The Plain Language movement is deeply rooted in the federal government and rapidly gaining support throughout the US and abroad. Documents written in plain language deliver information that readers can understand quickly and easily. Plain language helps users

• Find what they need
• Understand what they find
• Use what they find to meet their needs

Advocates say messages presented in plain language are neither drab nor dreary. On the contrary, they are robust and direct. They avoid gaudy and pretentious language and are interesting to read. Plain language, they say, doesn’t require you to “dumb-down” your messages and can save time, money and lives.

On Monday, November 6, 2006, the AMWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter gathered to learn more about Plain Language from Annetta Cheek, PhD, chair of the federal interagency plain language advocacy group known as PLAIN and board vice-chair of the private, nonprofit Center for Plain Language. You can download a free copy of the PowerPoint slide presentation and Dr. Cheek’s enlightening presentation below.

Our thanks to Dr. Annetta Cheek for volunteering her time to improve our knowledge of Plain Language. Also, thanks to Richard Sizemore of Viva Productions for videotaping the event and preparing it for the AMWA-MAC Web site.

• Original: [DOC]
• Edited: [DOC]
• Style Writer's View: [PNG] (opens in Microsoft Picture Viewer)