• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Top menuClose top menu
  • Become a member
  • Find a consultant
  • Sponsor
Center logo
MAIN MENUClose MENU
  • Home
  • Awards
    • ClearMark Awards
      • 2020 Award Winners
    • WTF Awards
  • Reports
    • 2021 Federal Report Card
    • 2020 Federal Report Card
    • Report Cards 2012 - 2019
    • Time Privacy Policy
    • Partnership for Public Service
  • Learning
    • Five Steps to Plain Language
    • Templates, Tools and Training
    • E-book for members
  • Membership
    • Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Login
  • About
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
    • Openings
  • Blog

Advocates of the Plain Writing Act prod federal agencies to keep it simple

April 9, 2012

Washington Post, April 8, 2012
Center for Plain Language chair Annetta Cheek spoke with reporter Lisa Rein about progress in implementing the Plain Writing Act.

“Federal agencies must report their progress this week in complying with the Plain Writing Act, a new decree that government officials communicate more conversationally with the public.

Speaking plainly, they ain’t there yet.

Which leaves, in the eyes of some, a basic and critical flaw in how the country runs. “Government is all about telling people what to do,” said Annetta Cheek, a retired federal worker from Falls Church and longtime evangelist for plain writing. “If you don’t write clearly, they’re not going to do it.”

But advocates such as Cheek estimate that federal officials have translated just 10 percent of their forms, letters, directives and other documents into “clear Government communication that the public can understand and use,” as the law requires.”

Read the full article in the Washington Post.

Share:
FOOTER MENUCLOSE MENU
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy/Terms
  • Search

Follow us

         

Center For Plain Language · 2652 Chancer Dr. · Richmond, VA 23233
Copyright © 2022 — Center for Plain Language • All rights reserved.