The purpose of the checklist

This checklist ensures quality in the content you are producing for Tearfund’s audiences. It is an adaption of the sample checklist in the International Standard for Plain Language

It serves both as:

• a reminder of areas to cover when developing content
• a quality assurance tool to build confidence with stakeholders that the content is good enough to publish. 

It’s based on the four principles of plain language, the goal of which is to make your content:

1. relevant
2. findable
3. understandable
4. usable

These principles ensure your content communicates effectively and is accessible to a wider range of readers.

Principle 1: Relevant

Users get what they need. Focus on the reader and the content.

Refer to user research and insight to learn about your audience and their characteristics.

User characteristics

• Literacy and language skills
• Cultural backgrounds
• Subject-matter knowledge
• Accessibility needs and preferences
• Language that the readers know

User intent

• Focus on the purpose of the content in relation to the user’s intent. (eg. understand climate crisis; how to pray about an issue)

User context

• Location: Where will readers access the document? (eg office, home, out and about?)
• Device: What technology will they likely use to read, watch or listen to it? (eg computer, phone, tablet)
• Time constraints: How much time will they realistically have to dedicate to consuming the content?
• Attention span: How long can they likely stay focused on the content?
• Interest level: How motivated will they be to read the document?
• Emotional state: What might their emotional state be when encountering the content – anxious, excited, curious, overwhelmed?
• Identify the format and channel for the content.
• Choose content that users need.

Principle 2: Findable

Users can easily find what they need. Focus on structure and design.

Prioritising content

• The most important message or information should be at the top of the page.
• Present information relevant to most readers first before including details specific to a smaller portion of your audience. An exception would be audeince segmentation (e.g., email campaign with a custom segment).

Logical structure

• Organize information in a logical, sequential order (eg. guides, instructions)
• Use appendices, footnotes, or other formatting to separate less important details intended for a specific audience or highly technical explanations (e.g., legal basis, sources).

Headings

• Use a standardised format throughout the content. For web content, structure headings with SEO in mind.
• Introduce new topics with new headings, ensuring one heading per topic.
• Should reflect the content that follows it.
• Keep them short to help users scan the content and understand the section’s purpose.
• Use only enough headings to help users navigate the content effectively.

Formatting for readability

• Use bulleted and numbered lists to present key points or steps.
• Indent sub-points or details to visually show their relationship to main points.
• Use white space and short paragraphs (2–3 sentences) to break up blocks of copy.

Principle 3: Understandable

Users can easily understand what they find. Focus on language.

Word choice

• Choose familiar words that clearly and precisely convey your message.
• Avoid jargon or complex terms that might confuse reader. If technical terms are necessary, define them clearly the first time they are used.
• Avoid clichés and ‘Christian-ese’ (e.g., ‘God placed a burden on my heart’)
• Avoid idioms (expressions), as they may not be universally understood or culturally relevant. (eg. see the light, over the moon)
• Use words that evoke vivid imagery and create a strong emotional connection (e.g., Your generous donation means that communities can come together to build schools, businesses…’)
• Leave out redundant words like ‘very’, ‘really’, and vague modifiers. It adds little meaning but costs time and attention for the user.

Sentence and paragraph structure

• Use Subject-Verb-Object for sentence structure
• Write sentences with one clear meaning.
• Focus on the main point and avoid interrupting with extra information.
• Start sentences with familiar information, then introduce new details.
• Use active voice (who did what) whenever possible
• Keep sentences reasonably short but vary sentence length to create an interesting rhythm.
• Ensure one idea per sentence and one topic per paragraph.
• State the topic near the beginning of the paragraph.

Tone

• Use ‘you’ and ‘your’ when appropriate to create a connection with the audience.
• Use the appropriate tone of voice for the audience. Refer to the tone table for guidance on application.
• Copy should be pitched at a 14-year-old reading level. Use the Hemingway Editor App to help with this.

Abbreviations

• Define abbreviations.
• Spell them out in full the first time, followed by the abbreviation in brackets, e.g., Nigerian Centre for Sustainable Development Treaty Organization (NCSD).

Visuals

• Images and multimedia should support the text. Avoid those that serve only as decoration.
• Make images and multimedia as simple as possible.
• Place images and multimedia close to the text they refer to and label them clearly.
• Include alt text for images.

Principle 4: Useable

Readers can easily use the content.

Evaluation and iteration

• Define success metrics for the content.
• Evaluate and iterate as content is developed.
• Set a review date for the content.
• Involve intended users when possible