LibGuides: Health Information Literacy: Easy-to-Read/Use

Plain Language

Plain Language is defined on the PlainLanguage.gov site as --

"Plain language (also called Plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. Written material is in plain language if your audience can:

Find what they need;
Understand what they find; and
Use what they find to meet their needs.

...Plain language is defined by results—it is easy to read, understand, and use."

Clear & Simple
Guidelines from the National Cancer Institute for developing effective print materials for low-literate readers.
Health Literacy Online
A guide to writing and designing easy-to-use health Web sites.
How to Write Easy-to-Read Health Materials
Provides information about creating easy-to-read materials.
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Provides information about creating easy-to-read materials.
Simply Put
CDC Simply Put: A Guide for creating easy-to-understand materials.
Toolkit for Making Written Material Clear and Effective
Provides a detailed and comprehensive set of tools to help make written material easier for people to read, understand, and use.
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Provides a detailed and comprehensive set of tools to help make written material easier for people to read, understand, and use.
NIH Plain Language Online Training
Computer-Based Training modules introduce you to the basics of plain language.

Plain Language Glossaries
Glossaries in plain language for arthritis, asthma and lupus.
Plain Language Thesaurus for Health Communications

For Your Patients

Ask Me 3 - National Patient Safety Foundation
Good questions for your good health and great tools and resources.
What did my doctor say?
The Medical Library Association developed "What did my doctor say?" to help translate common "medspeak" terms into plain language.
Medical Test Information Form (Healthwise)
Useful questions to ask about medical tests.
MedlinePlus Easy to Read
Easy to read materials are usually written at a 5th to 8th grade reading level. The interactive health tutorials are written at a 5th to 6th grade reading level.
Medspeak in Plain Language: Deciphering Medspeak
Medspeak in Plain Language contains the same content as the original Deciphering Medspeak brochure but is written specifically for consumers with a fifth grade or lower reading level.

Medspeak in Plain Language: Deciphering Medspeak
Medspeak in Plain Language contains the same content as the original Deciphering Medspeak brochure but is written specifically for consumers with a fifth grade or lower reading level.

Questions Are the Answer
You can improve your care and the care of your loved ones by taking an active role in your health care. Ask questions. Understand your condition. Evaluate your options.
Trust It or Trash It?
This is a tool to help you think critically about the quality of health information.