Why should you do a plain language audit?

We all have a responsibility to produce written information that people can read, understand, and use. A plain language audit can help you identify documents that should be edited for plain language.

Government, business, and nonprofit organizations use many documents:

• Forms and applications – income support, jobs, funding, legal aid, licences, housing.
  
• Reports – land use or economic plans, environmental assessments, discussion papers, strategies.
  
• Legal documents – land claims, insurance, child custody, impact benefit agreements, contracts, adoption, sentencing. Brochures and booklets – health, social well-being, education, sports and fitness, employment, housing, daycare.
  
• Instructions and manuals – workplace health and safety, hazardous waste, elections, firearms safety, prescriptions.
  
• Internal documents – memos, briefing notes, decision papers, reports, meeting minutes, policies.
  
• Letters and memos.

Government, business, and nonprofit organizations
use these documents to:

• Give people information.
  
• Change peoples’ behaviour or thinking.
  
• Help people make decisions.
  
• Consult with people.
  
• Register people for programs or services.