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How to avoid jargon in your documents to make information easy for everyone to understand

Jargon words are words that professionals often use to communicate with each other. The meaning of these words might be obvious to the people working in the same profession, but to others, they might be hard to understand. 

Examples of jargon words that are often used: 

  • Biopsy (taking a very small amount of tissue from your body for tests)

  • Litigation (the process of taking legal action)

  • Referendum (asking the public to vote yes or no on a political question)

  • Misdemeanour (a small crime that is not as serious as murder or rape)

If you feel it is important for people to know a jargon term, make sure you use it alongside an explanation of its meaning. 

What are hard words?

When writing information in easy read it is not enough to avoid jargon words. Your text should also be free of any hard words. Hard words are words that are not generally used in everyday conversation.

Examples of hard words that are often used: 

  • Exaggeration (saying something is better or worse than it really is)

  • Contemplate (thinking)

  • Annual (every year)

  • Participation (taking part) 

You might not think of a word as hard but remember that you are trying to reach as many people as possible, including people who might find reading hard. 

Always ask yourself if there is an easier or shorter word you can use instead of a more complicated, hard word. If there is not, simply explain what the word means. 

3 tips to make your information more accessible 

1 - Identify common jargon words

Many words that professionals use regularly can be difficult for the general public to understand. 

2 - Replace jargon with simple alternatives

Whenever possible, replace jargon with everyday language that everyone can understand. If you must include a technical term, provide a simple explanation​.

3 - Be consistent in your language

Once you’ve chosen a simple word to explain a concept, stick with it throughout your document. Consistency is key to ensuring that your readers aren’t confused by sudden changes in terminology​.

By avoiding jargon, you make your documents clearer, more accessible, and easier to understand for a wider audience.