Plain Language Services through the NWTLC

The NWTLC offers plain language services to business, government and non-profit groups. The benefits of plain language writing are clear – it reaches people who cannot read well; it helps all readers understand information; it avoids misunderstandings and errors; and it saves time.

Plain language writing focuses on the needs of the reader and how you can get your message across most effectively. When using plain language writing techniques, we focus on the following questions:

• Who is the audience?
• What information do they need to know?
• How will the audience use the information?
• How can the information be organized and expressed most clearly?

Our Plain Language Services

Writing

We do research and write new documents. We write summaries of longer, often more technical documents. We can test the document and make design suggestions. You get an attractive, concise document your readers can easily read, understand, and use.

Editing

We edit the text of an existing document. We can test the document and make design suggestions.

You get a document that's easier to read, understand, and use. Probably shorter too! Your new plain language document will keep the meaning and integrity of the original document.

Audits

We use our audit tool and a readability assessment to assess your document for plain language.

You get a checklist that identifies the plain language principles your document has and those it lacks. You get a brief report that analyses the reading level and suggests how you might change your document so it's easier to read, understand, and use.

Focus Groups

We organize and facilitate a focus group to review and test your document. The focus group represents the document's readers.

You get a report with useful feedback from a sample of your readers. This information can help you revise your document.

Contact us with your ideas. Phone 867-873-9262, toll free in the NWT at 1-866-599-6758 or plainlanguage@nwtliteracy.ca.