Writing in Plain Language
In a busy workplace, unclear writing costs time. Everyday messages are often slowed down by dense jargon, long sentences, buried main points, and unclear next steps.
This course gives participants practical tools to make emails, memos, notices, internal updates, and short web or intranet content clearer, shorter, and easier for the reader to act on. Using the PLAIN framework, participants learn how to check their writing for purpose, reader needs, main message, tone, sentence clarity, and scanability. This course also explores how AI can help flag readability and tone issues, jargon, and bias while keeping human judgment at the centre.
Participants leave with a revised piece of communication and a repeatable process for writing in plain language back on the job.
- Apply the PLAIN framework to revise everyday workplace messages for clarity, concision, reader focus, and usability.
- Define the reader, purpose, and desired action before drafting or revising a workplace message.
- Rewrite openings so the main point, request, or decision is clear.
- Adjust tone, phrasing, and word choice to maintain professionalism, respect, and audience fit.
- Improve sentences, structure, and formatting so readers can quickly scan, understand, and use the information.
- Use AI tools responsibly to flag readability and tone issues, dense wording, jargon, and bias while applying human judgment to the final revision.
Plan for the Reader
- Clarify purpose, reader needs, and the desired action before writing.
- Identify the main message or request so the reader does not have to hunt for it.
- Adapt tone and detail to fit different workplace contexts.
Write with Clarity and Respect
- Apply plain language principles to reduce jargon, bureaucratic wording, and unnecessary complexity.
- Sharpen sentences to improve clarity, concision, grammar, and flow.
- Choose phrasing that is professional, direct, inclusive, and respectful.
Make the Message Easy to Find, Scan, and Use
- Organize information so busy readers can quickly find, understand, and act on the message.
- Use headings, bullets, spacing, and white space to create easy-to-navigate layouts.
- Use AI-supported checks to flag readability and tone issues, jargon, and bias while applying human judgment to final edits.
This course is well-suited for professionals who write everyday workplace communications, including emails, memos, internal updates, notices, short web or intranet content, and client-facing messages.
It is especially useful for those who want to:
- Make their writing clearer, shorter, and easier for busy readers to understand and act on
- Use a practical process to plan and revise reader-focused workplace messages
- Reduce jargon, buried main points, long sentences, unclear next steps, and avoidable back-and-forth
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Open to all members of the public.
$ 595 plus tax
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