Easy Read is a form of writing that makes information more accessible to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, individuals who do not know much English, and elderly people who may have problems with sight or comprehension. These documents are usually much longer than other documents, are much less complicated than Plain Language resources, and contain clear elements and understandable language and images.
General Guidelines
Although there is no correct way to write in Easy Read, the following suggestions may be useful.
Include More Background Info
The same information should be in Easy Read and non-Easy Read resources. However, Easy Read documents may include more background information. Such information ensures that people have the same knowledge before coming to the main points of Easy Read material.
Use Brief Sentences
Easy Read resources should include brief sentences that primarily include frequently used words, though specialized words can be used if necessary. For example, an Easy Read document about Congress should include the word “Congress.”
Give Each Sentence One Idea
Every sentence should have one idea. A sentence with more than one idea should be divided into multiples.
For example, an original sentence could be “Congress consists of the Senate, whose 100 Senators serve for six-year terms, and the House, whose 435 Representatives have two-year terms.”
The Easy Read version would be:
“Congress includes the Senate and the House.
The Senate includes 100 Senators.
Senators serve six-year terms.
The House includes 435 Representatives.
Representatives serve two-year terms.”
Use the Active Voice
You should use the active, not passive, voice in Easy Read sources. Active voice is clear and direct. An example is “Mary plays the violin.” That sentence in passive voice is “The violin is played by Mary.”
Choose Words Carefully
Consider the following when writing Easy Read documents:
- Avoid jargon and complicated language.
- Avoid pronouns. Instead, repeat the subject again.
- Define terms, and bold a term the first time you define it. Put all terms and definitions in a glossary.
- Avoid metaphors.
- Spell out acronyms each time if they’re uncommon.
- Write numbers in numerical form, not in words.
- Avoid percentages.
- Write at a basic reading level. Using simple words can lower the reading level, which you can check on multiple websites.
Simplify the Formatting
To make Easy Read text more accessible:
- Use larger type sizes and sans-serif font.
- Include white space because it may be difficult for people to read dense text.
- Perhaps divide Easy Read resources into sections to make documents more manageable and user-friendly.
- Consider using bulleted lists, which provide more space and images. (However, some people believe that such lists make documents less useful.)
- Use left-aligned text because it is the easiest to read.
Easy Read documents use icons that are easy to understand and simple, and any icons you use early in the document can be incorporated later on. Alt text can describe icons; usually, text is on the left side while icons are on the right.
Consult a Focus Group
A focus group can improve Easy Read resources. The group can ensure that the documents are understandable and have useful pictures and enough information. It should include members of your target audiences, and you should acknowledge group members in the Easy Read document (with their permission) and compensate them.
Final Thoughts
Easy Read makes text more accessible. These resources should contain the same information as non-Easy Read resource and feature simple language and graphics.
Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for Congress. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into the national honorary society for public administration. She has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. She is a commissioner of the DC Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.
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