A practical guide to writing community wellness information people can find, understand, and use, with clear structure, everyday words, accessible design, and user testing.
Plain language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. It does not mean removing necessary detail, speaking down to people, or making every sentence short. It means choosing the information, words, structure, and design that help a specific audience find what they need and act on it.
Clear communication matters in community wellness because people may be reading under time pressure, using a small phone screen, working in a second language, navigating a disability, or seeing the topic for the first time. The CDC’s plain-language resources recommend common words, focused messages, and audience-centered materials. The federal Plain Language Guidelines add practical guidance for organizing, writing, and testing information.
Before writing, identify who the material is for and what they should be able to do after using it. “Everyone in the community” is usually too broad. A flyer for parents registering children for a free activity needs different information from a volunteer orientation or a household safety checklist.
Write one sentence that completes this frame: “After reading this, the audience should be able to…” If the sentence includes five different actions, consider separate materials or a short landing page with clear paths. Put the most important action first instead of beginning with organizational history.
Talk with people who resemble the intended audience. Ask what words they use, what questions come first, what information is missing, and what might stop them from taking the next step. Include people with disabilities, people who use languages other than English, and people who have not worked with your organization before.
Do not assume that professional terms are familiar. A phrase such as “social determinants of health” may be accurate, but the audience may understand a concrete explanation about transportation, food, housing, work, and access more quickly. Keep a list of audience words and questions beside the draft.
Start with a descriptive title and a short summary. Use headings that answer real questions: who can participate, what to bring, how to register, what accessibility support is available, and whom to contact. Put related steps together and present them in the order the reader will use them.
Use lists for actual steps, options, or checklists—not for every idea. Keep each paragraph focused on one point. If readers must compare choices, a small table may work better than a long paragraph. Repeat essential dates, locations, or contact methods where people are likely to need them, but avoid conflicting versions.
Prefer “use” to “utilize,” “before” to “prior to,” and “help” to “facilitate” when the simpler word carries the same meaning. Define any technical term that must remain. The CDC’s Everyday Words for Public Health Communication provides public-health examples and plain alternatives.
Address the reader directly when appropriate: “Bring a photo ID if the program requires one,” rather than “Participants are required to present identification.” Use active voice when it makes responsibility clearer: “Our coordinator will reply within two business days” is easier to follow than “A response will be provided.” Only promise a response time if the organization can keep it.
Explain why a number matters and what the reader should do with it. Use consistent units, show the time period, and avoid mixing percentages with counts without context. Do not turn uncertain evidence into a promise. Words such as “may,” “can,” and “is associated with” can preserve important limits when supported by the source.
For health guidance, link to the original public agency or research source and state whether the material is general education. Do not use a frightening headline to force attention. Give the most useful protective action near the risk information so readers are not left with alarm but no next step.
Plain language works with accessible design. Use readable type, strong color contrast, generous spacing, descriptive links, captions for video, and alternative text for meaningful images. Do not place essential instructions only inside an image. Documents should use real headings and lists so assistive technology can identify the structure.
Offer translation or interpretation based on community needs, and have translated materials reviewed by a qualified person familiar with the topic and audience. A word-for-word translation can preserve confusing structure. The goal is clear communication in each language, not merely matching the source sentence.
Ask a small group to find specific information and explain what they would do next. Do not ask only, “Do you like it?” Observe where people pause, what they skip, and which action they choose. Invite them to say the message in their own words. Revise the material, then test the changed section again.
The CDC Clear Communication Index offers a structured way to assess audience focus, main messages, calls to action, language, information design, and use of numbers. It can support review, but direct feedback from intended users remains valuable.
Name an owner, source list, approval process, and next review date. Check every link, phone number, form, eligibility statement, and schedule before release. For recurring materials, track the public version and remove outdated copies when possible. A clear flyer with an expired date still fails the reader.
Record what changed and why. A lightweight review log helps future writers avoid restoring jargon or outdated instructions. If community feedback reveals a barrier outside the document—such as a complex registration form—route that issue to the person who can change the process.
UWP’s Wellness Education program and Resources hub support accessible, practical learning. Community groups can also use the website accessibility checklist and community health-literacy guide as companion resources. Browse the Community Wellness Journal for more evidence-informed planning guides.
Plain language is communication designed so a specific audience can find what it needs, understand it, and use it the first time. It combines clear purpose, familiar words, logical structure, accessible design, and testing.
Start with the audience and main action, place essential information first, use descriptive headings, choose everyday words, write direct sentences, explain necessary technical terms, and test the draft with intended users.
Not exactly. Plain language removes avoidable complexity while preserving the detail people need. A complex topic may still require careful explanation, examples, definitions, and links to deeper information.
It is a short, accurate explanation of a longer or more technical source written for a defined audience. It should state the main point, practical meaning, important limits, and where to learn more.
It can reduce cognitive and reading barriers, but it is only one part of accessibility. Materials also need usable structure, contrast, alternative text, captions, keyboard access, and effective communication based on individual needs.
No. Keep a medical term when readers need it to talk with a professional, understand a label, or search for reliable information. Define it in familiar language and use the definition consistently.
Ask intended users to find information, explain the main message, and describe their next step. Observe where they pause or choose the wrong path, then revise and retest.
This article provides general educational guidance. It is not legal, medical, or individualized accessibility advice.