Scott Swain

Plain language and readability - Volume 24, Issue

Plain language is writing in clear, concise language that is easy to read and understand. Whenever I hear the term plain language I am reminded of a lay summary I was once asked to edit. The stream of technical language (‘self-source bias’, ‘effect m…

Online plain English and readability resources - Volume 24, Issue

To encourage individuals and businesses to write in simpler, more readable English, private and government-backed enterprises have created a number of freely available online resources. While most relate to general English use, some are devoted to…

Freelancing - Volume 34, Issue

Section Editor: Adriana Rocha Supporting mental health for freelancers in medical communications in 2025 Authors: Shaun W. Foley, Matthew Knight Medical Writing. 2025;34(2):126–129. https://doi.org/10.56012/smor1177

How CDC is promoting a clear communication culture - Volume 24, Issue

Both the federal Plain Writing Act and the mission of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to protect and promote people's health require CDC to communicate clearly so that people can understand and act on the important health…

Shawn McKown

Sara Stein

Making leaflets clearer for patients - Volume 24, Issue

This article examines the clarity of several health information leaflets issued to the public in Europe. It finds that some of the language is quirky, ambiguous, and confusing. In one leaflet, the size of type is too small for easy reading, even by…

The ABCs of paediatric plain language summaries - Volume 30, Issue

Plain language summaries need to be written at a proficiency level of 2 to 3, which roughly corresponds to a 6th grade to 8th grade reading level. Writing these for paediatric audiences brings even greater challenges. For communication to be…

Shaun W. Foley