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Understanding the Federal Plain Language Guidelines
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 2
What HowWhy
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 3
“Communication your audience understands
the first time they read it.”
— CDC Plain Language Guidelines
What is plain language?
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 4
Yuck.
Using a state-of-the-art test and development center, Leading Edge Solutions Center (LESC), our support will be focused on providing NAASC with a means to mitigate risk, cost overruns, and rapid results by offering efficiencies, through offsite Agile development, facilitating continuity of operations for NAASC with zero transition time and minimal risk, while transitioning future-state business vision to system workflow.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 5
Wha?
Ms. Benson currently works for a company that consults with intelligence agencies, participates in triathlons, and organizes an annual fundraiser for the local United Way.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 6
Plain Writing Act of 2010
All agencies must— Write in a “clear, concise, well-
organized” manner Train staff in plain writing Use plain language in any document
that explains a federal government benefit or service, or gives the public instructions
Provide annual compliance reports
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 7
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 8
2010
2013
2015
Ongoing training …
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 9
DoD, 2015
DFAS — 20 DCAA — 158 USNORCOM and NORAD — 407 Joint Staff — 574
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 10
Also …
DoD-wide PL training course debuting May 2015 DCMA PL training program debuting Q4 2015 DCAA updating DCAI Audit Report Writing Course DLA now requiring PL training for all employees
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 11
DOJ — 96 in 2014 Commerce — 1,050+ in 2013 & 2014 FDA — 580 in 2014 FCC — 880 since 2011 CDC — 2,436 in 2013 & 2014 USDA — 20,000 since 2011
Other agencies…
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 12
Results …
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 13
Case Study: Washington State
# biz paying use tax 3% 9%
target revenue $1.2M $2M
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 14
1¢ → 1$return on investment
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 15
Case Study: VBA
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 16
Case Study: VBA
Successful response
rate
Calls per month, per counselor
Calls per year, over 10
counselors
Old letter 43% 9.4 1,128
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 17
Case Study: VBA
Successful response
rate
Calls per month, per counselor
Calls per year, over 10
counselors
Old letter 43% 9.4 1,128New letter 65% 1.6 192
Estimated savings: $5M in staff time
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 18
92 forms; 1M copies
Processing time ↓10 min/form
Case Study: Canadian Government
Savings: 10 RFTs / year in processing time
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 19
What are the guidelines?
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 20
Creating plain writing through …
Words Sentences Paragraphs Audience focus
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 21
Plain language
Readability
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 22
Words
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 23
What do the guidelines say?
“Wordy, dense construction is one of the biggest problems...
Nothing is more confusing than long, complex sentences containing multiple phrases and clauses.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 24
Why???
Using a state-of-the-art test and development center, Leading Edge Solutions Center (LESC), our support will be focused on providing NAASC with a means to mitigate risk, cost overruns, and rapid results by offering efficiencies, through offsite Agile development, facilitating continuity of operations for NAASC with zero transition time and minimal risk, while transitioning future-state business vision to system workflow.
25
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 | PAGE 25
Use shorter words
accordingly facilitate immediately utilize subsequently expeditious
so help now use then fast
Instead of … Try …
26
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 | PAGE 26
Eliminate redundant words
stated requirements pre-planning new innovations data items end result knowledge and
information
requirements planning innovations data result pick one!
Redundant Clear
27
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 | PAGE 27
Reduce wordiness
until such time as have a need for make a decision to due to the fact that a sufficient number of on a monthly basis
until need decide because enough monthly
Wordy Simple
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 28
What do the guidelines say?
“Writers must become more critical of their own writing. They must consider whether they need every word.”
29
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 | PAGE 29
Impact on readability
The following past performance examples were selected because they directly illustrate our team’s extensive experience with other DOD clients.
These past performance examples show our team’s extensive experience with DOD clients.
Readability = 14.7 Readability = 8.7
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 30
7thgrade reading level
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 31
What do the guidelines say?
“Don’t sound so bureaucratic!” Allow contractions Limit jargon Reduce acronyms
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 32
Allow contractions
We are more than just a strong financial team. We understand where you have been and where you are headed.
We’re more than just a strong financial team. We understand where you’ve been and where you’re headed.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 33
What do the guidelines say?
“Don’t have to use it in every instance possible … but use it where it sounds more natural.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 34
Avoid jargon
Necessary technical terms
Obscure, pretentious, unnecessarily fancy words
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 35
Technical terms
watchstanding warfighter ping run books tabletop exercises CPARS ratings ITIL Certification
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 36
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 37
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled homeless
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 38
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled homeless The patient is being given positive-pressure ventilatory support.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 39
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled homeless The patient is being given positive-pressure ventilatory support.
The patient is on a respirator.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 40
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled homeless The patient is being given positive-pressure ventilatory support.
The patient is on a respirator.
Most refractory coatings to date exhibit a lack of reliability when subject to the impingement of entrained particulate matter in the propellant stream under extended firing durations.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 41
Jargon
Don’t say Sayinvoluntarily undomiciled homeless The patient is being given positive-pressure ventilatory support.
The patient is on a respirator.
Most refractory coatings to date exhibit a lack of reliability when subject to the impingement of entrained particulate matter in the propellant stream under extended firing durations.
Exhaust gas eventually damages the coating of most ceramics.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 42
Bizspeak
client-centric approach core competencies harvest efficiencies hit the ground running holistic leverage scalable
seamless integration speed innovation state-of-the-art synergy turnkey solution value-added win-win
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 43
“It’s all about your audience. Will they understand what you write?
If you know your readers will understand all the technical jargon in an RFP, you are good to go.
If they can’t, you are in trouble.”
— Michael Coogan, DOE
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 44
Sentences
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 45
Write short sentences
Express one idea per sentence “Long, complicated sentences often mean that you
aren’t sure about what you want to say.” “The audience loses the point in a forest of words.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 46
Ideal length
≤14words per sentence
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 47
With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time, without having to “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 48
With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time, without having to “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.
59w 28th
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 49
With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time.
They no longer must “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 50
With JTSystems, sales representatives can instantly check a customer’s credit, quickly source the needed products within the company’s global inventory, and ensure that the products are shipped to the customer on time.
They no longer must “correct” a customer order when the day-old inventory report reveals a particular batch of printers is no longer in stock or available for shipping.
30w 16th
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 51
With JTSystems, sales representatives can: Instantly check a customer’s credit Source the needed products within the company’s global
inventory Ensure that the products are shipped on time.
They no longer must “correct” an order when day-old inventory reports reveal certain printers are no longer in stock or available for shipping.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 52
With JTSystems, sales representatives can: Instantly check a customer’s credit Source the needed products within the company’s global
inventory Ensure that the products are shipped on time.
They no longer must “correct” an order when day-old inventory reports reveal certain printers are no longer in stock or available for shipping.
15w 9th
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 53
28th → 9threadability
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 54
14 14 14 boring
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 55
206
13
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 56
What do the guidelines say?
Use active voice Clear, concise, and direct “Passive is characteristic of bureaucratese.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 57
Passive → Active
Reducing your working capital requirements is a fundamental role for our team.
Our team is focused on one thing: reducing your working capital requirements.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 58
Passive → Active
Teaming partners were selected because of the synergy achieved between analytical depth and warfighter experience.
We selected teaming partners with analytical depth and warfighter experience.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 59
Avoid hidden verbs
Verbs disguised as nouns Generally longer than their true verb forms “…makes our writing less effective and uses more
words than we need”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 60
Hidden verbs
Conduct an analysis Perform an assessment Provide assistance Came to the conclusion
that
Analyze Assess Assist (or help) Concluded
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 61
What do the guidelines say?
“Verbs tell your audience what to do. Make sure they know who does what.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 62
Avoid noun strings
Readability suffers when you clump nouns together “Once you get past three nouns, it becomes
unbearable.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 63
Uncluster your nouns
Underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 64
Uncluster your nouns
Underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
Developing
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 65
Uncluster your nouns
Underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
Developing procedures
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 66
Uncluster your nouns
Underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
Developing procedures to protect the safety of workers
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 67
Uncluster your nouns
Underground mine worker safety protection procedures development
Developing procedures to protect the safety of workers in underground mines
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 68
Uncluster your nouns
Draft online privacy rights protection regulation creation
Creating
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 69
Uncluster your nouns
Draft online privacy rights protection regulation creation
Creating draft regulations
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 70
Uncluster your nouns
Draft online privacy rights protection regulation creation
Creating draft regulations to protect the privacy rights
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 71
Uncluster your nouns
Draft online privacy rights protection regulation creation
Creating draft regulations to protect the privacy rights of citizens online
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 72
Use first person & personal pronouns
“Pronouns help the audience picture themselves in the text and relate better to your documents.”
“More than any other single technique, using ‘you’ pulls users into your document and makes it relevant to them.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 73
How?
Use we to refer to your company Use you for the customer
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 74
Impersonal → personal
Johnson & Smith will provide the necessary personnel to seamlessly transition General Electric to the Johnson & Smith Financial Program.
We will provide the necessary staff to seamlessly transition you to our program.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 75
Stuffy → get r’ done
A meeting will be held with Johnson & Smith’s key personnel and General Electric’s team members to outline the implementation process.
We’ll meet with your team to plan the implementation.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 76
Minimize abbreviations
“… a menace to prose …” “ … constantly require the reader to look back to earlier
pages, or consult and appendix, to puzzle out what’s being said.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 77
Use “nicknames”
For Instead of … Consider …Engineering Safety Advisory Committee Small-quantity handlers of universal wastes Fire and Police Employee Relations Act
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 78
Use “nicknames”
For Instead of … Consider …Engineering Safety Advisory Committee
ESAC
Small-quantity handlers of universal wastes
SQHUWs
Fire and Police Employee Relations Act
FPERA
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 79
Use “nicknames”
For Instead of … Consider …Engineering Safety Advisory Committee
ESAC the committee
Small-quantity handlers of universal wastes
SQHUWs waste handlers
Fire and Police Employee Relations Act
FPERA the Act
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 80
The committee is creating this Act to protect waste handlers.
ESAC is creating FPERA to protect SQHUWs.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 81
Don’t define obvious acronyms
“…you’re taking up space and annoying your reader.” “If you’re writing to the FAA … the reader is not going to
be confused about what FAA means!”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 82
Create a readable structure
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 83
Write short sections …
“Short sections break up material so it appears easier to comprehend.
Long, dense sections with no white space are visually unappealing.
They give the impression your document is difficult to understand.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 84
… and use lots of subheads
“Boldface section headings give your reader the best roadmap to your document.”
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 85
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 88
The Perils of Joint Ownership of IP
Equal isn’t always fair.
More owners means more red tape.
Collaboration doesn’t always mean cooperation.
Joint ownership can be a barrier to licensing.
The solution: Be clear about terms
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 89
Ideal length
≤7lines per paragraph
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 90
Use lists
Help reader focus on important material Make it easy for the reader to identify all items or steps
in a process Add blank space for easy reading
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 91
Eeeek
The share of oil revenues in UAE’s GDP dropped from 43.4% in 2001 to 32.7% in 2012. Knowledge-based industries and services increased their share of GDP over the same period from 32.1% to 37.5%. The UAE has positioned itself as a global leader in real estate, renewable energy and aviation, and a regional hub for financial services and tourism by innovating and taking on large bets in game-changing developments such as the tallest tower in the world, the world’s most sustainable eco-city, one of the largest airlines worldwide, and state-of-the art infrastructure. The UAE has positioned itself as a global leader in real estate, renewable energy and aviation, and a regional hub for financial services and tourism by innovating and taking on large bets in game-changing developments.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 92
Aaahh
The share of oil revenues in UAE’s GDP dropped from 43.4% in 2001 to 32.7% in 2012. Knowledge-based industries and services increased their share of GDP over the same period from 32.1% to 37.5%. The UAE has positioned itself as a global leader in: real estate renewable energy aviation financial services.
The country has done this by innovating and taking on large bets in game-changing developments.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 93
Payment of the penalty is through the federal income tax return and is $95 per individual and $285 per family in 2014 or 1 percent of family income whichever is greater.
The 2014 penalty is whichever of these is more:
• $95 per individual• $285 per family• 1% of family income
If you owe a penalty, you’ll pay through your federal income tax return.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 94
Use tables
Scannable Makes it easy to take in complex material at a glance Saves words
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 95
§ 163.25 Forest management deductions. a. Pursuant to the provisions of 25 U.S.C. 413 and 25 U.S.C. 3105, a forest management deduction shall be withheld from the gross proceeds of sales of Indian forest land as described in this section. b. Gross proceeds shall mean the value in money or money’s worth of consideration furnished by the purchaser of forest products purchased under a contract, permit, or other document for the sale of forest products. c. Forest management deductions shall not be withheld where the total consideration furnished under a document for the sale of forest products is less than $5,001. d. Except as provided in § 163.25(e) of this part, the amount of the forest deduction shall not exceed the lesser amount of ten percent (10%) of the gross proceeds or, the actual percentage in effect on November 28, 1990. e. The Secretary may increase the forest management deduction percentage for Indian forest land upon receipt of a written request from a tribe supported by a written resolution executed by the authorized tribal representatives. At the request of the authorized tribal representatives and at the discretion of the Secretary the forest management deduction percentage may be decreased to not less than one percent (1%) or the requirement for collection may be waived.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 96
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 97
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 98
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 99
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
an authorized tribal representative requests a decrease in the deduction
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 100
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
an authorized tribal representative requests a decrease in the deduction
we approve the decrease
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 101
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
an authorized tribal representative requests a decrease in the deduction
we approve the decrease the percentage requested, with a 1% minimum.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 102
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
an authorized tribal representative requests a decrease in the deduction
we approve the decrease the percentage requested, with a 1% minimum.
an authorized tribal representative requests a waiver of the deduction
we approve the waiver waived.
none of the above conditions applies the percentage in effect on November 28, 1990, or 10%, whichever is less.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 103
§ 163.25 Forest management deductions. a. Pursuant to the provisions of 25 U.S.C. 413 and 25 U.S.C. 3105, a forest management deduction shall be withheld from the gross proceeds of sales of Indian forest land as described in this section. b. Gross proceeds shall mean the value in money or money’s worth of consideration furnished by the purchaser of forest products purchased under a contract, permit, or other document for the sale of forest products. c. Forest management deductions shall not be withheld where the total consideration furnished under a document for the sale of forest products is less than $5,001. d. Except as provided in § 163.25(e) of this part, the amount of the forest deduction shall not exceed the lesser amount of ten percent (10%) of the gross proceeds or, the actual percentage in effect on November 28, 1990. e. The Secretary may increase the forest management deduction percentage for Indian forest land upon receipt of a written request from a tribe supported by a written resolution executed by the authorized tribal representatives. At the request of the authorized tribal representatives and at the discretion of the Secretary the forest management deduction percentage may be decreased to not less than one percent (1%) or the requirement for collection may be waived.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 104
§ 163.25 Will BIA withhold any forest management deductions?
If … and … then the percentage of the deduction is:
a tribe requests an increase in the deduction through a tribal resolution
they send us a written request
the percentage requested by the tribe.
an authorized tribal representative requests a decrease in the deduction
we approve the decrease the percentage requested, with a 1% minimum.
an authorized tribal representative requests a waiver of the deduction
we approve the waiver waived.
none of the above conditions applies the percentage in effect on November 28, 1990, or 10%, whichever is less.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 105
Audience
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 106
Focus on the reader
Not … What do I want to say about
me? How can I achieve my
goals? What can I do to impress
them?
But … What does the reader need
to know? How can I address their
needs? What issues are important
to them?
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 107
CO Detector Update: The Coast Guard has conducted an investigation to determine what carbon monoxide (CO) detection devices are available to recreational boaters, such that, when installed and activated could reduce the risk of being exposed to high levels of CO, that silent killer. A variety of technologies are available for detecting the presence of CO on boats and should be considered by recreational boaters to reduce their risk of injury or death while boating.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 108
Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. The Coast Guard recommends that you use a carbon monoxide detector on your boat to reduce the risk of being exposed to high levels of CO.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 109
Does this all really matter?
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 110
— Tara Dunlop, OMB
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 111
— Katharine Spivey, GSA
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 112
— Cynthia Baur, CDC
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 113
— Maureen Wood, USDA
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 114
Questions
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 115
Let’s implement
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 116
Choose the right time
While you’re writing? After, while you’re editing?
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 117
AFTERwhile you are editing!
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 118
When can you edit?
Right away? No!
Overnight After a walk After a half hour
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 119
Use a checklist
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 120
Use a checklist
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 121
Samantha EnslenPresidentDragonfly Editorial937-216-9323 [email protected] @DragonflyEdit
Contact Us
APMPPO Box 77272Washington, DC20013-7272 Phone: +1 - (202) 450-2549www.apmp.org
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 122
“Like other Government agencies, NASA adheres to the Plain Writing Act of 2010 … other organizations are welcome to also use those guidelines for enhancing
clarity and readability when producing their own documents.”
— Gina Hall, NASA
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 123
Extra slides
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 124
“DoD’s plain language policy applies only to our internal documents and any information prepared for the
public. However, it seems logical that any proposals prepared for the Department should be clearly and
concisely written.
— Kate Ives, DoD
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 125
Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something -- anything -- down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft -- you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft -- you fix it up.
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 126
Keep in mind the average reader’s level of technical expertise
Write to everyone who might read, not just to experts Remember that even an expert will prefer a clearly
written document!
— Principles of Plain Language, Plain Language Actionand Information Network
APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2015 | PAGE 127
— Karen V. Gregory, FMC