Trainer Attachment 25B: Making print materials easier to read

Tips for Clear Writing

Health writing will generally test at a higher reading level than some other subjects because health-related words characteristically have more syllables. Often the writer cannot avoid using technical language but the effects which these words have on readability can be minimized by writing short, concise sentences and by defining difficult words or terms for the reader.

1. Organizing the material

· Use titles and subtitles to clearly define the organization and flow of ideas.
· Use bold face, italics, or underlining to emphasize important words and ideas.
· Begin the material with an introduction to state the purpose and to orient the reader.
· Use a summary paragraph to end a section and to recap major point.
· Locate appropriate visuals (Charts, photos, graphics) next to the related ideas in the text.

2. Within a paragraph

· Use one idea per paragraph to emphasize each important concept.
· Start each paragraph with a strong topic sentence.
· Vary the length of sentences.
· Use examples to clarify ideas with which the reader may not have had experience.

3. Within a sentence

· Keep sentence short (approximately 9 to 10 sentences per 100 words).
· Vary the length of sentences.
· Avoid complex sentence structures and long, fact-laden sentences.
· Use the active rather than the passive voice.

4. Choice of words

· Avoid polysyllabic words when possible.

· Avoid specialized vocabulary and complicated expressions. When specialized vocabulary is essential, a parenthetical definition or a glossary should be included as part of the text.

· Avoid abbreviations except when commonly understood.

· Use shorter words.