Plain Language / Readability

Enter the word(s) you are searching for; use quotes for exact phrase

WriteClearly.org, has a wide range of resources on plain language and readability issues for legal services.  Their resources include:

  • training materials on how to write clearly,
  • a plain language library with documents that you can copy and edit for use in your own programs,
  • links to additional resources.

You can also download "The Essential Plain Language" collection to help you start writing plain language documents and forms.

Open Advocate has developed several plain language tools you can download for free.  You can add a button to your browser bookmarks bar, which will test the reading level of a web page and give you suggestions.  Or, you can add a similar widget to google docs, and evaluate the reading level while you are writing your document.

Another useful tool to is the Hemmingway app

Displaying 1 - 13 of 13
View by Library Type
Sort by

Write Clearly

CLAVC, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
A short handout for advocates who want to write more clearly.  Simple tools and tips for getting started to write for the public.

Plain Language Guide: How to Incorporate Plain Language intoCourt Forms, Websites, and Other Materials

National Association for Court Management
A comprehensive guide on how to incorporate plain language into court forms, legal information handouts, websites, and other materials to help authors and designers create content and solutions that are easily understandable by everyone. Key elements include: shorter…

How to Write for Clients

Legal Services Corporation
Useful round up of resources to help write in plain langauge.

WriteClearly.org

LawNY
WriteClearly.org, maintained by LawNY (a legal services program in New York), has a wide range of resources on plain language and readability issues for legal services.  Their resources include: training materials on how to write clearly,  a plain language library with documents…

Adobe Legal Department Legal Style Guide

Adobe
Adobe's Legal Department developed a Style Guide to help its lawyers write in Plain English and avoid legalese.  Click the "Go to Website" link below to download it from Adobe's website.  In particular, the section on Word Choices (p.15) has some useful substitutions for…

The Essential Plain Language Collection

LawNY Inc.
LawNY has created www.writeclearly.org to help unrepresented people have greater access to the justice system by having access to plain language legal documents. The Essential Plain Language Collection is a guide created by LawNY and Trancend for legal aid advocates. It is organized by…

Plain Language Graphics

Transcend Translations
Writing in plain language is essential for relaying information to clients in a way they can understand. Simple graphics can help! Click the "Go to Website" link below to access court and legal service related graphics.

Learn to Write Documents your Clients Really Understand - Webinar Materials

Immigration Advocates Network (IAN)
The Immigration Advocates Network hosted a free webinar, "Learn to Write Documents your Clients Really Understand," on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Highly readable text increases comprehension and lowers error rates. It also saves you time and money on translation. Make life easier; learn the 4 elements…

IRS Language Glossaries

IRS
  The IRS has a number of language glossaries that may be useful. Product Number   Title   Revision Date   Posted Date   Publ 850 (EN/SP) English-Spanish Glossary of Words and…

Making Legal Information Readable is more than Plain Language

Caroline Robinson, MLRI
The average American reads proficiently at the 5th-6th grade level. The average American constitutes a much larger group of readers than you might think. Many of the people with whom you want to communicate effectively read at lower levels.  To get an overview of Plain Language and…

Benefits Plain Language Sample Documents

LawNY Inc. & Trancend
This document contains sample documents in plain language about specific benefits topics. It has been extracted from a larger document titled, The Essential Plain Language Collection. This is a guide created by LawNY and Trancend for legal aid advocates. The Essential Plain Language Collection will…

Plain Language Online Course

Write Clearly
A self-guded learning experience.  Click the "Go to Website" link below to access the online course from the WriteClearly website.

Plain Language: Tips for drafting CLE materials to be more accessible to LEP clients

South Carolina Access to Justice Commission
Includes links to online resources about how to draft plain language documents.