Plain language policy

Writing for the web is different than writing for print.

It is harder to consume. It's more difficult to read on a screen than on paper because it's tiring on the eyes. In fact, research indicates that the online reading rate is about 25 per cent slower than paper.

Reading online information doesn’t follow a linear pattern. More and more people are using search engines to find content on calgary.ca. This means that any page could potentially be a landing page on our site. Make each page a complete package and don’t assume the user has already seen information on another page.

People scan for headings, hyperlinks, short descriptions, search results, lists and keywords or phrases that match their task at hand.

Therefore, in order for your web content to be effective, it needs to be:

  • Written in plain language and to the point (with shorter sentences and one idea per paragraph).
  • Easy to scan.
  • Complete, accurate, relevant and fresh.

New

Results from anti-racism consultation

  • changing any instances of "racialized" to "Racialized"
  • changing any instances of "stakeholders" to the options below:
    • Contributors
    • Partners
    • Community members
    • The community (rather than community members)
    • Calgarians
    • Participants
    • Rightsholder
    • The public
    • Directly adjacent people
    • Interested parties/people
    • Participants
    • People interested in, and impacted by, City decisions and processes.
    • People that live, work, and play in Calgary.

Plain language

Writing in plain language helps all users understand content better. Your job is to reduce the cognitive demands on your user. In other words, don't make them think too hard.

The first and most important thing to do is to remember you are an individual speaking to another individual. Imagine speaking the content out loud. While written text doesn't always need to sound like spoken text, if you're speaking content and it feels awkward, it will probably feel awkward for someone to read it.

And most of all, use common sense when writing.

Words

  • Substitute more common words whenever you can.
    • Poor: This room has a maximum capacity of 15 people.
    • Better: This room can hold no more than 15 people.
  • Tailor your writing to those with the least expertise.
  • Avoid acronyms, including City-specific acronyms, except where necessary. When using an acronym, spell  it out on the first use.
  • Don't assume that everyone understands the words you are using — even the most basic words. For example, if you're talking about business licenses, what does "business" mean? It may mean different things to different people.

Voice

  • Active voice is easier to understand, even if it requires more words. Use the word "you" whenever it would make sense, rather than speaking in third person.
    • Poor: Registration opens on May 1.
    • Better: You can register starting on May 1.
    • Poor: Unlicensed cats and dogs can incur a $250 fine.
    • Better: If you do not license your cat or dog, you could face a $250 fine.
  • Generally refer to The City or departments in the third person, but you may use first person where it feels natural.
    • Poor: You will receive a response within 3-5 business days.
    • Better: We will respond within 3-5 business days.
    • Poor: Returning customers are encouraged to log in to make sure their information is up to date.
    • Better: We encourage returning customers to log in to make sure your information is up to date.

Organizing content

  • Make sure the purpose of the page is stated up front so that users know they're in the right place.
  • Start with the most important content.
  • Break content up by headers so users can find what they need on the page without having to read everything (see headers page)
    • Headings should be concise and lead with the most important words
  • Make paragraphs shorts, usually no more than 2-3 sentences.
  • Break content up into lists wherever it makes sense. (see lists page)
    • Usually, any time you have a list of three or more items in a sentence, it could be a  list.
    • If you have three or more links in a sentence, it should be a list.
  • Write short sentences, aiming for 15-20 words. Longer sentences may sometimes be necessary, but should be rare.
  • Only include links that are likely to be useful to users. Don't just link to everything that's related. If you have a lot of links, organize them in lists or separate sections rather than sprinkling them throughout your text.
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Additional writing tips

Do

  • Substitute more common words whenever you can.
  • Tailor your writing to those with the least expertise.
  • Use an active voice, even if it requires more words. Use the word "you" whenever it would make sense, rather than speaking in third person.
  • Generally, refer to The City or departments in the third person, but you may use first person where it feels natural.
  • State the purpose of the page up front so that users know they're in the right place.
  • Start with the most important content.
  • Break content up by headers 
  • Make paragraphs shorts, usually no more than 2-3 sentences.
  • Break content up into lists wherever it makes sense. 
  • Write short sentences, aiming for 15-20 words. 

Don't

  • Don't use acronyms, including City-specific acronyms, except where necessary. When using an acronym, spell it out on the first use.
  • Don't assume that everyone understands the words you are using — even the most basic words. For example, if you're talking about business licenses, what does "business" mean? It may mean different things to different people.
  • Don't link to everything that's related. If you have a lot of links, organize them in lists or separate sections rather than sprinkling them throughout your text.
  • Avoid overused, tired, outdated, or repetitive words.
    • See windy or outdated phrases to get an idea of what to look out for.
    • Avoid over-used or cliché expressions such as "We are committed to..."
  • You don't need to follow all the rules you learned in English class. Real human speech is not always as formal.