Writing in plain language does not mean “dumbing down” a text: it means conveying information in a way that intended readers can easily understand. And yet much of modern business and government writing is anything but easily understood. The culprits?

• Abstractions that reduce clarity
• Long subjects that contribute to denseness
• Passive voice that hides doers of actions
• Weak verbs that cut energy
• Jargon and acronyms that confuse readers
• Poor document design that clouds messages

And these are just a handful of the problems.

This one-day course will give you ample hands-on practice clarifying dense, bureaucratic texts. With your peers and the instructor, you will analyze several unclear passages in detail and examine ways to improve these passages. You’ll then have the opportunity to re-craft texts yourself, applying plain-language principles to clarify the intended messages. This course assumes that you have a solid understanding of English grammar, punctuation, and style.