January 2018 Volunteer of the month: Maria Mindlin
Maria Mindlin started volunteering with the Center in 2014. She initially worked on short pieces that were light and entertaining for the Center’s blog. That’s when, in her own words, “I found out I wasn’t a naturally entertaining kind of person!”
Center founder wins International Plain Language Achievement Award
As the Center approaches the close of 2017, we celebrate a prestigious award received recently by our founder and former Chair, Annetta Cheek. The Center’s international counterpart, Plain Language Association International (PLAIN), awarded Annetta the Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award in September at its conference in Graz, Austria. The award honors a “significant contribution to advancing plain language at the local, regional, national, or international levels.”
America’s Plain Language authority condemns reported CDC changes
The Center for Plain Language is speaking out against proposed changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) communication rules. On Friday, December 15, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is forbidding CDC from using seven terms and phrases in its upcoming budget documents.
Lost in translation: Making health insurance content clear, not cryptic
A friend on Facebook recently posted, “I just got an email from Blue Cross urging me to ‘use my benefits’ because the end of the year is coming. Honestly have no idea what to make of that.” Especially since after two emergency room visits, “I have super definitely ‘used my benefits’ this year.”
Writing for health insurance customers is tough.
The potential power of plain language
It’s a phrase that’s often tossed around. But how often do we use it when we should? Plain language is communication your reader can understand immediately. It requires that readers be able to find what they need, understand what they find, and then use that information for their own benefit. It’s not enough for them to understand one sentence of text; it must all work together.
This year’s Federal Report Card: Why did the grades drop?
This year’s Federal Report Card yielded surprising results for several agencies. The Center looked at a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and a data infographic, assigning a separate grade for each. The FAQ pages earned each agency its Writing and Information Design grade. Last year we graded a sampling of forms and instructions from each agency.
Putting the human into health literacy
Think about your favorite book. It probably kept you turning page after page because it had an engaging storyline, a relatable character, or a situation that resonated in some way with your personal life. Authors tell a story. Yet as healthcare communicators, the story is often removed and what’s left is information. The healthcare industry, however, faces an extraordinary challenge. A Health Affairs study showed that most Americans do not understand basic health insurance terminology. Bridging the gap between information and engagement is a critical piece of health literacy communication.
Plain language supports science communication
I love helping scientists translate tech talk into plain language. Often the editing process goes smoothly, but sometimes, they have reservations. The fears I hear most often involve dumbing down the information, or, oversimplifying it. “Those are common complaints,” says Dr. Lisa DiPinto, Senior
Scientist at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and one of my colleagues, in the Office of Response and Restoration.
Preventable Harm
When communication isn’t clear, the result is burden. In health care this burden is often borne by someone who is already carrying rocks in their pack (feeling sick, worried or exhausted). Now, in addition to missing work, paying for medications and doing what it takes to heal, energy must go to deciphering unnecessarily complex information. Common examples include care instructions, medical bills or conversations with providers (“What did the doctor say?”).
The importance of plain language for content creation
Information flows freely and quickly in our modern world. With so much news that we receive every day it is important to keep things simple. Plain language plays the key role in that regard. It uses clear sentences and basic phrases, helping people to understand the message instantly.
Good policy needs more than 140 characters
President Trump’s recent announcement, via a series of tweets, of a new “policy” regarding transgender individuals serving in the military resulted in questions and concerns raised on many fronts.
In response to the President’s tweets, the Joint Chiefs issued a message recognizing that there were “questions” about the announcement and assuring that, “There will be no modifications to the current policy until the President’s direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance.”
Volunteer Recognition: Lee Clark Johns
How are we doing? That’s the question that prompted my easy “yes” when I was asked to judge entries for the ClearMark Awards. After three years as a judge (the last two as head judge), I can assert, “We – plain language practitioners and products – are doing fine!”