Pleasing the reader by pleasing the eye—Part 1 The role of format and design in readability - Volume 21, Issue

Whoever writes wants to be read. Yet, even if we succeed in creating an informative, logically structured, and adequately worded text tailored to our target audience, i.e., text we consider to have an adequate level of readability, our documents may…

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…

Pleasing the reader by pleasing the eye—Part 2 Page layout and readability - Volume 22, Issue

The purpose of page layout is to consciously arrange text and graphics on a page in a way that supports the reading process and allows the reader to effortlessly follow the flow of information. It should blend words and images into an effective…

Patient education accessibility - Volume 24, Issue

Patient education that overcomes literacy barriers supports quality care. This article provides an overview of health literacy, describes the concepts of readability and accessibility, and discusses how to empathise with the patient's experience and…

Plain Language and Readability - Volume 24, Issue

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…

Removing the dead wood - Volume 26, Issue

Authors are urged to write clearly, concisely and convincingly, but this can be difficult to achieve if they are unaware that they are using longwinded phrases, convoluted language and excessive hedging, also   called “dead wood”. In this article, I…

Editing for writers who have English as an additional language - Volume 27, Issue

Editors of English are typically met with expectations to make a quick fix of documents that need more radical changes than authors think. As editors, we should convey how we work to improve readability, and either adjustor gain acceptance for our…

Journal Watch - Volume 21, Issue

Readability of informed consent forms, sponsor participation in industry trials, and conflict of interest disclosure. Informed consent is a crucial feature of clinical research trials. Guidelines on developing an informed consent form urge writers…

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…