Engineering Terms in Plain English

Twenty terms from engineering writiting translated into the vernacular.

PlainLanguage.gov (2004). Humor>Writing>Engineering>Minimalism

High Tech Humor

The remarkable growth of the information technology industry has created a tremendous opportunity for people with skill putting words on paper. Technical writers, once a rare and highly skilled position, are now as common as fruit flies—though they take up a lot more space. Yet the pay is pretty good considering how little work they actually do, so young English-major weenies desperate for employment continue to swarm around IT companies, hoping for a bit of rotting fru—er, looking for a plum position.

PlainLanguage.gov (2005). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism

A History of Plain Language in the United States Government

Awareness of the need for clear language isn't new in the US government.

Locke, Joanne N. PlainLanguage.gov (2004). Articles>History>Writing>Minimalism

How to Write Good

Fifty-two humorous rules about how to write well (each of which is broken).

PlainLanguage.gov (2004). Humor>Writing>Grammar

Nine Easy Steps to Longer Sentences

Are you tired of short, direct, and simple sentences that seem to take forever to fill up a page? Are you paid by the word? In either case you can benefit by increasing the number of words in your sentences and the bulk of your writing. And it's easy if you just follow nine simple steps, many of which you may already know and practice.

McGinty, Kathy. PlainLanguage.gov (2004). Humor>Writing>Technical Writing>Minimalism

Writing Effective Letters

Always start by putting your main message up front. Some people feel that bad news should be buried. But research shows that readers will always look for the bottom line.

PlainLanguage.gov (1995). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Minimalism

Writing Reader-Friendly Documents  

The traditional way of writing government documents has not worked well. Too often, complicated and jargon filled documents have resulted in frustration, lawsuits, and a lack of trust between citizens and their government. To overcome this legacy, we have a great responsibility to communicate clearly.

PlainLanguage.gov (1995). Articles>Writing>Rhetoric>Minimalism