Presentation Venue: Federal PLAIN language group What is it? Guidance for fedral agency Plain Language Leaders planning for the 2014 Center for Plain Language Reportcard

1. Get ready for
the 2014 Report Card
Jana Goldman
Kath Straub
April 9, 2014

2. Getting ready …
• About the scores
• What to send
• Timeline
• Which agencies will be reviewed in 2014

3. Parts of the score
• Compliance with Plain Writing Act
requirements
• Writing
• Information design

4. Scoring: Compliance
Does the agency have …
 A plain language (PL) webpage
 A link from the agency homepage to the
PL page
Does the PL program page…

5. Scoring: Compliance
Does the PL page provide …
 Name the senior official In charge of the program?
 Have info about other contact people?
Does the PL web page describe the PL program?
 An implementation plan?
 A Compliance report for 2013?
 A Compliance report for 2014?
 Describe their training program?

6. Scoring: Compliance
Does the PL webpage provide ….
 An email address for citizen feedback (or other
mechanism to provide comments)?
When you contacted the agency (through the citizen
feedback email), …
 Did anyone respond?
 Provide the information you asked for?
Total score: 130 points

7. What kind of documents should you send?
• Documents designed to help the public
understand or do business with your agency
• You will improve your odds if you send an
assortment of documents
– How-tos
– Program descriptions
– Public education documents
– Response letters
– Specific (single) webpages with a
reasonable amount of written content

8. What kind of documents should you send?
You pick*/send 5, we will score 3
Logistics
– Published or designed within the last 2 years
– Word or PDF formats
– Specific, single web pages (URLs)
– We don’t want befores, just afters.
*If you don’t send documents, we are NOT taking them from your public
website. If you don’t select web pages that fit the requirements, we will NOT
pick them out from the website you sent.

9. Think about …
• What has your agency or bureau done that provides
clear and helpful public information?
– Easier-to-read form or clearer instructions to apply
for a benefit or service?
– Plain language presentation of technical or
scientific information
– Informative visualization replacing previously word-
based process description?
Hints:
• Don’t send regs or letters to Congress or internal
memos
• Do send your best plain language documents!

10. Scoring: Writing
Acrolinx 4.0 Scorecard
• Tone of voice
• Terminology
• Style
• Spelling
• Grammar
Overall Score
http://www.acrolinx.com/

11. Example Acrolinx scorecard
Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

12. Example Acrolinx scorecard
Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

13. In case you are interested
Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

14. In case you are interested
Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/

15. In case you are interested
Webpage: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/fair-lending/
Guidelines include
• Use simple subject-verb-object structure
• Use shorter sentences
• Use fewer embedded sentences
• Use fewer complex words
• Remove noun clusters

16. In case you are interested
• Use contractions
• Use discourse markers

17. In case you are interested
Other guidelines include
• Vary sentence length
• Shorten average sentence length
• Use active voice
• Ask the readers occasional questions

18. Scoring: Information Design
Center volunteers score
design details, including
– Font size and legibility
– Visual hierarchy
– Use of color
– Content value of images

19. Notably
absent
mention of
extension
of deadline
Timeline
Now
Is your
PL
webpage
up-to-
date?
April 30
Information
and document
requests
set to
feedback
Email and
PL Sr Official
July 30
Response
deadline
July 5
Reminder1
~ Oct 14
Report cards
Issued
July 15
Reminder 2
August/September
Scoring

20. No extensions. No excuses!

21. In 2014, we plan to grade…
Agriculture
– Food Safety & Inspection Service
– Natural Resources Conservation Service
Commerce
– Census
– Minority Business Development Agency
Defense
– National Guard
– US Coast Guard
Education
– National Center for Education Statistics
– Institute of Education Sciences
Energy
– Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability
– Office of Fossil Energy
Health and Human Services
– Food and Drug Administration
– National Institutes of Health
Homeland Security
– Transportation Security Administration
– US Customs & Border Protection
Housing and Urban Development
– Federal Housing Administration
– Office of Sustainable Communities
Interior –
– US Geological Service
– Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Justice
– Federal Bureau of Investigation
– Community Relations Service
Labor
– Mine Safety & Health Administration
– Veterans Employment and Training Service
State
– Trafficking in Persons
– Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs
Transportation
–Federal Highway Administration
–Federal Transit Administration
Treasury
– Bureau of Engraving & Printing
– Community Development Financial Institution Fund
Veterans Affairs
– Veterans Health Administration
– Veterans Benefits Administration
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Securities and Exchange Commission
Small Business Administration
Environmental Protection Agency
General Services Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Social Security Administration

22. Now is your chance for …
Questions?
Comments?
Concerns?
Suggestions?

23. Thanks
for listening!

24. After the fact …
If you have questions or comments, contact:
Jana Goldman presshereJG@gmail.com
Kath Straub kath@usability.org