Plain Language: An Environmental Communication Solution

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Plain LanguageAn Environmental Communication
Solution

• Presented by
• Sue Stableford, MPH, MSB, Director
• AHEC Health Literacy Center
• University of New England
• Biddeford, Maine

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Overview A Problem and A Solution

• Literacy and environmental literacy defined
• The mismatch between reading demandsof EPA
  materials and the willingness and/or abilities of
  consumers to respond
• Plain language Words, Structure, and Design
• The Challenge and Opportunity

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Literacy and Environmental Literacy

• Environmental Literacy The ability to read,
  understand, and use environmental information
• This means Using literacy skills in the context
  of environmental language, laws, and systems
• Context is criticaleven well educated adults
  struggle with unfamiliar environmental terms,
  concepts, processes

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A demonstration of context Try reading these
words squares interaction variance sums de
grees within freedom estimate combined cel
ls divided circumstances
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Now try reading this Under certain
circumstances the within-cells and interaction
sums of squares may be added together and divided
by the combined degrees of freedom to obtain an
estimate of the variance based on a larger number
of degrees of freedom.
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2 Key Questions

• What are the literacy demands of public and
  environmental health?
• What are the abilities of American adults to
  respond?

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Reading and Writing Demands in Public and
Environmental Health

• Reading
• Newsletters, pamphlets, letters, surveys, etc.
• Writing
• Applications, surveys, letters, etc.

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Barriers to Consumer Understanding

• Lack of familiarity with environmental terms and
  systems (lack of context)
• Lack of familiarity with the EPA
• Power imbalance
• Additional potential barriers

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An Added Burden for ManyLimited Literacy Skills

• 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS)
• A representative sample of 26,000 American adults
• Respondents individually interviewed
• Skills assessed in 3 literacy domains
• National survey being repeated in 2003 (now)

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1992 NALSProse Literacy Results

• 21 read at Level 1 (about 5th grade)
• 27 read at Level 2 (about 8th grade)
• 32 read at Level 3 (about 10th grade)
• 20 read at Levels 4 and 5 (about 12th grade and
  above)

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Vulnerable Populations

• In these groups, about 3/4 read at 8th grade
  level or below and about HALF read at 5th grade
  level or below
• Elders (age 65)
• Minority populations
• Immigrant populations
• Those who received welfare in 1992 (poor)
• People with chronic mental and/or physical
  health conditions

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Reasons for Limited Literacy Skills

• Multiple possibilities
• Use it or lose it
• Key point Limited literacy does NOT mean limited
  intelligence or interest

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What about capable readers?

• Informational reading Make it quick and easy.
• Most of us are on information overload and/or
  stretched for time.
• Who will complain about something being too
  quick or too clear?

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The Penguin Syndrome

• A letter received by a publisher of childrens
  booksDear Sirs I am returning your book
  because it told me more about penguins than I
  wanted to know.
• Horton, William. Secrets of User-Seductive
  Documents, pg 43Arlington VA Society for
  Technical Communication, 1997.

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A Sound (and ethical) Organizational Response

• Communicate with consumers in plain language,
  using proven strategies for verbal, electronic,
  and printed information.
• This means translating environmentalese and
  system-speak, using language clear to
  consumers as well as effective message design and
  graphic design techniques

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Reality CheckReading Level of Materials

• Most health materials created by federal
  agencies 10th grade reading level or above and
  do not reflect research-based plain language
  guidelines
• Web information at similar high levels
• What about EPA materials?

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Results of the Mismatch Between Readers
Materials

• Target audience doesnt get your message(s).
• Audience may think you purposefully use difficult
  language to maintain power. This may create
  distrust and/or anger.
• Audience doesnt take the actions you recommend.

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Possible Solutions

• Improve the reading skills of American adults
• Reality check Only about 10 of limited readers
  enter adult literacy programs and many dont stay
• Improve the readability of materials
• This is the only immediately practical solution.
• Demographically, groups increasing most rapidly
  are those with the most limited reading skills

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Describing a Solution

• Easy to read
• Consumer-friendly
• User-seductive
• Reader-focused
• Plain language
• Audience-savvy style of writing, framing
  messages, and designing documents

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Plain Language Writing Style

• Use of familiar words limited use of technical
  terms
• Short sentences and paragraphs
• Active voice Personal, friendly tone
• Concrete words and examples instead of abstract
  words and principles
• Bulleted items for lists

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Example of EPA language

• Original
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  will remobilize to the site to remediate
  additional single-family homes residents
  properties that have granted EPA access in the
  ___ Plaza SubdivisionWe do not anticipate that
  remobilization efforts will interfere with
  children safely playing on the playground, since
  a temporary fence will be set up around the
  trailers.
• 
  Grade 17

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Plain Language Translation

• Draft rewrite
• More families in the ___ Plaza Subdivision have
  asked us to remove lead from soil on their
  properties. So, were coming back!We will fence
  off our trailers. This will make it safe for
  children to continue playing on the playground.
• Grade 6

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One More Language Example

• EPA definition of a brownfield
• Brownfields are abandoned, idled or under-used
  industrial and commercial facilities where
  expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real
  or perceived environmental contamination.
• A community definition of a brownfield
• They are dirty, sometimes dangerous places in
  neighborhoods. Usually Brownfields are places
  where old factories or other businesses were.
  Many times they are very messy and trashy places.

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Beyond Words Structure helps readers get the
message

• Text chunked for the reader using descriptive
  headers
• 3 to 5 points Need to know instead of nice
  to know
• Sequence follows reader logic
• Focus on behavior
• Paragraphs/sections short, stick to one point
• Important points repeated

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Beyond Words Message Appeal

• Probably wont appeal as title
• Proposed Remediation Activities
• Might work better
• How We Plan to Clean Up This Site
• Probably wont appeal as title
• Statutory and Regulatory Authorities
• Might work better
• Laws and Rules Call for Emergency Cleanup

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Effective Layout and Design Grab and Keep
Attention

• Essential design elements
• Limited amount of text lots of white space
• Levels of information clear 12-14 size serif
  font for text body not all caps, not italics,
  not reverse print
• Line length about 3-5 inches
• Good contrast between ink and paper no
  background screens
• Short lists (5-7 items) clear, simple charts
• Pictures that clearly support text

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The Challenge and Opportunity

• The Challenge
• To learn more
• To create easier to read materials
• To better serve your communities
• The Opportunity
• To learn a new skill
• To share power by making public information
  publicly accessible

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Resources to Learn More

• Websites to check out
• www.plainlanguage.gov
• www.plainlanguagenetwork.org
• www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy
• Download guides from NIH and CDC
• http//oc.nci.nih.gov/services/Clear_and_Simple/H
  OME.HTM
• http//www.cdc.gov/publications.htm (look for
  Publications list and download Simply Put

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Great Web Design Book
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Get on Board or Get Left Behind

• 1998 Presidential Mandate is still in effect
• The Federal Governments writing must be in
  plain language. By using plain language, we send
  a clear message about what the Government is
  doing, what it requires, and what services it
  offers. Plain language saves the Government and
  the private sector time, effort, and money.
• Region 5 is leading the way

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Your work truly matters.