1. Write Great Web Content:
Plain Language in Action
Session 2: May 26, 2011

2. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 2

3. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 3

4. Part 1: Review topics and homework
from Session 1
Session 1 topics:
• What is plain language?
• How to write task-oriented web content
Session 1 reading homework:
• Chapter 2, “People! People! People!”
Session 1 writing homework:
• Rewrite a task page at your own site or use
HHS’s “How to Request Information” page
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5. Part 1: Review Session 1 reading homework
– Chapter 2, “People! People! People!”
• Find a page or a section in the chapter
that was meaningful to you
• What assumptions do you make about
your users?
• What facts do you know about them?
• Would you consider developing personas
for your users? Have you done this
already?
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6. Part 1: Review participants’ homework
from Session 1
• Andrea Sigritz’s redo of the
HowTo.gov TOS page
• Lucy Walker’s redo of the Texas
Council for Developmental
Disabilities RFP page
• Diane Slagle’s redo of UCSD’s
Student Health Services page’s
“Basic Care” content
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 6

7. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 7

8. Part 2: Write content that is
appropriate for intended users
Discuss:
• Who are your intended users? (Describe
by role, group, or title)
• How do they differ from each other?
• How is writing content for them
challenging?
• How have you tailored your content to
meet your users’ needs?
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9. Case study in writing content that’s
appropriate for intended users
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10. Five guidelines for writing content that’s
appropriate for intended users
1. Match the content’s technical complexity
to the users’ level.
2. Help users find the content that’s
targeted to them.
3. Link to glossary, illustration, screenshot,
demo, list of abbreviations, etc.
4. Be the intended users’ advocate when
discussing content with your SMEs.
5. Write a bite, a snack, and a meal.
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11. Case study: Content for the general
public
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12. Case study: Content for health
departments
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13. Case study: Content for healthcare
professionals
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14. Match the content’s technical
complexity to the users’ level
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15. Help users find the content that’s
targeted to them
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16. Help users find the content that’s
targeted to them
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17. Link to glossary, illustration, screenshot,
demo, list of abbreviations, etc.
• Discuss: Find five ways EIA
provides content appropriate
for a range of users
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18. Be the intended users’ advocate when
discussing content with your SMEs
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19. Write a bite, a snack, and a meal
How content-hungry is How much content does
the reader? the web writer provide?
• Bite Message-oriented
heading
• Snack Brief summary,
“executive summary”
• Meal
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20. Sample bites, snacks, and meals
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21. Sample bites, snacks, and meals
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22. Sample bites, snacks, and meals
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23. These bites and snacks need work
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24. These bites and snacks need work
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25. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 25

26. Part 3: In-course assignment:
Write a bite, and a snack for this meal
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27. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 27

28. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 28

29. Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Questions?
• Web pages to look at again?
• Review the five guidelines for writing
content that’s appropriate for intended
users?
• Review the bite, snack, and meal
approach?
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 29

30. Course topics for Session 2
• Part 1: Review topics and homework from
Session 1
• Part 2: Write content that is appropriate for
intended users
• Part 3: In-course assignment: Write a bite, a
snack, and a meal
• Part 4: Discuss in-course assignment
• Part 5: Session 2 wrap-up
• Part 6: Session 2 homework – writing
assignment and reading assignment
©E-WRITE, 2011 - Session 2 30

31. Part 6: Writing and reading
homework for Session 2
By Tuesday, May 31:
• Write a bite and a
snack
Read
• Chapter 6, “Focusing
on Your Essential
Messages”
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32. Resource
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33. Evaluation
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