notes:**
Slide 19:  Quote from “Power to the People”

When he was the Governor of Wisconsin, Tommy G. Thompson wrote this in his book, Power to the People, :

“If ordinary people don’t understand what Government is doing, then what Government is doing probably isn’t right.  Government doesn’t have to be complicated.” 	

Plain language is here to stay, and I’d like to make sure NIH is as well-known for the clarity of its writing as the results of its research.

Thank you for having me -- do you have any questions?