Plain language exercise one takeaways

If you gave up on reading the first paragraph and just moved on to the next one, you are not alone. Giving up is a common reaction when we come across text that is dense and hard to read.

Both text samples are about determining who needs to have a criminal record check performed. 

Notes on text sample 1:

• Message is buried in a long and confusing run-on sentence
• Even if part of the sentence applies to you, it is hard to figure out what to do
• You might ignore the information altogether or contact a government representative for clarification.

Notes on text sample 2:

• A little shorter (55 vs. 66 words)
• Conveys the same information much more clearly
• Easy to scan, skip over the parts that don’t apply
• Helps the reader focus on the parts that are relevant

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Continue to Exercise Two: What are they trying to say?