Plain Language Workbook: 

Five Steps to Clear, Effective 

Communications 

for the 

Federal Communications Commission 

Presented by the Office of the Managing Director 

Learning and Development Service Center 

May, 2011 

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Why Plain Language? 

Why plain language? Perhaps a better starting question is this one: “Why 

write at work?” If you’re like most people, your answer is: “To 

communicate.” Or: “To send information.” At the FCC, you also want get a 

response, whether for telecommunications professionals to adhere to a 

policy or for consumers to know what the FCC does on their behalf. Or, you 

may simply want a co-worker to send you information the first time you ask.

Other responses may be hidden: for example, you may want others in the 

FCC to understand your message, even if you wrote it for an external 

audience. You may want to create a paper trail that could prove critical later. 

Most certainly, you want to create a comfortable reading experience for the 

audience: this will help them grasp the meaning faster and more effectively.

By using Plain Language you will send clear, well-positioned messages that 

help you get all these responses and more. In fact, studies from the Federal 

Government, among others, indicate that Plain Language can also help ease 

the review processes, sometimes cutting it down by hours, even days; 

improve consumer relations; lessen the likelihood of prolonged disputes; and 

expedite routine processes, among others! 

It’s important to remember that you naturally speak and write in Plain 

Language - the most natural and effective approach to communications. By 

using Plain Language you will ultimately be communicating in your own 

voice. 

What Is Plain Language? 

Plain Language is nothing more than the using clear, familiar language that a 

range of people can understand. In some situations, such as when you’re 

writing a Congressional letter or summarizing a regulation, you’ll sound 

more formal. In others, such as when you’re writing a blog, you’ll sound 

more relaxed. Still, your language will consistently have the following 

attributes: 

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1. Concise word use. You will only use necessary words– nothing 

extra. As a result, the message will be easier for your audience to read 

and faster for you to write. Important: concise word use refers to the 

style of you message not the amount of content. 

2. Active voice. The term “active voice” refers to sentence structure, 

where you include who did the action, what that action was, and who 

received the action...usually in that order. You normally use the 

active voice when writing informal documents or speaking in a social 

context.

3. Cohesive structure. Your writing should flow in a smooth, logical 

sequence, whether you’re writing a complex analysis or a oneparagraph memorandum. The order should go from the most to the 

least important information.

4. Reader-Focus. The concept of reader-focus requires that you use 

words that are understandable to the audience; the second person 

“you” when possible; and an orientation that is from the audience’s 

perspective. Newspapers, marketing documents, text books, among 

other professional documents, use the reader-focus.

5. Tone. Writing, like speaking, contains an emotional quality whether 

you intend it or not. With plain language, you create the most 

accessible tone possible whether by managing your jargon or avoiding 

unduly negative or hostile overtones.

Seven Steps to Plain Language 

When creating any kind of marketing document, try to follow these steps: 

1. Determine What You Want the Reader to Do 

What do you want the reader to do as a result of your copy? Try to be as 

realistic and precise as possible. For example, if you’re sending an email, the first response you want is probably for them to open it. The 

next response: to take a specific action whether calling you or sending 

something along. If you’re writing a report, you want your boss to know 

the most important information. When writing for the Web, you want the 

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audience to understand issues that affect them personally and actions 

they can take. 

2. Make a List 

Create a simple list of the information you need to include in your 

message. Don’t bother with the outline form you probably used in high 

school or college: it’s simply too elaborate and time-consuming. Instead, 

write a few words for each new idea. Then, reorder your list so it flows 

in a logical order. Always place the most important information – to the 

reader – first. 

3. Write 

The best approach depends on your personal style. Some like to write 

without stopping, ignoring word problems, and leaving spaces for 

figures and facts. Others like to shape their text as they go, regardless, 

be sure to write in relative silence, avoiding nearby conversations or 

undo noise. Also - take breaks. Fatigue will jeopardize your style, and 

sometimes, in the course of a break, a useful phrase, connection, or 

concept, will occur to you. Finally, don’t plan to send your message 

immediately – even if you’re sending it to a co-worker for a review. 

Instead, wait a few minutes, longer if you can. Then check – you’ll be 

more objective. Even when sending e-mails, wait a few moments, then 

rewrite so you’re sure to send the message that you mean. 

4. Check Structure 

Check your structure to ensure the points connect in the fastest and most 

expedient way. If you’re writing a project plan or report, the segments 

may be predetermined. Still, make sure your paragraphs are in a clear 

order and the points within them cohesive. 

5. Rewrite Word Use 

You may have one or two problems that interfere with strong writing. 

So, identify those specific issues then correct them. Be conscious of the 

changes – make sure you’re correcting a problem not simply “making 

the writing better” in an abstract and subjective way. You’ll only be 

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shuffling words around and wasting time. In the process, you’ll improve 

your document and break your bad habits. 

6. Show for Comments 

Everyone needs feedback about their writing to improve – even 

professional writers. So, be sure to show your work to someone every 

few weeks, depending on how often your write. Make sure that person 

really understands the requirements of strong writing and knows which 

problems you are trying to fix. Make sure you take notes or that the 

person writes his or her comments down so you can refer to them the 

next time you write. 

7. Proof 

It’s always a good idea to have someone else proof your copy since 

most people have trouble identifying the usage and punctuation 

problems in their writing. This is not because they’re lazy, uneducated, 

or sloppy – they’re simply big picture thinkers. If you don’t have 

anyone who can proof your work, then print out the copy and reread it, 

looking for errors. It’s also helpful to have someone review your copy 

once or twice and point out the mistakes. Then, when you proof, make 

sure you avoided those particular errors.

Three Types of Responses 

Emotional Response 

• Feel excited, concerned, interested 

• Create a sense of urgency or necessity 

Cognitive Response 

• Understand what you mean 

• Know the information 

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Physical Response 

• Take some sort of action 

• Avoid taking an action 

• Respond within a specific timeframe 

Response Factors to Remember! 

• The audience initially responds to messages in 1/50th of a second. 

• Due to the so-called “halo effect,” that initial, preconscious 

response will shape how the audience perceives your message – 

sometimes regardless of content!

• The audience focuses on the first few words of your message the 

most.

• Most audiences skim, rather than read, so positioning and visual 

effects, such as white space, are of paramount importance.

Case Study 

After the Challenger shuttle tragedy in 1986, Professor Dorothy Winsor

analyzed a memo that discussed the Challenger's faulty O-rings before the 

disaster occurred. Clearly, as Winsor points out, if the memo had positioned 

the problem the right way, the accident may never have occurred. Here’s 

what the memo said: 

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Per your request, this letter contains the answers to the ...questions you asked at 

the July Problem Review Board telecom. 

1. Question: If the field joint secondary seal lifts off the metal mating 

surfaces during motor pressurization, how soon will it return to a 

position where contact is re-established? 

Answer: Bench test data indicate that the O-ring resiliency (its capability to 

follow the metal) is a function of temperature and rate of case expansion. MTI 

measured the force of the O-ring against Instron patters [sic], which simulated 

the nominal squeeze on the O-ring and approximated the case expansion 

distance and rate. 

At 100 degrees F., the O-ring maintained contact. At 75 degrees F., the O-ring 

lost contact for 2.4 seconds. At 50 degrees F., the O-ring did not re-establish 

contact in ten minutes at which time the test was terminated. 

The conclusion is that secondary sealing capability in the SRM field joint cannot 

be guaranteed. 

(Presidential Commission 5:1568) 

Source: Dorothy A. Winsor, ”Asking the Right Questions about the Challenger Disaster," 

1989 

Plain Language Attribute 1: 

Concise Word Use 

Concise word use refers to the number of words you use to reflect meaning, 

not how much content you include. To achieve this, focus on eliminating the 

following from your writing: 

General-specific combination 

Extra words result when you say something in general terms then repeat it 

with specifics: 

Do: The justification that you provided is not sufficient for the FCC to 

grant a waiver. 

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Not: We have made a determination about your request for a waiver. 

We found that the justification you provided is not sufficient for the 

FCC grant a waiver. 

 

Negative structures 

“Negative” refers to the structure of your sentence, not the attitude of your 

message. It tends to be indirect, vague, and wordy. So, try for a direct 

approach, instead: 

Do: The content is clear but you need to provide details before we can 

determine if you are eligible for a license.

Not: The issue was not that the content was unclear, but that the 

details are lacking. So, we are unable to determine if you are eligible 

for a license. 

If you want a more positive way to discuss a negative situation, try focusing 

on the solution, rather than the problem. 

Do: You still need to send pages six and seven of the application. 

Not: You did not send the entire application. You did not send pages 

six and seven. 

Little extra words 

Wordiness frequently occurs when you have clusters of small, insignificant 

words, including prepositional phrases such as: “In the event that...,” “In 

light of the fact that...,” and “At the present time.” You can repair this 

problem simply by cutting the words. 

Do: CGB notes that consumers have different needs for broadband 

service. For example, someone who uses the Web primarily for email 

may need a smaller and less expensive service than an avid video 

viewer.

Not: CGB notes that at the present time consumers have very 

different needs for broadband service depending on what they use it 

for. Someone who uses the Web primarily for email, for example, 

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may be well served by a smaller and less expensive service than an 

avid video viewer would need.

Repeated words 

Repeated words are easy to spot and correct: cut the repeated words and 

reconstruct the sentence or paragraph. Another solution is to substitute one 

of the repeated words for another, but this will be a band aid solution, 

masking but not correcting the problem. 

 

Do: Panel discussions in the morning will focus on how current and 

projected capabilities and deployment costs for different broadband 

technologies may impact the Broadband Initiative. 

Not: Panel discussions in the morning will focus on current and 

projected capabilities and deployment costs for different broadband 

technologies and how such capabilities and costs may impact the 

Broadband Initiative. 

Twin words 

Beware of using two words which hold the same meaning, such as 

“complete stop,” “dollar amount” and “completely honest.” This problem is 

relatively easy to identify and correct: simply cut one of the words. 

Do: I think we should destroy the old software tools as they are 

incompatible with our current software. 

Not: It is my personal belief that we should completely destroy each 

and every one of the software tools that were an integral part of our 

previous processes as that are completely incompatible with our 

current software. 

Obvious Information 

Cutting obvious information can be a bigger task than simply pulling out 

words. You need to analyze the content, albeit briefly, to ensure the content 

remains intact. 

Do: General Inquiries referred you to the Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) where a representative contacted 

you within a few hours. She agreed to contact you later that day with a 

more detailed answer.

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Not: You contacted General Inquiries because you had questions that 

you needed answered. You were referred to the Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) where a representative contacted 

you within a few hours. You asked the FCC representative your 

question at that time, and she agreed to contact you later that day with 

a more detailed answer.

Concise Word Use 

Exercise 

Rewrite the following to make them more concise: 

1. We initiate this proceeding because it is our belief that we need to 

facilitate the development and deployment of well-designed signal 

boosters, which hold great potential to empower consumers in rural and 

underserved areas to improve their wireless coverage in their homes, at 

their jobs, and when they travel by any means, such as car, recreational 

vehicle, or boat. 

2. The customer is doing a license search on Call Sign "WEE585." When 

she goes to the “Path Tab” she should be clicking on Path 3, Call Sign 

"KHW70", but when she clicks on that call sign it takes her to call sign 

"WEE582'. The call sign status shows that is cancelled. She called the 

Help Desk to get help with this matter. Please advise.

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Plain Language Attribute 2: 

The Active Voice 

Grammar requires that you have an actor and action in your sentence – in 

that order. When you break that order, you can eliminate information, 

obstruct clarity, and confuse the reader. That trouble is called the “passive 

voice” and the solution is the “active voice.” You may lapse into the passive 

voice in the following ways: 

The Active Voice

The active voice describes the relationship between the actor and the action 

in the sentence. Whether a person, place, thing, or concept, the actor 

generally comes first in the sentence; the action second; and the recipient, or 

object of the action, third. 

The passive voice separates the actor and the action in three distinct ways. 

• Separates the actor and action within the sentence 

The actor rests at the end of the sentence: technically it becomes the 

object rather than the subject. 

Do: The management team reviewed the report. 

Not: The report was reviewed by the management team. 

You can identify this form of passive by looking for the helping verb/by 

combination, as in: “The report was reviewed by...” 

• Eliminates the actor 

The actor vanishes from the sentence, which can destroy the sentence 

structure and withhold information from the reader. 

Do: Consistent with Section 0.459(c), the Bureau will not consider 

requests that do not comply with the requirements of Section 0.459. 

Not: Consistent with Section 0.459(c), requests that do not comply 

with the requirements of Section 0.459 will not be considered. 

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The helping verb may be a tip-off that you are using the passive voice, 

although they may be indicating tense, instead. 

• Hidden verbs 

The action appears to be the actor, although it is not. 

Do: We developed the program in four days 

Not: The development of the program took four days. 

Frequently, hidden verbs have “ment” and “tion” endings. In some cases, 

though, words in active sentences contain these endings: 

“We gave the matter deep consideration but decided against it.” 

 

Although you should use the active voice about 95% of the time, the passive 

voice can make the message sound clearer or more natural. For example, this 

sentence: 

“The FCC is directed by five commissioners who are appointed by the 

President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.” 

sounds better than this one: 

“The President of the United States appoints five commissioners who 

direct the FCC and who the U.S. Senate appoints and confirms.” 

Do not use the passive voice to hide the actor, however. 

Active Voice 

Exercise 

See if you can identify the passive voice in the following examples, and then 

correct it. 

1. By the year 2019, it is envisioned that 10,000 x-band radars for the 

networks will be deployed throughout the United States. It has been 

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suggested to the Lead University on this project that establishing this 

effort as a service would require a rulemaking. 

2. The frequencies on your license 154.470 and 154.600 are no longer 

licensed under Rule Part 90. Therefore, your application is dismissed. 

These frequencies have been reallocated from part 90 Land Mobile 

Radio Service, to one of the Citizen Band Radio Services in Rule Part 

95, called the Multi Use Radio Service (MURS). There is no 

licensing requirement for these frequencies. 

Active Voice and Concise Word Use Review 

Exercise 

Write a fresh piece that you need to compose for work that is 100% active 

and concise. If you can’t think of any, or don’t have sufficient content on 

hand, write one of the following: 

• An e-mail to a new co-worker discussing the three most important 

aspects of the job he or she needs to know to contribute fully.

• A message to a citizen who called demanding that you lower his or 

her cell phone payments. You need to explain that the FCC is not 

responsible for sending or determining bills at that level. 

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Plain Language Attribute 3: 

Cohesion 

How you position information is a critical component of plain language. The 

points must flow in logical order within paragraphs, between sections, and 

throughout the entire document. This will enable the reader to find 

information easily; help you have greater control of your support points; and 

help you be more concise. 

Subject Lines, Headers and Titles 

Length: 70 characters maximum, including spaces

Subject lines and headers will either encourage the audience to read 

carefully or alienate them. So, you must make them energetic and 

informative. One way to achieve this is to avoid using noun-only headers: 

they tend to be flat and don’t project the energy that will engage the reader. 

Instead, use a verb when possible. Notice the difference in this subject line: 

Do: Form 92 B Due Immediately 

Not: Form 92B

Also, be sure that your openings: 

• Contain information 

Do: Review Meeting Rescheduled 

Not: Meeting 

• Use familiar words 

Do: New licensing changes 

Not: MURS adjustment

• Support the flow of information 

Do: Five Steps for Applying 

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Not: Application Requirements 

Some openings will naturally contain flat openings, such as “Background” 

for historic reasons. When possible, though, avoid them. 

Subject Line and Headers 

Exercise 

Write the subject line or header for a message you need to send shortly, or 

any of the following: 

• An e-mail to an external or internal audience reminding them that 

they must send you a required fee (for travel or a renewed license, 

for example) or miss their deadline. 

• An e-mail to a colleague reminding them (again) to send 

information. 

• A header for a section telling the audience requirements they must 

address in an FCC process (not “Requirements”) 

Titles 

Titles have the same qualities as headers and subject lines. Make sure that 

you use consistent upper and lower case and get right to the point - in 70 

characters or less, including spaces. So, a title might look like this: 

Technical Advisory Council Issues Technology Policy Recommendations 

to Spur Jobs, Innovation 

Titles 

Exercise 

Rewrite the following titles so they’re 70 characters or less, including 

spaces. Also correct upper and lower case. 

• FCC Takes Action to Extend Deadline for Broadcasters and Other 

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM PARTICIPANTS to Comply with 

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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR Next-Generation Emergency 

AlertS 

• PREPARED REMARKS OF CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI, 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, RAINBOW PUSH 

COALITION TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYMPOSIUM, CAPITAL 

HILTON 

Opening Paragraphs 

Lines: Maximum of eight, fives line optimal in most documents. 

Whether called an “abstract,” “lead,” or “overview,” the opening paragraph 

should present the most important information to the reader immediately in 

clear, plain language: 

Do: As the enclosed document indicates, the Foothills Community 

neglected to file for a renewed license. So, they must pay the penalty 

fee of $3,000 as stated in Section 73.3539. 

Not: The Foothills Community have petitioned to be allowed to 

continue broadcasting under its current license without paying the 

penalty of $3,000 for neglecting to register as required by Section 

73.3539 of the Rules. 

 

The decision in the “Not” example typically does not enter the text until the 

last or second-to-last paragraph of the message. If you have too many points 

to address in one paragraph, present the reader with a range indicating the 

content that lies ahead. 

• The following will address the five main points. 

• We found three problems which they need to address before we 

can approve their plan. 

• We will focus on the physical environment, the process changes, 

and the software systems currently in use in this document.

Do not waste space in the introduction by stating obvious or unnecessary 

points. 

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Do: As you requested, we are providing details about the rationale for 

our July 14 memo which entails...

Not: This letter is a follow-up to your inquiry about the memo we sent 

on July 14 in which we stated that their recommendations were 

consistent with our observations the previous month. We will provide 

details about our response, as you requested. 

Finally make sure that your introduction functions as a self-contained unit 

enabling the reader to prioritize the document and learn the most critical 

points he or she needs to know. 

Paragraphs 

Minimum: Five lines 

Maximum: 15 lines. Use long paragraphs only when the content does not 

allow for a logical break. 

 

The paragraphs should have a clear internal structure, whether they are 

independent units of thought or follow from previous paragraphs. This does 

not mean that all paragraphs should have the same structure: decide which 

one works best for the content. 

Most to Least Important Information 

Provide information in the most-to-least important order, depending on how 

the reader will use it. The order may differ for different audiences in certain 

messages. 

To: Employees entering the building 

The security procedures have changed as of May 15. Now you must 

show your identification at the security desk just beyond the gate. Be 

sure to carry your driver’s license or one other form of identification, 

as you may need to present that, too. Your visitors should present their 

identification before entering the gate and should wait in the outer 

lobby area for an escort. You must take these procedures seriously—

any violations are punishable by law. 

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To: Visitors 

When arriving at the gate, present your identification to the guard who 

will allow you in—then wait for your escort in the outer lobby. 

Escorts must be employees and have valid identification, which they 

will need to show to sign you in. You must take these procedures 

seriously—any violations are punishable by law. 

Analysis and Support 

This is a common structure for FCC reports. 

(Point) This project must be a first priority if we are to maximize our 

efficiency over the next few months. (Support) It will provide 

valuable information we can use on other projects. (Support) Also, we 

have devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to doing it—

if we put it on hold, we will lose our momentum. 

Equal Facts 

The most common structure, equal facts present matters that have equal 

value. Bullets are reserved for equal facts. 

If you wish to prevent spam, you can take the following steps: 

• Put your wireless phone number on the national Do-Not-Call 

list, and distribute it sparingly. 

• Don’t display your wireless phone number or e-mail address 

in public. 

• If you open an unwanted message, send a stop or opt out 

message in response. 

• Check the privacy policy when submitting your wireless 

phone number or e-mail address to any Web site. 

• Contact your wireless or Internet service provider about 

unwanted messages. 

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Compare and Contrast

You can use a number of structures when comparing and/or contrasting 

points. 

Line by line 

When considering the viability of the new system, carefully weigh the 

pros and the cons. On the one hand, the system would require that we 

retrain our employees, which would cost us at least three days of 

training time per employee. On the other hand, they will become far 

more efficient once they know how to use the tool and shave weeks 

off their work time each year. The dollar cost is another consideration. 

The system costs almost $250,000. Is our department ready for such 

an investment? Still, it will lower the risk of errors, which will save us 

money in the long run. 

One set of points all at once, then another 

When considering the viability of the new system, carefully weigh the 

pros and the cons. With the system, we’d need to retrain all our 

employees, which would cost us at least three days of training time 

per employee. Then there’s the dollar cost of almost $250,000. Is our 

department ready for such an investment? Still, employees will 

become far more efficient once they know how to use the tool, and 

shave weeks off their work time each year. Also, the tool will lower 

the risk of errors, which will save us money in the long run. 

One set of points in one paragraph and one set of points in the following 

paragraph 

With writing documents for the FCC, you must determine what 

response you want from your message first. Then, you should write 

the document. Don’t worry about making every word perfect—just 

get the content down. Next, revise for mistakes you’ve made in the 

past as well as general problems. 

Editing is quite different. The message is already written: the editor 

must ensure the word use and punctuation are accurate. First, read a 

few paragraphs and get a sense of the author’s strengths and 

weaknesses. Then, correct the mistakes. Once you’re done, double18 
check your changes. Also, let the authors know their weakness. This 

will help them become better writers. 

 

Closings 

Length: Eight to ten lines maximum 

Closings can serve numerous functions. When you have a long document, or 

numerous complex points, the closing can summarize them for the reader. 

You can also put final points, typically of minimal importance, at the end. If 

you want to end with the most salient point of your entire communication, 

place that point in the opening also to ensure the reader sees it. 

Closings generally break down into these categories: 

Summaries 

Use a summary at the end of a document in these situations: 

• You are writing in a genre that requires one, such as a report. 

• You have a long piece—over five pages—where the reader won’t be 

able to remember all the information or is unlikely to read all the way 

through. This is when you remind them. 

• You have connecting points too complex or numerous for the reader 

to absorb. In lengthy papers, you can place summaries after every 

section. Usually, though, place your summary at the front of the 

document, if you need one at all. 

Conclusions

Keep the conclusion at the beginning of your document except when you 

have: 

• A short document with interesting points that the reader will definitely 

read, leading to an even more interesting conclusion. 

• A persuasive introduction with a “gun” that will sustain the reader 

until the end. 

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• Short sections in your documents, each requiring an analysis and 

conclusion. 

Numbers and bullets

In short pieces, when the numbers or bullets end, so does the document. 

Letter closings 

Make follow-up plans or tell the reader how they can find you. 

Cohesion 

Exercise 

Rewrite the following message: 

Dear Ms. Jones, 

This is in reply to your email dated March 5, 2010, in which you invoke the 

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), seeking to obtain “the 

precise specification issued pursuant to the program for manufacture and 

testing of the digital converter boxes.” 

The Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications Information 

Administration (NTIA) administered the coupon program for digital-toanalog converter boxes. However, the information you seek is also publicly 

available from their website that I have provided for your convenience: 

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2007/DTVCouponFinalRule_031207.pdf 

For any other information or documents regarding the digital converter box 

program, please contact NTIA. 

You may seek review of this disposition of your request by the Commission 

by filing an application for review with the Office of General Counsel within 

30 days of the date of this letter. See 47 C.F.R. § 0.461(j). 

20 
Plain Language Attribute 4: 

Reader-Focus 

When you take a reader-focused approach, you communicate information 

from the reader’s perspective. This affects all aspects of your style, from the 

word use, which must be clear and accessible, to how you position 

information on the page. 

Point of View 

Your ability to position information from the reader’s perspective is critical 

to your voice, in everything from e-mails to notices to responses to 

complaints. 

Do: So you can have your plane tickets in time for the trip, please 

complete and send me the travel form by May 15. 

Not: I need to receive your travel form by May 15 so I can make 

arrangement for your airplane tickets. 

Position of Information 

You must approach circumstances from the audience’s vantage point. So, 

answer these questions before creating your message: 

• What matters most to the reader? 

• How will they benefit or otherwise be affected by the message? 

• What is the greatest fear, concern, or reservation you must address? 

• What response do they want from you? 

• What response do you want from them? 

Once you have answered these questions, place the most important 

information (from the readers’ perspective) first. 

• A report: in the first few lines of the introduction, the sub-headings, 

and paragraph of each new section 

• An e-mail: in the subject line 

• A letter: in the opening paragraph 

• A decision: in the first paragraph 

• A memo: in the “RE” line and the first few lines of the first paragraph 

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Second Person “You” 

When speaking to another person or sending an E-mail, you naturally use the 

second person “you.” For example, in a meeting, you may ask a colleague: 

“What information do you need for the project?” You probably would not 

say: “What information is needed for the project?” You should apply this 

concept to as many communications as seems reasonable. 

Do: You have rights, under the FCC, that protect you from fraud. 

Do: The FCC has regulations that protect you from fraud. 

Not: The FCC has regulations that protect consumers from fraud. 

Showing (Not Telling) 

The “show-not-tell” strategy helps the reader see the message for his or 

herself which creates true transparency. With “showing” you give the reader 

details that create an objective message. With “telling” you explain from 

your point of view, usually in more general terms. If the information is too 

general for you to be specific, you can also show a range: 

Do: This option will take between two and three months to 

implement. 

Not: This option will require considerable time to implement.

Also avoid adding too much support which provides no true value and can 

exhaust the reader. Apply the concept called “degree of separation” where 

your support links directly to your main point and avoid: 

• Unnecessary background 

• Long explanations that do not address the reader’s immediate 

concerns 

• Examples that are only slightly related to the subject of your 

discussion 

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Reader-Focus 

Exercise 

Create a reader-focus from one of the following messages: 

• You are applying for a new position within the FCC. You have all the 

experience necessary for the job, but don’t want to brag or focus 

heavily on yourself. 

• A consumer contacts the FCC with a complaint about their internet 

service provider. You need to explain where to go for information 

about actions they can take, without feeling like you’re putting them 

off. 

• You need information from a co-worker that you expected to receive 

days before. Unless you get this material, you won’t be able to 

complete a report and your entire team will miss a deadline. 

• Any other message that you need to write for work. 

Jargon-Free Language 

To create a true reader-focus, you must control how you use industry 

language and jargon. Use the following definitions to distinguish between 

the two and manage both: 

Jargon 

• Specific to your industry or one or two others. You won’t find 

jargon in your average newspaper and you don’t use jargon at home. 

In fact, people in your industry, possibly in your office, are the only 

ones who use it. 

• Grammatically incorrect or doesn't use common grammar. Jargon 

is usually loaded with hidden verbs or other grammar frailties. 

• Other words can replace it. You can replace the jargon and still have 

precise meaning. 

Solution: Replace with other words. 

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Industry terminology

• Specific to your industry—or one or two others. Same as jargon. 

• Grammatically correct. 

• No other words can replace it. You need these words. They are 

formal nouns, for example, or words with deep legal implication. 

Solution: 

If....your readers have mixed backgrounds, define after the word and 

repeat the definition later. 

If....your readers are clearly insiders, leave it alone. 

If....your readers are mixed or outside the industry and you use the 

word only once, use the definition, instead. 

Managing Jargon 

Exercise

Write five to 10 words that you feel are problematic. Then, test them against 

the industry/jargon definitions to determine the best approach for addressing 

them. 

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Plain Language Attribute 5: 

Tone 

Written tone is much like the tone of your spoken voice. It can be informal, 

“Go ahead and sit down...” or formal, “Won’t you please take a seat.” In 

writing, you create a tone that the reader hears in his or her inner ear through 

your words, the context of your message, and even the sentence length. 

Generally, you have three options when writing a message: 

1. Hyper-formal 

This tone contains highly technical language with dense industry language, 

jargon, long, convoluted sentences, and the passive voice. Many 

professionals believe that this tone sounds more convincing yet it tends to be 

impenetrable and distracting for the reader. 

It should formally be requested that an Executive Order be issued by 

the President on broadband infrastructure deployment on land and 

buildings deemed within the federal domain. 

2. Formal 

Most FCC documents should be in the formal tone, where you use industry 

terminology as needed, with appropriate definitions; a variety of sentence 

structures; no contractions; and words that are common to a workplace 

rather than social setting. 

The FCC should formally request that the President issue an 

Executive Order on broadband infrastructure deployment on federal 

land and in federal buildings. 

3. Informal 

You usually use the informal tone when speaking with peers, contributing to 

the FCC blog, or responding to many e-mails. In writing, you may use 

contractions, unusual punctuation marks such as exclamation points, and 

colloquial terms. 

The FCC should formally ask the President for an Executive Order so 

broadband can be available on federal land and in federal buildings. 

Other style issues will affect your tone, including these: 

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• Abbreviations 

Do not abbreviate words except when the abbreviation is common in 

everywhere. For example, you frequently see “V.P.” rather than “Vice 

President.” With FCC-related language, abbreviations may confuse the 

reader, even industry insiders. 

• Acronyms 

With acronyms, write the full name followed by the acronym in 

parenthesis the first time you have used the name, or if you have not used 

it for several pages. Spell out the name more frequently in documents 

that primarily go online. 

• Ampersands 

Do not use “&” unless part of a formal name, such as “Jones & Jones, 

Attorneys at Law.” 

• Contractions

Contractions, such as “you’ll” rather than “you will,” are appropriate for 

FCC writing, depending on the document. For example, you can use 

contractions for blogs and many Web-only documents, e-mails, 

marketing and PR pieces, and many Human Resource documents. Do not 

use them for Congressional documents or other highly formal pieces. 

• Genderless Language 

Genderless language does not give preferential treatment to either gender. 

Use it in all documents. In addition: 

o Use “he or she” when discussing people in general: 

You need to get his or her signature before you can proceed in 

situations like these. 

o Use the genderless form of a title: 

Mail Carrier 

o Use Ms. for all women, except if they have a title: 

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Ms. Vine 

President Vine 

Other rules: 

You can find rules for punctuation and other style issues in the “U.S. 

Government Printing Office Style Manual,” the “AP Style Guide,” and the 

FCC’s own style guide which should be published soon. 

Closing 

 Exercise 

Rewrite the following so it has an appropriate tone, and is reader-focused, 

cohesive, concise, and active from beginning to end. 

Under the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) “local 

number portability” (LNP) rules, so long as you remain in the same 

geographic area, you can switch telephone service providers, 

including interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) 

providers, and keep your existing phone number. If you are moving 

from one geographic area to another, however, you may not be able to 

take your number with you. 

Therefore, subscribers remaining in the same geographic area can now 

switch from a wireless, wireline, or VoIP provider to any other 

wireless, wireline, or VoIP provider and still keep their existing phone 

numbers. 

Initiating the Process 

If you want to change companies: 

• Do not terminate your service with your existing 

company before initiating service with the prospective new 

company. 

• Contact the new company, which will start the process of 

porting your number by contacting your current company. 

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• Be prepared to provide the new company with your 10-digit 

phone number, customer account number, and five-digit zip 

code. If you had created a passcode to protect your account, you 

may also need to provide that passcode. 

Fees and Charges 

Companies may assess fees to recover the costs that they incur in 

providing number portability. Fees may vary between companies, and 

some companies may not charge any fees. 

Companies may not refuse to port a number because a consumer has 

not paid for porting. 

When considering a switch, consumers should ask the new company 

whether it charges any number portability fees and whether those fees 

can be waived. 

The Porting Period 

The FCC has changed its number porting rules to shorten the porting 

period for “simple” ports from the current four days to one business 

day. The new deadline applies to all simple ports, including 

“intermodal” ports such as wireline to wireless, wireless to wireline, 

wireline or wireless to VoIP, or any other combination. Simple ports 

generally do not involve more than one line or more complex 

adjustments to telephone switching equipment. Wireline, wireless, and 

interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers are 

required to meet this new, simple port deadline, which will take effect 

in late summer 2010 for most carriers. Small, rural carriers have a 

longer period, until the beginning of 2011, to meet the new porting 

deadline.