Perceptions of Audience Awareness
When you want to write in plain language, it is important to distinguish between
your concept of plain language and your reader’s.
A reader decides whether to read your material based on the reader’s judgement whether the material:
- looks interesting
- appears useful
- seems easy to read
Putting aside the reader’s search for interesting and useful, what will seem easy to read?
As the reader scans the page and picks out a phrase here and there, the decision is reached according to the reader’s idea of easy reading.
I have found that most over-educated people (as in too many years in the ivory tower) have a limited awareness of the average reader’s capabilities.
If you aim to write always in plain language, then you should inform yourself. Keep up with the relevant news.
Here are 3 items from today alone:
1.
2.British teenagers have lower IQ scores than a generation ago, new study reveals
3.First 2 Words: A Signal for the Scanning Eye
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/nanocontent.html
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