Plain writing still a challenge for most government websites

The Plain Language Act, enacted back in 2010, requires federal agencies to use understandable English. Nearly all agencies have established policies for using plain language. But what they actually put out can leave normal people, even lawyers, scratching their heads. Lots of passive voice, lots of long sentences. A company called Visible Thread has technology that can analyze text for clarity and consistency. It has published a clarity index of federal agencies, based on analysis...

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The Plain Language Act, enacted back in 2010, requires federal agencies to use understandable English. Nearly all agencies have established policies for using plain language. But what they actually put out can leave normal people, even lawyers, scratching their heads. Lots of passive voice, lots of long sentences. A company called Visible Thread has technology that can analyze text for clarity and consistency. It has published a clarity index of federal agencies, based on analysis of their web sites. C-E-O Fergal McGovern joins me now with highlights.

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