PlainLanguage.gov http://tc.eserver.org/publisher/PlainLanguage.gov A listing of works published by PlainLanguage.gov in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif PlainLanguage.gov http://tc.eserver.org/dir/PlainLanguage.gov Engineering Terms in Plain English http://tc.eserver.org/25999.html http://tc.eserver.org/25999.html Twenty terms from engineering writiting translated into the vernacular. High Tech Humor http://tc.eserver.org/25990.html http://tc.eserver.org/25990.html 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. A History of Plain Language in the United States Government http://tc.eserver.org/25991.html http://tc.eserver.org/25991.html Awareness of the need for clear language isn't new in the US government. How to Write Good http://tc.eserver.org/26000.html http://tc.eserver.org/26000.html Fifty-two humorous rules about how to write well (each of which is broken). Nine Easy Steps to Longer Sentences http://tc.eserver.org/26001.html http://tc.eserver.org/26001.html 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. Writing Effective Letters http://tc.eserver.org/26003.html http://tc.eserver.org/26003.html 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. Writing Reader-Friendly Documents http://tc.eserver.org/26002.html http://tc.eserver.org/26002.html 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.