Plain Writing at the National Archives

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href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://digital.gov/2015/09/16/using-plain-language-to-write-for-the-web/">Using Plain Language to Write for the Web</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://search.usa.gov/search/news?affiliate%3Ddigitalgov%26channel%3D2078%26query%3Dwebinars%2Bplain%2Blanguage">More Webinars</a></li> </ul> <h3>References</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://www.plainlanguage.gov/">PlainLanguage.gov</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org">Center for Plain Language</a></li> </ul> <div class="buttonLink contact"> <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#contact">Contact Us</a> </div> </nav> </aside> </nav> <div id="main-col" class="col-sm-7"> <p id="print-logo"><img src="/sites/all/themes/nara/images/nara-print-logo.jpg" alt="National Archives Logo"></p> <div class="region region-content"> <section id="block-system-main" class="block block-system clearfix"> <h1>Plain Writing at the National Archives</h1> <p>The National Archives is committed to improving our service to the public. We will use <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#law">plain language</a> in all our communications so that the public can easily understand them. You can help us comply with the <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#law">Plain Writing Act</a>!</p> <h2><a name="contact"></a>How You Can Help</h2> <p>If you have suggestions on ways to improve our documents and/or website, we'd like to hear from you!</p> <ul> <li>Contact us at <strong><a href="mailto:plainwriting@nara.gov?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">plainwriting@nara.gov</a> </strong></li> </ul> <p>Please include the URL of the web page or the name of the document, and we will work to make it easier for you to:</p> <div class="clear width80"> <ul class="floatLeft width40"> <li>find what you need</li> <li>understand what you read</li> </ul> <ul class="floatRight"> <li>use it the first time you read it</li> <li>accomplish your task</li> </ul> </div> <h2>How are we meeting the goals of the Plain Writing Act?</h2> <p class="spaceBelow">1. <strong>Our Working Group developed these tools to help employees use plain language:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/checklist.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Plain Writing Checklist</a>   |   <a class="pdfImage" href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/files/open/plain-writing/plain-writing-checklist.pdf?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">PDF</a></li> <li><a id="style" name="style"></a> <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/files/open/plain-writing/style-guide.pdf?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Style Guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/10-principles.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Top 10 Principles of Plain Language</a>   |   <a class="pdfImage" href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/files/open/plain-writing/plain-language-top-ten.pdf?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">PDF</a></li> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/tips/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Plain Writing Tips</a></li> <li><a class="pdfImage" href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/files/open/plain-writing/toolkit-plain-writing-for-managers-supervisors.pdf?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Plain Language Toolkit for Managers and Supervisors</a></li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow"><br> 2. <strong>We've assigned staff to oversee our plain writing efforts:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li>Senior Official for Plain Writing:   <a href="mailto:plainwriting@nara.gov?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Monica M. Woods </a></li> <li>Plain Writing Point of Contact:   <a href="mailto:plainwriting@nara.gov?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Mary Ryan</a><br>  </li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow">3. <strong>We're training our staff to use plain language in any document that:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li>provides information about any of our services and benefits</li> <li>is necessary to obtain any of our benefits or services</li> <li>explains how to comply with a National Archives requirement<br>  </li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow">4. <strong>We're engaging with our staff about the quality of their communications:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li>National Archives employees — including archivists, contract officers, education staff, exhibit specialists, press officers, supervisors — who write or edit public information take a plain writing course.</li> <li>Our Plain Language Team advises staff about their content.</li> <li>National Archives staff provide quarterly progress reports based on a plain writing directive.</li> <li>National Archives staff are continually informed about plain writing through internal newsletter articles, an internal web page, and blog posts on plain writing.</li> <li>Our Plain Language Liaisons report on what staff in their units are doing to review and revise documents — <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/examples/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">view before/after examples</a>.<br>  </li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow"><a name="survey"></a> 5. <strong>We're consulting our customers about plain language:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li>We use surveys, customer journey mapping, user interviews, <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/digitalstrategy/personas?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">user personas</a>, and user testing among multiple audiences.</li> <li>We also use <a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/metrics/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">metrics</a> and competitive analysis, A/B testing, heatmap usage data, and similar tools to identify customer top tasks.<br>  </li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow"><strong><a name="report"></a> </strong>6. <strong>We report our progress and compliance with the Plain Writing Act to the  public in April of each year:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/reports/compliance-report-2023?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">2023 Plain Language Compliance Report</a> (dated April 2024)</li> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/open/plain-writing/reports/index.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Previous Reports</a><br>  </li> </ul> <p class="spaceBelow"><a name="report-cards"></a>7. <strong>View how we're doing:</strong></p> <ul style="padding-left:20px"> <li>National Archives wasn't graded in 2023</li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/2022-federal-plain-language-report-card/">2022 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/2021-federal-plain-language-report-card/">2021 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/2020-federal-plain-language-report-card/">2020 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/reports/federal-report-card/2019-report-card/">2019 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/reports/federal-report-card/2018-report-card/">2018 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://centerforplainlanguage.org/reports/federal-report-card/2017-report-card/">2017 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/report-cards/" target="_blank">2016 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/2015-report-card/" target="_blank">2015 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li>National Archives wasn't graded in <a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/2013-report-card/" target="_blank">2013</a> and <a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/2014-report-card/" target="_blank">2014</a></li> <li><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/report-cards/2012-report-card/" target="_blank">2012 Plain Language Report Card</a></li> <li><a href="https://www-archives-gov.translate.goog/files/open/plain-writing/reports/compliance-report-071311.pdf?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Our Plain Writing Implementation Plan</a> <span class="smallest"> - dated July 13, 2011</span></li> </ul> <h2 class="below">What is the Plain Writing Act?</h2> <p class="spaceBelow"><a name="law"></a> <a class="pdfImage" href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ274/pdf/PLAW-111publ274.pdf">The Plain Writing Act of 2010</a> requires federal agencies to write "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use."</p> <p> </p> </section> </div> </div><a name="sidebar"></a> <div id="sidebar" class="col-sm-3"> <aside id="sidebar-second"> <div> <div> <div class="nwidget layout block title-box clearfix " data-additional-classes="" data-title="Selected Comments from the Archives.gov ACSI Survey"> <h2>Selected Comments from Archives.gov Feedback</h2> <ul class="lines"> <li><em>Outstanding content and quality of content.</em></li> <li><em>Easy access to the information that I needed.</em></li> <li><em>Clarity and excellent thought that went into presentation.</em></li> <li><em>The ease of navigating and reading the information, you've done a great job - THANKS!</em></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="outline "> <p><a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://centerforplainlanguage.org/clearmark/winnersgallery/%23mg_cd_website" rel="external"><img alt="Center for Plain Language ClearMark Awards" class="center" src="/files/open/redesign/images/clearmark-s.jpg" style="float: left;"></a><em>The ClearMark Awards are given to the best plain language documents and websites. </em><br><br> The <a 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