Considering plain language: issues and initiatives
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 11 May 2010
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on plain language in Australia, the UK and the USA since the movement began to accelerate in the early 1960s; to review the progress of plain‐language initiatives in those countries in the years since then; to provide guidance on generating plain‐language documents for writers in the corporate arena; and to present suggestions for further research.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses historical and contemporary initiatives and issues relating to plain language, presents guidelines for writing in plain language, and discusses the desirability of ongoing research.
Findings
The paper concludes with suggestions for further research in the corporate sector, where issues such as plain‐language “standards” are contestable, and compliance with plain‐language guidelines is under‐researched.
Research limitations/implications
Although the plain‐language movement has gained great momentum worldwide in recent years, this paper is limited to the countries in which it was pioneered.
Practical implications
The desirability of adopting plain language is undeniable, with many professions and businesses recognising the social and economic benefits of presenting information to their customers in plain language: efficiency, effectiveness, cost‐savings, equity, enhanced consumer satisfaction, among others.
Originality/value
The paper provides a valuable overview of the progress of plain‐language initiatives in Australia, the UK and the USA since the 1960s and highlights the necessity for further research in a movement that has become an important consideration for corporations in an economy in which writing and information design are central.
Keywords
Citation
Petelin, R. (2010), "Considering plain language: issues and initiatives", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 205-216. https://doi.org/10.1108/13563281011037964
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited