Introduction

Engaging with web content is very different from print and broadcast. It’s a unique medium that requires a specific style, tone, and presentation. Unlike traditional media, web content is non-linear. Users scan and scroll, seeking visual cues to address their specific needs at any given moment.

Plain language writing makes sure your content is easily understood by diverse audiences, including those with varying literacy levels or disabilities. This improves clarity, accessibility, and inclusivity in web communication. Our goal is to make services and information easy to find, use, and understand for everyone, no matter their background or device.

With plain language, the wording, structure, and design are clear so your intended audience can easily:

get what they need (relevant)
find what they need (findable)
understand what they find (understandable)
use the information (usable)

Plain language makes critical information more accessible and easier to read. It doesn’t oversimplify or strip meaning from content. Instead, plain language content is clear, concise, and designed to save the intended audience time and effort.

Plain language benefits everyone, including people who are managing these situations:

stress, divided attention, time pressures or multiple tasks
low reading and writing skills
cognitive, learning, or motor disabilities
an unfamiliar topic or language

Writing plainly and clearly offers several key benefits. These include:

showing respect for people’s time by making content easy to scan and understand
allowing people who are reading on a phone or other small screen to see essential information first
increasing the chances people will find and understand the information they need to easily complete their task

This guide is informed by aligns with the following:

Our writing

Best practices in plain language direct us to create content for a Grade 8 reading level or lower. Writing at this level supports comprehension, clarity, and accessibility.

We strive for a tone that’s:

friendly
simple
authoritative
helpful

Get to the point

Be direct. Write direct statements that help your target audience complete their task. Content needs to be easy to find, read, and understand.

Stay on topic. Avoid distracting your audience with unnecessary content, like welcome messages or background information.

Use familiar words

Choose familiar words that a broad audience understands and uses.

Everyday words may include technical words your audience knows well. If you must include technical terms, explain them using concise, clear, easy-to-understand words or give an example to help non-specialists understand.

Write in the active voice

In most cases, using the active voice will help your audience understand what they’re reading. Sentences in the active voice are direct, clear, and easier to understand. Their structure is logical and easy to follow because the subject is the doer of the action:

subject (the doer) + verb (the action) + object (who/what the action is about)

Avoid the passive voice

In a passive sentence, it may not be clear who or what is doing the action. This makes the sentence harder to understand. The structure of a passive sentence is:

Object + verb + subject

Examples of active and passive voice

Write: We may ask you to provide proof of citizenship. (active)
Instead of: You may be asked to provide proof of citizenship. (passive)

Write: You must file your returns electronically. (active)
Instead of: Your returns must be filed electronically. (passive)

Use the positive form

Whenever possible, tell people what they may or must do instead of what they may not or must not do to complete their task. Avoid negatives, double negatives, and exceptions to exceptions.

Examples of positive and negative sentences

Positive: You will receive your Notice of Assessment once you’ve filed your return.
Negative: You can’t receive your Notice of Assessment if you haven’t filed your taxes.

Positive: You’re entitled to part of the deduction.
Negative: You’re not entitled to the entire deduction.

Positive: The procedure will be effective.
Double negative: The procedure will not be ineffective.

Use verbs instead of nouns formed from verbs

Avoid using nouns that are formed from verbs. Verbs alone clearly express the action needed. Always use the simplest form of a verb. When possible, use the present tense.

Examples of the use of verbs instead of nouns

Write: apply
Instead of: submit your application

Write: consider
Instead of: take into consideration

Write: modify
Instead of: make a modification

Write: needs
Instead of: is in need of

Avoid noun strings

Don’t use a group of two or more nouns to modify another noun.

These noun strings are hard to understand. They force people to do a lot of unpacking to get at what the phrase means.

Write: standards for post-mortem evaluation of food animal carcasses
Instead of: Food Animal Carcass Post-mortem Evaluation Standards

Avoid jargon and similar language

Where possible, avoid using jargon, idioms, metaphors, and expressions. Use the clearest, most popular term for your audience.

Legal and technical terms and “government-speak” confuse most people.

People who don’t speak English or French might use online tools to translate text. These tools do not always translate words and ideas accurately.

Examples

Jargon:
- citizen engagement (use “meaningful involvement of citizens” instead)
- remuneration (use “pay” instead)
- disclosure (use “making information available” instead)
- pro bono (use “legal service provided free of charge” instead)

If you must include jargon familiar to your target audience, be sure to:

explain it using clear, easy-to-understand words or give an example to help non-specialists understand
never use jargon to explain jargon
Idiom: An idiom is a phrase with a non-literal meaning (for example, “beat around the bush,” “cry over spilled milk,” or “bite the bullet”). These are phrases that not everyone will understand, especially those new to Canada or the English language. Avoid using idioms and try to find other ways to express what you are trying to say.
Expression: There are certain expressions that are not easily understood by people who are new to Canada or those who have lower literacy levels (for example, “please respond at your earliest convenience” should be rewritten as “please get back to us as soon as you can.”
Metaphor: Metaphors may be poetic and inspiring, but they can also be easily misunderstood if the reader is unfamiliar with the saying or lacks the cultural context. For instance, instead of saying “we need to hit the ground running,” say “we need to start work immediately.”

Identify keywords your audience is using to find your content

Including keywords in your content is important because they are the most common terms used to talk about or search for a specific topic. Keywords help your audience find your content more easily through search engines. By using keywords that your audience is familiar with, you ensure that your content is more accessible and relevant to them.

If you have access to primary sources (interviews, analytics, usability research, support tickets, emails, call centre transcripts, etc.) use these sources to identify your keywords.

Explain references to legislation

When explaining a requirement that comes from an act or regulation, avoid mentioning the act or regulation by name. Include only the information people need to complete the task.

If you must include the name of the act or regulation, always give a plain-language description. First, explain what your audience needs to know and why they need to know more about the act or regulation. Then, you may add a reference to the act or regulation.

Examples of references to legislation

Write: You can apply for your child to become a Canadian citizen after they arrive in Canada as a permanent resident.

Related links
Citizenship Act, section 5.1

Instead of: After your child arrives in Canada as a permanent resident, you can apply for citizenship on the child’s behalf under section 5.1 of the Citizenship Act.

Content structure

Organizing content

Start with the most important information

Be direct. People scan web pages and won’t read every word. As their eyes move down the page, they pay less attention to irrelevant content. Focus on providing information that helps them complete their task. Design the text to help people see what they need easily.

Structure your page to guide your audience to the information they need.

Chunk information: Break text into digestible sections with clear headings and subheadings.

Use bulleted or numbered lists: Highlight key points or steps for easy scanning.

The inverted pyramid

Use the inverted pyramid writing technique to organize your content. The inverted pyramid is divided into three sections, moving from what people need to know at the top to what’s less relevant at the bottom. Use the following list to help you plan and organize your content:

most important
1. start with the most important idea, step or information
1. focus on what people need to know to complete their main task
prioritized tasks
1. add details and tasks in order of importance
1. keep all task-related content in the centre of the page
1. use links to direct people to key information and tasks
more information
1. Only include extra details if they support, rather than distract from, the important content. This could include:
  1. related links that may help some people (for example, statistics cited, related initiatives, relevant publications, etc.)
  1. information for people who want to learn more
  1. information for people who have more knowledge of the topic or service

On a web page

The structure and layout of a web page help people find what they need quickly. By consistently using the following elements, people can easily scan the page to locate what they are looking for:

page title
lead sentence
headings
lists
paragraphs and sentences

Guidelines for page layout

Make sure you:

divide the page into logical sections to give an overview of the information it contains
focus on the task and show only the information people need to complete the task

Structure the content components efficiently to make your page:

more visible to search engines and easier to find
easier to view on mobile devices

Guidelines for page length

Page length is an important factor in scannability. The longer a page is, the more difficult it will be for a user to scan and get the information they need. On the other hand, if a page is too short, it won’t be easy to find via Google search. The ideal page length is 300 to 1000 words.

Page length best practices:

Be concise; only include words that contribute to the value of your message. 
Use one page per task or topic. You can use “Read More” options if the user wants to find out more. On the other hand, if a topic’s content is too short, consider adding it to a page with related content.

Chunking and whitespace

Chunking refers to breaking up large sections of text into scannable chunks that are easier to read. Users are overwhelmed when they visit a site and see a wall of text — they may decide that the site is too difficult and go elsewhere to find the information they need. Formatting your content in chunks results in additional whitespace, which also improves readability.

Chunking and whitespace best practices:

write in short paragraphs using white space to separate them
use short lines of text (around 50–75 characters)
use headings to create clear visual hierarchies with related items grouped together

Page titles

In your page title, accurately describe what’s on the page. A descriptive page title is important because search engines often display the title without the context that the rest of the page provides.

Most people scan page titles and headings, looking for keywords that will confirm that they have found what they’re looking for. People who use assistive technology may listen for keywords using software or may use keyboard shortcuts to access all the headings on a page.

To help make sure your page ranks high in search results, use page titles that:

are short
describe the page accurately
are relevant to what people type into search engines
well-written page titles should also grab a reader’s attention and target the correct audience

When writing a page title, heading, or subheading, make sure that it:

gives a clear idea of what follows
is short and contains no unnecessary words
contains the most relevant terms at the beginning
makes sense on its own
is followed by text and not by another heading, unless the heading introduces a table of contents on the same page
has no punctuation at the end
contains no promotional messaging (boastful, subjective claims) because it might confuse and stop people from navigating to the page

All page titles use Heading 1 (H1). The distinction and use of the different heading sizes is important for search engine optimization (SEO).

Guidelines for page titles

The following guidelines help to optimize your titles for better search results.

Length: Titles use a maximum of 70 characters, including spaces. Most search engines only display the first 70 characters of a title in their results.

Formatting: Use sentence case except when the title is an official title of a program or service. Avoid acronyms, remove end punctuation, and do not embed links in the title.

Relevant: Content in a title must be relevant to the subject of the page. Use keywords in a natural way and avoid keyword stuffing titles.

Unique: Descriptive titles inform what you will find on a page and targets the correct audience. Vague titles, such as ‘How we are doing’ or ‘Funding’ may not give the intended search results.

Web address (URL)

Use the page title to create the webpage address or uniform resource locator (URL). This takes any guesswork out of what to use for the page URL.

Good URLs support three key tasks: they explain to users where they will go or where they are, they support sharing in social networks, and they serve as a strong signal for search engines. The best way to achieve all of this is by keeping URLs short and simple.

Checklist for a well-designed URL

Make it short and readable

A good URL is a mini description of a page. It needs to be both human- and machine-readable.

shorter is better, max. 60–75 characters
lowercase only, not mixedCase and not UPPERCASE
use hyphens (-) to separate words, not underscores (_)
use stems of verbs (for example: /make-thing rather than /making-thing)
stop words (“the”, “and”, “in”, “a”) are not needed but won’t hurt SEO

Make it logical

People send URLs via email, share on social media, or print them in PDFs, so a logical structure is key to ensuring they can easily make sense of a URL.

use logical hierarchies that tell a story (for example: /news/topics/ukraine)
include dates for date-specific documents
multilingual sites need language-specific subfolders (for example: /en/, /fr/, etc.)

Make it easy to type

Typing simple words is easier than typing a string of random characters.

avoid empty spaces (for example: / text/ will be turned into /%20text/)
avoid special and reserved characters (for example: #, ?, &, =, +, %, /)
avoid accent characters like ü, ö, ß, é (for example: ü turns into %C3%BC in an URL)
avoid repeating keywords and complex shorteners (for example: bitly.com/j89kazxik)
set up short links for important pages (for example: cpsns.ns.ca/physician-practice)

Examples of good URL design

A great test for the brevity and clarity of URLs is if you can spell a chosen URL on a mobile phone or write it on a piece of paper. And sometimes, it might be a good idea to set up aliases that people can use — to make the URL more marketable and more memorable.

Leads

Leads describe the purpose of the page in one or two short, plain language sentences.

Use words and terms that people use when searching for a topic. This will help people find your content and know they’re in the right place when they find your page.

Leads can also contain other elements that relate to the purpose of the page, such as contact information or links to a form or application.

The first sentence on a page, a lead appears directly beneath the title.

Write leads with a maximum 140 characters, including spaces, and do not embed links in a lead.

Additional guidelines

Do not use italics.
Use sentence case with an end period.
Use keywords.
Use calls to action.
Use acronyms only if widely known by the public.
Avoid content used in the title.

Headings

The page title, headings and subheadings help people find information on the screen easily. Use headings to divide text into logical sections approximately every 200 words. A heading is a single phrase or sentence that describes the content directly following it:

page headings (also known as page titles) describe the content of the entire page
section headings describe each distinct section of content

Use sentence case (only capitalize the first letter in the first word) for all headings, unless the heading includes an official name.

Web pages need headings and sub-headings to organize and scan content, and improve search results.

Guidelines

Nest all headings in descending order (H2, H3 and H4).
Use sentence case, except for proper nouns.
Keep headings as brief as possible, ideally four or fewer words.
Do not link headings.
Do not use ALL CAPS.
Do not use punctuation.

Heading sizes

Headings come in six sizes, but we only use up to a Heading 4. Organizing headings in descending order allows search engines to crawl pages more effectively:

Heading 1 (H1) – page title only

Heading 2 (H2) – main topics of a page and used for in-page navigation

Heading 3 (H3) – sub-topic of an H2

Heading 4 (H4) – sub-topic of an H3

Sentence and paragraph structure

Use simple sentence and paragraph structure. Avoid complexity.

Be direct. Start sentences with the subject and verb. This structure helps people know immediately who is doing what.

Be brief. Use as few words as possible to express an idea. Being concise helps everyone, including specialists, complete their task.

Write easy-to-scan content. Keep sentences and paragraphs short. This makes them easier to scan and understand by everyone, on any screen size. Keep some paragraphs to one sentence when it makes the content easier to scan.

Use the following strategies to write clear, easy-to-scan content:

break up long sentences (optimal is under 15 to 20 words)
avoid sentences with lots of commas
keep sentences to one idea each
use neutral, factual language
remove unnecessary words (modifiers, adverbs, adjectives, words that add no meaning)
keep paragraphs to one main idea and no more than three sentences
present a series of two or more ideas or words as a vertical list

Guidelines

Keep paragraphs short.
Keep sentences short.
Use inverted pyramid writing style.
Use subheadings or bullets to summarize text and make it easier to scan.
Use plain language — short, clear and concise.

Lists

A short vertical list is easier for people to scan and remember than a long paragraph. If possible, aim for maximum of seven items in your list. If you have listed three or more items in a sentence, use a bulleted list.

When writing lists:

use positive statements as much as possible
place negatively phrased items together, if you must use them
use consistent grammatical structure (for example, if you start your list with a noun, start the other list items with nouns)
if a list contains more than seven items, consider breaking it up into categories

Lead-in sentence

If you need to clarify the relationship between each element, start the list with a lead-in paragraph that:

introduces or applies to all the list items
emphasizes the common element between all the items

If necessary, specify “all” or “or” in the introductory paragraph to clarify whether the list is comprehensive or conditional. For example, you can write:

“You must meet all of the following requirements:”
“To be eligible, you must meet one or more of the following requirements:”

Numbered lists

Use numbered lists to show:

ranking
order
priority
step-by-step instructions

Bulleted lists

Place only one idea in each bulleted item. If you need to include more information to explain an idea, use sub-bullets, but use them sparingly.

Alphabetical lists

Only present your web content in an alphabetical order if it’s the most logical and intuitive approach for the audience.

For example, listing provinces and territories in alphabetical order could be appropriate.

Callouts

Callouts are boxes in the page that highlight important text. Use these sparingly to avoid losing the reader’s attention.

Callouts are used to:

highlight information that is not part of the main content
deliver instructions or guidance about page content to readers
inform readers about important updates

Buttons

Use a button on your page to feature an application, report, PDF, file or link.

Buttons can be anywhere on a page. If they feature an important component of content, place them as high up as possible.

Limit the use of directional language

In general, web users are aware of how to interact with page elements like links, lists, buttons and videos, so you do not need to provide instructions on how to use these elements. For example, instead of having a button labelled “Click here to register for the conference,” the button should read “Register for the conference.” If directions are required, the interaction might be too complicated, and you may want to consider ways it can be simplified.

Calls to action

A call to action (CTA) is a prompt on a site that tells the user to take a specified action. It is typically written as a command or action phrase, and often takes the form of a button or hyperlink. CTAs are important way for users to complete tasks and progress through their journey on your site. They also play a crucial role in achieving your goals by encouraging users to explore your site and click on your most important links.

A good call to action:

is clear, descriptive, and concise (clearly tells the user what action to take next)
stands out (buttons and components/teasers designed for CTAs will make your CTAs stand out more than simple hyperlinked text)
uses compelling text with action-oriented words (draw your user in and make them want to click and find out more)

Checklist for content structure

Does the content have clear headings and subheadings?
Are paragraphs concise and focused on one idea?
Are lists used to organize key points?

Writing style

Abbreviations

Avoid using abbreviations for body text. Use language like “for example” or “such as” instead of “e.g.” or “i.e.” You may use these abbreviations when space is limited, for example, in a table or a figure.

Uncommon abbreviations

Consider marking uncommon abbreviations with the HTML tag <abbr> (when the user hovers over the abbreviation additional information will be shown as a tooltip).

Acronyms

Write out the long form of the term with the abbreviated form in parentheses at first mention. Avoid acronyms if you don’t intend to use them again in the content.

Acronyms are spelled without periods, unless they are part of the official name of an entity or a person’s name.

In some cases, acronyms are more commonly used than the complete word or phrase (for example, CPSNS, PACE or COVID‑19).

Common acronyms can be used in headings.

Plural acronyms are marked with a lowercase s, with no apostrophe.

All acronyms must include <abbr> HTML tags for accessibility.

Addresses

Mailing addresses

Abbreviate street types, street direction, and province or territory
Use the correct abbreviations for provinces and territories
Insert two spaces between the province or territory abbreviation and the postal code
Use uppercase to write the letters in the postal code
Don’t use punctuation except for a hyphen between the unit designator and the civic number

[Organization name or person name]

[Additional delivery information]

[Suite or office]-[Civic number] [Street name] [Abbreviated street type] [Abbreviated street direction]

[City] [Two-letter province or territory abbreviation] [Postal code]

Email addresses

Spell out email addresses instead of embedding them within your text.

Write:

Please submit your request by email to abcxyz@cpsns.ns.ca.
Please submit your request by email: abcxyz@ cpsns.ns.ca.

Instead of: Email us to submit a request.

Bulleted lists

Use bulleted lists to list two or more pieces of information. Using lists in web content:

shortens text
makes information easier to scan
presents steps in sequential order, if needed

Keep an eye on list length, as lists that have too many items are difficult to scan. They are most effective when listing necessary information, such as eligibility requirements.

When creating a bulleted list:

introduce the list with a lead-in sentence and a colon
use lower-case at the start of the bullet (unless the first word is an official name)
don’t use a comma or semi-colon at the end of a bullet
don’t put “or” or “and” after a bullet
avoid having more than one sentence in a single list item
don’t end the list items with any punctuation

If the bulleted list follows a heading, or if the bullets consist of multiple sentences, or if the list items are grammatically independent of each other, capitalize first letters and use complete sentences with periods for the bullets.

Numbered bullets

Use ordered (numbered) lists to show a sequence, such as steps in a procedure or a count of items.

Numbered bullets always use full sentences, begin with a capital letter and end with a period.

Nested bullets

Avoid nested bullets — or sub-bullets — if possible. Treat nested bullets as a new set of bullets and follow the same rules as regular bulleted lists.

Capitalization

Use capitals at the beginning of sentences, and in proper nouns, official names, acronyms and abbreviations.

Capitalize the main words of:

titles of official publications (such as reports, frameworks, strategies, and plans)
institution names
program names
titles of policy instruments
religions, languages and nations
official names of all levels of governments and their departments, agencies, commissions, boards, titles of legislation (in other words, acts, bills and regulations)

Common nouns – program, committee – are capitalized when part of a proper name: Legal Assistance Program, Editorial Advisory Committee. They are normally lowercase when standing alone: the program’s success, the committee’s spokesperson.

Titles, headings and subheadings

capitalize the first letter of the first word (sentence case) of all page titles, headings, subheadings, table captions and table headers
capitalize proper nouns in page titles, headings and subheadings
don’t use punctuation at the end of page titles, headings, and subheadings

Commas

Use commas to separate clauses in sentences and to separate items in a list.
We use Oxford commas (or serial commas) — in other words, we use a comma after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before ‘and’ or ‘or.’

Avoid:

commas to mark the end of a bullet
multiple commas in a sentence by breaking it up into a few shorter sentences

Contractions

Use contractions that people use when they speak. They’re easier to scan than the full form.

Use most positive contractions of auxiliary verbs. For example:

you’ve (you have), you’re (you are), you’ll (you will) or you’d (you would)
we’ve (we have), we’re (we are), we’ll (we will) or we’d (we would)

Use some negative contractions of auxiliary verbs. For example:

can’t (cannot)
don’t (do not) or didn’t (did not)
won’t (will not)
isn’t (is not)
weren’t (were not) or wasn’t (was not)
aren’t (are not)

Use, but don’t confuse:

its (possessive) and it’s (it is)
they’re (they are) and their (possessive)

Uncommon or more complex contractions can be harder for people with low literacy skills to understand.

Don’t use:

should’ve (should have) or could’ve (could have)
shouldn’t (should not), couldn’t (could not) or wouldn’t (would not)
mightn’t (might not)
mustn’t (must not)
it’ll (it will)

Currency

Use digits for all monetary units.
Use ‘to’ instead of dashes to show number ranges.
Leave out decimals unless the number includes cents.
Use the country prefix for foreign currencies.
Money is written in digits with a dollar sign in the front ($5).

For service fees and costs, be as specific as needed. You can round budgets and other larger financial figures to the nearest dollar.

Foreign currencies that also use the dollar ($) sign should have the country initials before the dollar figure without spaces (US$5).

For example:

5 cents, not $0.05
$75 not $75.00
$15,000 not $15000
$1 billion
US$200 to $400

Dashes

Hyphens (-) are used to join words together.

Adverbs ending in an “ly” are not followed by a hyphen (for example, brightly lit room). Joint nationalities are not hyphenated (for example, French Canadian).

En dashes (–) are used for ranges, conflicts, or connections.

Em dashes (—) are used like brackets or interruptions. Em dashes should have spaces on either side when used online (website content) but no spaces when used in print materials.

On the web — add spaces around the em dash. In print—do not add spaces.

Avoid using dashes (if possible):

use a hyphen (-) to join words together
use “to” instead of the en dash (–) in a span or range of numbers, dates or time
use a comma (,) to emphasize or frame an idea instead of an em dash (—)
simplify your sentence instead of using em dashes

Dates

Use the format of Month Day, Year, such as January 1, 2017.

Write out the month fully.
Abbreviate month names only when space is limited.
If the day is not specified, a comma is not needed (for example, January 2017).
If you’re referencing a season instead of a specific date, capitalize the season (for example, Winter 2017).
Write dates without an ordinal indicator (“st,” “nd,” “rd,” “th”). Example: January 1, 2025 (not January 1st, 2025).
Use non-breaking spaces between the month and the day.

Date ranges

Date ranges take the form of either a single year or multiple years.

Single year range

Use the forward slash when dealing with a single school year. For example: 2019/20 school year.
Use an en dash when dealing with a budgetary fiscal year. For example: 2019–20 fiscal year.

Multiple year range

When expressing a multi-year range, use ‘to’ in between the years. For example: 2019 to 2026.

Degrees and distinctions

University degrees are lowercase except when abbreviated. For example: master of nursing, a master’s degree; doctor of philosophy, PhD.

List university degrees, professional designations, military decorations, honours, awards, memberships and other distinctions in abbreviated form after the name of the bearer:

Marta Borowska, MA, BLS
The Rev. Edwin O’Malley, SJ
The Hon. Jane Smith, BCom, LLD
T. S. Wong, PhD, FRSC

Unless all honours have to be indicated for information or protocol purposes, no more than two abbreviations need follow a person’s name, for example, in correspondence. Select the two highest honours of different types and list them in the following order of precedence:

first, distinctions conferred directly by the Crown (VC, QC, etc.)
second, university degrees
third, letters denoting membership in societies and other distinctions

Note: Abbreviations of academic degrees do not include periods. (PhD, MSc, MD)

Emphasis

If you want to emphasize a word or phrase in a sentence, use boldface font. Use bold text sparingly.

Files and file types

Refer to files as proper nouns, including the file extension (for example, “open application.pdf”).

Treat file types like acronyms, using the proper name such as JPEG, not .JPG, and refer to file types as common nouns.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

We no longer use FAQs because research and feedback shows they make it harder for people to find information and can lead to duplication.

Images and videos

You can use images and videos to:

enhance key messages
help people complete their task
make complicated information easier to understand
reflect Canada’s diverse population as much as possible (including seniors, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and people from a wide variety of ethnic origins)

Make sure that you have the appropriate permissions to publish images, audio files, and videos online. You’ll need to have the written proof of those rights and make sure that you have permission from the image creator and subjects to display them on your site:

if you are having photos taken, all your participants must sign a talent release form
in the case of stock images, check the terms of use and licensing to make sure the images can be used on the web
don’t use images from a Google search, or from someone else’s social media feed, as these images typically belong to the creator, and you can be fined for copying and using images from the web without permission

Understand the purpose of images online

Use images to say something. Otherwise, they can distract and even mislead or confuse. They can also make the page take longer to load. Make sure your images add value to your content.

There are two main types of images:

functional images
decorative images

Functional images

Functional images:

illustrate information or data to help people understand it
explain a complex concept
illustrate concrete things (such as a stethoscope, participants at a learning session, standard symbols)
convey branding (such as approved logos and campaign graphics)

Functional images add value to the content because they provide more information than can be provided through text alone. Examples of functional images:

infographics
illustration
diagram
image map

Include the appropriate alternative text to describe the image for people who are unable to view it.

Decorative images

Images may be decorative if used for:

visual styling, such as borders, spacers, and corners
supplementing link text to improve its appearance or increase its clickable area
illustrating adjacent text without providing additional information

Don’t place meaningful text, such as campaign or program titles, in decorative images.

Don’t describe decorative images

Decorative images don’t require a description. Their only purpose is to add visual appeal to content, not to add contextual information. A decorative image just helps to create visual interest. Using a description for a decorative image gives users unnecessary information that can distract from the content on the page.

Alt text for decorative images

Use the null indicator as the alternative text (alt=””) for decorative images. This tells screen readers to ignore the image.

Include alternative text for images

Alternative text (or alt text) is text that describes an image. It makes it possible for people using assistive technologies to access the information conveyed by an image. It also helps search engines better understand the purpose of the image.

When you’re writing alternative text for a functional image:

describe the image as if you were describing it to someone over the phone
use as few words as possible
limit the text to around 140 characters (including spaces)
use the text that is embedded in the image only if it provides enough context; otherwise, write different text that includes more information
use the null indicator as the alternative text (alt=””) if the image doesn’t provide any more information than what is already provided in the text on the page
don’t use “image of…” or “graphic of…” to describe the image; screen readers do this already

Include transcripts to describe audio and video files

A transcript is the text equivalent of an audio or video file. They make it easier for people who need to access information in audio or visual media but can’t hear or see the content because:

they have a disability
don’t have equipment such as speakers or headphones
don’t want to download a large file

Make sure the transcript describes all pre-recorded information and action, including:

on-screen text
dialogue and narration
important sounds (such as an explosion)
important action (for example, people running away from an explosion or characters wearing disguises)

Naming your images

Content creators often don’t give much thought to the filenames of images on their site, but they are important for two reasons:

They make the images easier for search engines to find, which improves your search rankings (SEO).
They help you manage and organize your photos.

Visitors to your site won’t see the image file name — they will get the information they need from alt text and the image caption. The file name is used by search engines to index photos and will be used by you to help identify and organize your photos in the media library.

Image naming best practices

Don’t use an automatically generated file name from a camera that doesn’t identify the subject matter in a photo. This makes the image impossible for people and search engines to find. Some examples of automatically generated names include:
- IMG_3084.jpg
- 8AD68B26-C1EE-4F6B-92B0-925693760E20.jpg
- RenderedImage.jpeg
- IMG_3122.HEIC
- Screen Shot 2025-03-08 at 1_08_55 PM.png
Keep your image titles concise – ideally, they should be five words or less. Search engines index the first only the first five words of your file name, and longer names can become unwieldy.
Incorporate the keywords you identified for your page using the SEO best practices in your image file name. This will help search engines find your image, leading more people to your site.
Always use the extension .jpg for photos and .png for graphics.
Use all lowercase characters in the file name. This makes your file names consistent and aligns with the way Google indexes text. Even if it is a proper name, use lowercase letters: jane-smith-medical-doctor.jpg
Separate each word in your file name with hyphens, not underscores. This makes the file name easier for humans and search engines to read.
Don’t use special characters like $, %, @, space, etc. in your image file names.
Don’t use prepositions (for example: “for”, “in”) or definite articles (the word “the”).
Don’t use abbreviations.
Describe the content of the photo itself, not the attributes of the media. Avoid using words like image and cropped, and don’t add information on the image size and version.

Italics

Italics are only used for the titles of laws, acts, regulations, scientific names of species, media such as books or films, and documents such as the Budget or Fall Economic Statement. Do not use italics to emphasize text or in the title and lead of a web page.

Do not italicize the acronym of an act.

Links (URLs)

A link (or hyperlink) is a word, phrase, or image on a web page that people click on to move to another part of the same content or to access an entirely different web resource (such as a web page, video, or downloadable file).

People who use assistive technology can navigate web content using links. For example, screen readers list all links on a page without the contextual content.

Your links should be descriptive and able to stand alone so that it’s clear what people can expect if they click on them. For example, use descriptive links, such as learn more about registration and licensing, instead of the complete URL (cpsns.ns.ca/registration-licensing/).

avoid link text like “Click Here,” “More,” and “Read More” as these kinds of links can be confusing when a screen reader reads them out of context
use unique link text where possible since speech recognition software users may have a bad experience with duplicated link text
avoid links that are longer than a full sentence
use judgment when linking full URLs because when linking a URL, consider users who must speak it out loud and who must listen to a screen reader announce it

Use links strategically

Be strategic about how you place and create links on a web page and about how many links you provide:

include links that directly support the topic or task on the current page
link to the original information posted by the authoritative source
don’t include links to intranet sites unless the content targets staff or registrants, in which case you should add “(accessible only to registered users)”
don’t bury links that are crucial to completing a task in the middle of a paragraph or at the bottom of the page

Carefully select related content

Providing links to other relevant web pages can help people find related information quickly. Links to your pages from other pages may also help improve where your page ranks in search results.

Be sure to select related links carefully. Too many links on a page can cause people to leave the page without reading important information or can discourage them from completing a task.

Write descriptive links

A link must describe the content a person will find once they click on it. It’s easier to complete a task when a link’s destination matches a person’s expectations.

Tips for providing useful links:

use the first words of the target page or its entire title if it’s descriptive enough
start with keywords that accurately describe the target page if the page title isn’t enough
make sure that all links on the same page use unique descriptive text if they link to different target pages
when more than one link on a web page links to the same destination page, use the same words for the hyperlink
describe any content that must be downloaded
write email addresses in full, in lower case, and as active links (contact communications@cpsns.ns.ca)

Don’t use:

the same link text to point to two different pages
vague statements such as “click here” or “read more”
promotional messaging that might confuse someone who is deciding whether to go to the page that is being linked to

Focus on the task

When a link is needed as a way to guide the user to fill out a form, focus on the action you want them to perform (for example, “fill out form”).

Don’t repeat the name of a form or document in the steps to accomplish a task if the name isn’t descriptive.

Use parentheses for contextual information

Use parentheses inside a link to add information that provides context about the linked content. Only provide necessary, contextual information to help users decide whether to proceed.

This guidance applies in the following situations:

Link is to a downloadable document. Make sure to include the file type and size in the parentheses. Example: State of the Canadian Space Sector Report (PDF, 4.35 MB)
Link opens video or audio content. Specify the length of the content inside the parentheses. Example: Using Magnifier in Windows: At a Glance – YouTube (2:07 minutes)

Numbers

Use digits for numbers, unless:

the sentence or heading begins with a number
the number is part of figurative language (for example, “I hope it will be sunny one day”)
the number is “one” (the numeral “one” can be confused with the uppercase i [I] and the lowercase L [l])
write first, second, third, and so on, up to and including ninth [use the ordinal indicator in the same text size (not in superscript) for numbers 10 and above (10th, 50th, 150th)]

In general:

spell out whole numbers below 10 and use digits for 10 and above
use digits for decisions, votes, and scores (for example, “the court ruled 5-4”)
when expressing a range, repeat million or billion (for example: 25 million to 30 million)
use “to” instead of an en dash in number ranges (for example, $4,000 to $10,000, 4 to 10 years)
place a non-breaking space (Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar) between all numeral and word combinations ($5 million, 20 years)

Examples:

“During the workshop, 10 people used nine pens.”
“Twelve people agreed with the instructor.”

Percentages

Use a percentage symbol ‘%’ without a space instead of writing ‘percent’:

50% not 50 percent

Periods

Use periods at the end of sentences, but not at the end of bullet points or lists (except as noted above).

Phone numbers

Use non-breaking hyphens (Ctrl+Shift+Hyphen) in phone numbers. For example:

call the College at 902-422-5823
Toll-free 1-877-282-7767

Quotations

‘Single quotes’

Within text, use single quotes:

around letters, words, or phrases being emphasized
around publication titles, articles, documents, chapters
within page titles, headlines, and leads

“Double quotes”

Within text, use double quotes when directly citing:

a text
an individual (for example, a spokesperson)

Punctuation appears inside the quotation marks.

“There is no appetite to lower the standards for licensure.”

Semicolons

Avoid using semicolons because they can make sentences more complex and harder to read. Instead, use simpler punctuation like periods or commas to improve clarity and readability.

Slashes

A forward slash used between two words usually means ‘or’:

department/program
and/or
teacher/principal

Rather than the slash, write ‘or’ between the two words ‘department or program.’

If both options are needed, include ‘or both’ after the option. For example: ‘department or program, or both.’

Use a slash to describe a single school year range, such as ‘the 2019/20 school year’.

Spacing

Use one space after the period at the end of each sentence. Do not use double spaces anywhere on web pages.

Time

When writing the time, use a.m. and p.m. always in lower case with periods but no spaces between the letters. Do NOT use :00 for the exact hour.

10 a.m. (not 10:00 a.m.) but 5:30 p.m.
1:30–5 p.m. rather than 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m.
noon or midnight, not 12 a.m. or 12 p.m., to avoid confusion
Use “from” and “to” when writing a range of times but use an en dash in tables:
- Reception, 7–10 p.m.
- The meeting went from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Titles

Occupational titles and descriptions are lowercase. Titles of officials of companies, unions, political organizations, and the like are also lowercase. For example: general manager Art Simpson, registered nurse Margaret Wilson, or senior policy analyst Lynn Anne Mulrooney.

Titles should be used with given name and surname on first reference. You should only use titles rarely after the first use.

When referring to a university use its full name such as Dalhousie University. Make sure to reference specific departments or offices similarly, such as Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine.

When you are addressing a person with a doctoral degree, it is considered more polite to use the title Dr. or the academic abbreviation PhD with the person’s name, instead of the simple courtesy titles Mr. or Ms. (Do not use “Dr.” for individuals whose doctorates are honorary.)

Note: Do not use both the title and the degree. If the degree is listed after the name, the title is not used before the name. For example: Chris Cameron, MD OR Dr. Chris Cameron.

For more details on how to use formal and honorific titles to address individuals respectfully, both in writing and in conversation refer to Canada’s guidelines for style of address.

Underlining and ALL CAPS

Do not underline body text for emphasis as it makes it look like a hyperlink.

DO NOT USE ALL CAPS for headings or body text. It is harder to read, and is considered the visual equivalent of yelling at someone.

Content types

Legal

Explain the law instead of quoting it and include a hyperlink to the specific law, act, or regulation being described.

Avoid legal language and focus instead on describing the spirit, not the letter, of the law.

PDFs

HTML is the primary format on cpsns.ns.ca. All content should be published in HTML by default, and follow accessibility standards for the web. PDFs do not meet usability or accessibility standards.

Converting your content from a PDF to on-page web content, meaning text and images that appear directly on your web page, improves both the user and author experience.

Avoid the use of PDFs

In general, PDFs should be the exception and not the rule. The use of PDFs causes issues with:

Accessibility

Individuals who use screen readers (such as JAWS, NVDA), have difficulty accessing and reading most PDFs.
PDFs must follow the same accessibility requirements as web pages, but it is more complicated to make them compliant.
Alternatively, on-page content is more compatible with users’ assistive technologies, and easier to make accessible, and then update as accessibility standards evolve.

Navigation

Clicking on a PDF link to open the file takes users away from our site and the PDF file almost always lacks internal navigation to return to the site they came from.

Readability and responsiveness

PDFs are designed to be printed in a fixed layout, not read on screen.
As a result, PDFs do not resize to fit different devices. On small screens, users must zoom in and scroll or swipe to read the content.
On-page content adapts and resizes to your users’ screen size, which keeps users on your site, reducing exit rates and increasing visits to other content within your site.

File size

To read a PDF, users must often download and open a file.
On a mobile device, this uses data and requires a third-party app for viewing.

Updating

Making changes to a PDF is more involved than making changes to on-page content.

The fixed format means there are size constraints, so adding and removing content may break the layout.
Updating a PDF is a multi-step process. The original document must be updated, saved, then re-uploaded to the site and relinked on the webpage (and any other page where it was originally linked from), and the older version must be removed.
On-page content is easier to update and helps to eliminate broken links. The content within PDFs is usually not reviewed on a regular basis, causing outdated information and broken links.
Outdated PDFs are often not linked from the site but left in the WordPress media library. They can still be found via a Google search, resulting in users having incorrect information.

Analytics

It is more difficult to track how users are interacting with PDFs versus on-page content.
It is not possible to measure how much of the PDF was viewed, if any links were clicked, or what the user did after reading the document.
Converting PDFs into on-page content allows authors to understand what information users find most useful by monitoring Google Analytics.

Search Engine Optimization

It is much harder for a PDF to rank well in search engines.
While PDF content is often indexable by search engines, you cannot fully optimize the content with title tags, meta descriptions and other metadata.
On-page content is easier for Google to find. Most site visitors use search engines rather than the search function within dal.ca to look for the information that they need.

Findability

Getting a PDF to show up properly in an on-site search takes extra effort.
Your site visitors will find on-page content more easily than information contained in a PDF.
All PDFs must pass accessibility checks found in Adobe Acrobat.

Guidance on tone and voice

Principles of Tone

Write as if you were talking to your audience in person, but with the authority of an institution that provides information as part of its mandate.

Friendly but professional: Adopt a tone that is welcoming and empathetic without being overly casual.

Clear and respectful: Avoid jargon, technical terms, or language that might seem patronizing.

Empowering: Use language that encourages readers to feel informed and capable of taking action.

Inclusive: Use language that is gender neutral.

Write directly to the person

Use an informal tone, and speak directly to people by using the second person (“you,” “your”).

Examples of statements that use the second person

Send your application to…
To get this benefit you must…

Address the person in page titles, links, and navigation labels

For page titles, links, and navigation labels, use the possessive adjective “your” when the audience might consider the item being referred to as belonging to them.

Examples of navigation labels that address the person

Change your address
Replace your card

If the subject of the title, link, or label refers to general information, use the indefinite article (“a” or “an”) or no article at all.

Voice Considerations

Consistently use the active voice for clarity (for example: “Take your medication with water” instead of “Medication should be taken with water”).

Be concise but thorough. Explain only what your audience needs to know.

Tailor your language to your audience.

Accessibility considerations

Making content accessible means a wide range of people can use it, including people with physical and cognitive disabilities (for example, reading disorders, attention deficit disorders, memory disorders).

To make your content accessible, consider how assistive technologies work and how some writing practices may impact people’s ability to read or understand text. Remember to also refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.

WCAG Standards Integration

Use descriptive links: Avoid “Click here” and instead use informative text (for example: “Learn more about flu vaccines”).
Provide text alternatives: For all non-text content, such as images or charts, include descriptive alt text.
Ensure sufficient colour contrast: Text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background.
Enable keyboard navigation: Ensure all interactive elements (for example, buttons or links) are operable using a keyboard.

Inclusive Language and Representation

Inclusive writing aims to create text that avoids discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, or any other identity factor. (Refer to the Government of Canada Inclusive Writing Guidelines for more information and resources.)

Avoid gendered or culturally biased terms and use inclusive language (for example, “they” instead of “he/she”).
Omit the pronoun or use the pronouns “who” or “one”.
Choose examples and visuals that reflect diverse populations.

Below are some best practices and examples of what accessibility, diversity, and inclusion look like in communications.

Imagery of people reflects the diversity of different cultures and abilities in Canada. Everyone needs to see themselves, either online or elsewhere.
Imagery has descriptive text, fonts that may be difficult to read are avoided, and there is no text on a background that doesn’t have enough contrast.
Products are written in plain language, and the use of jargon and acronyms are avoided.
Public information is available in a way that is accessible to all people with disabilities.
Alternative formats are available when needed, as described in a service standard. A service standard describes how a service is delivered. Examples of alternative formats include:
- plain language
- ASL or LSQ
- Braille
- large print
- print
- electronic formats
Emails and documents should not use italics or text in all capital letters.
Colour contrasts have a ratio of 7:1.
Pictures, videos, and graphics have descriptive text attached.
Changes are made for those who ask for something else.

Indigenous people

People should only be identified as Indigenous when it is truly pertinent, or they have requested acknowledgement.
Indigenous is preferred over the term Aboriginal.
The word Mi’kmaq is a plural noun that means “the people.” The singular form is Mi’kmaw. Because it is plural, the word Mi’kmaq always refers to more than one Mi’kmaw person or to the entire nation. Use the singular form (Mi’kmaw) to describe a singular noun and the plural form (Mi’kmaq) to describe a plural noun.
- The Mi’kmaq have a rich history and culture.
- The Mi’kmaw culture.
- CPSNS is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.
Whenever possible, be specific about the group, people, or community, and defer to the community or individual(s) on how they prefer to be identified. In all instances, capitalize.
Do not use “Canada’s Indigenous people” to describe the Indigenous people that are in the country; instead use “Indigenous people in Canada”. Also avoid using “Indigenous Canadians,” “Native Canadians”, and the like. Many First Nations have signed treaties, which are agreements between sovereign nations. Moreover, throughout the history of Canada, the government and society in general has oppressed Indigenous people and so many do not identify as being Canadian.
First Nations people are the largest Indigenous group in Canada. There are 618 First Nations recognized by the Canadian government. Use First Nation or community instead of “reserve,” unless the story is specifically about the tract of land allocated to a First Nation.
Métis is a nation-specific term connected to an Indigenous people in western Canada.
Inuit means people in the Inuktitut language while Inuk means person. Do not use “Inuit people” as it is redundant. As an adjective, use Inuk when describing a person (that is, “an Inuk Doctor”) but use Inuit if describing more than one (that is, “three Inuit doctors”). Inuit can be used as an adjective for everything else (for example, “Inuit drum, Inuit community”). Many Inuit prefer to be called Inuit instead of Indigenous.
Two Spirit is a contemporary, pan-Indigenous term specific to the Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, plus) community. Not all Indigenous people that fall within the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum identify as Two Spirit, and Two Spirit people also hold multiple identities.

Nationality, race and ethnicity

People should only be identified by race, colour, or nationality when it is truly pertinent, or they have requested acknowledgement.
Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races, ethnicities, and communities:
- African Nova Scotian
- Arab
- Black
- Caucasian
- Chinese
- Cree
- French-Canadian
- Indigenous
- Inuit
- Jewish
The capitalization of the adjective Black recognizes an identifiable community, a particular shared experience and specific history weighted with centuries of injustice.
Check with the person if you need to confirm how they identify.
Be mindful when describing cultural practices, dress, ceremony, etc. It can be tempting to describe something as “traditional” such as clothing or a ceremony, but if it is still happening today there is usually a more appropriate term. Take care when describing items of cultural importance to ensure that the meaning and significance of that object is clear to all readers.

LGBTQ2SIA+

A person’s sexual orientation and gender identity should not be mentioned unless relevant to the content or they request it.
We typically use the acronyms LGBTQ2SIA+ or 2SLGBTQIA+ to represent the community of identities that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two Spirit, intersexual, asexual, and others. That said, if a person prefers a different acronym or identifier, use that.
It is acceptable to use “they,” “them”, or “their” as singular pronouns and imperative to do so if those are the individual’s identified pronouns.
Gay and lesbian are the preferred terms to describe people attracted to the same sex; homosexual is considered offensive.
Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. It includes people who are non-binary.
Two Spirit is appropriate only for Indigenous people who identify as such.

Gender-inclusive language

Treat sexes and genders equally and without stereotyping.
Do not mention a person’s sex or gender unless relevant or requested.
Use gender-neutral language:
- “police officer” or “constable” not “policeman”
- “firefighter” not “fireman”
- “fisher” not “fisherman”
- “mail carrier” not “mailman”
- “flight attendant” not “stewardess”

Disabilities

A disability or illness should only be mentioned if it is pertinent to the story.
There are some terms that might be used in the scientific community that are not acceptable in casual use. Include these terms only when required for accuracy.
Be sure to emphasize abilities not limitations (for example, “uses a wheelchair” not “wheelchair bound”).
Do not define people by their disability and do not use a disability as a label or an adjective (for example, “a person with paraplegia” not “a paraplegic”).
Check with the person for how they identify, if required.

Writing for readability

Readability is the ease with which a person can read and understand a text. Readable content means better task completion and higher client satisfaction.

To make your content readable, consider your audience’s reading level and literacy needs. Not everyone reads at the same level or understands content in the same way. Even when content is presented clearly and simply, people who have low literacy levels and other difficulties can find it hard to understand text.

According to Statistics Canada (2012) and Canadian literacy organizations, almost 50% of Canadians have literacy challenges. Research shows that people with literacy challenges:

spend a lot of time trying to understand words that contain more than two syllables
read word by word and slowly move their eyes across each line of text
skip over large amounts of information when it contains many multi-syllable words, uncommon terms and long sentences

Try these techniques to make your text as easy to read and understand as possible.

Style

Write like you talk: Write as if speaking directly to your audience. Use the first-person or second-person pronouns (I, we, us, you) instead of the third person (he, she, they).
Active voice: Use the active voice and positive form (for example, “Fill out the form on time” rather than “The form needs to be filled out and it should not be late.”).
Remove jargon: Replace technical jargon and complex language with wording your audience will easily understand.

Structure

Identify audience needs: Organize, write, and design your content to meet the needs of your intended audience.
Use clear headings and subheadings: Separate content into clear sections to help your audience scan and easily find what they need.
Use lists: Organize key tasks with numbers or bullets.
Remove visual and cognitive blockers: Remove anything that prevents your audience from easily seeing, understanding or using the information they need.
Move or remove unnecessary details: Don’t include details that people don’t need to complete their task.

Simplify and review

Trim content: Shorten words, sentences and paragraphs.
Simplify: Replace secondary references to a program with “program” rather than using its full name or abbreviation.
Review for clarity: Ask colleagues who aren’t familiar with the subject to review the text for clarity and logic.
Read aloud: Read the text out loud, or use a screen reader, to identify what can be clearer and more concise.
Test your content: Work with your web team to set up usability testing for your content.

Don’t rely on readability tools

Readability tools are based on algorithms that measure things like word length. These tools cannot tell you if your audience will find your content easy to understand and use.

Readability tools can be a helpful first step to identify some areas that need work, such as:

overly long sentences
passive voice
unnecessary words
acronyms

They can also suggest simpler alternatives and give you a rough sense of the complexity of a text. But you shouldn’t use these tools to evaluate readability accurately. However, you can use them to help demonstrate why text should be simplified or shortened. Examples of online tools:

Writing for specialized audiences

Sometimes, your content targets people who have in-depth knowledge of a subject.

When writing for a specialized audience, you can use terms they’re familiar with, even if those terms aren’t familiar to a general audience. Include a summary in plain language for:

people who aren’t familiar with the subject
specialists who might be scanning the content to decide whether it’s relevant to their task

Consider all screen sizes

People will view your content on different sizes of screens. Phone and tablet screens display less content than desktop and laptop screens. Readers who use small screens:

have to go through more steps to access the same amount of information
rely on their short-term memory to recall information that isn’t visible on the screen

Accessibility things to avoid

Don’t rely on colour alone to convey meaning.
Don’t use images without descriptive alt text.
Don’t use technical terms without explanation.

Visual Formatting Best Practices

On the web, less is more. Keep style and punctuation simple. Formatting (such as bold, italics and underlining) and complex punctuation can be distracting and make reading difficult for many people.

Formatting must support the most important information on the page.

Don’t combine styles, like underlining and bold formatting, unless it’s part of the hyperlinked text found on a topic page.

Underlining

Use underlining for links only.

Bold

Use bold for emphasis, but use it sparingly: the more you use it, the less effective it is.

Italics

People with dyslexia or other reading disorders may find it difficult to read italicized text.

Don’t use italics:

for design or decorative purposes
to emphasize a word or phrase (use bold sparingly instead)
for long passages of text, such as quotations
in page titles

Symbols

Some symbols make web content more difficult to read while others improve readability. Research whether they’re understood by a wide audience before using them.

Ampersand

Spell out the word “and” instead of using an ampersand (&)
Use the ampersand only for proper names when it’s part of a company name and in certain abbreviations, including:
- R&D (research and development)
- O&M (operating and maintenance)

Percent

20% (not 20 percent)
A quarter or one quarter (not ¼)
Half (not ½)

Currency

$100 per month

Typography

Readable font sizes: Use at least 16px for body text.
Sans-serif fonts: Opt for fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Open Sans for better readability.
Consistent spacing: Use adequate line spacing (1.5x line height) and margins to avoid visual clutter.

Page Design

White space: Leave ample white space to reduce visual strain.
Highlight key information: Use bold text sparingly to emphasize important points.
Avoid all caps: For text, use sentence case or title case instead of all capitals, which can be harder to read.

Colour

Watch your colour. It can be useful, and it can get in the way. Not everyone sees colour the same. The most important thing is — users need to be able to read the text.

Multimedia Usage

Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio content.
Ensure infographics are accompanied by plain-text descriptions.

Checklist for Visual Formatting

Is the text readable and free from unnecessary formatting?
Are multimedia elements accessible and accompanied by text alternatives?
Are headings and subheadings styled consistently?

Conclusion

Plain language writing for the web is more than just simplifying vocabulary—it’s about making information clear, accessible, and inclusive for all. By following the principles outlined in this guide, health-care professionals can communicate effectively with the general public, ensuring that essential information reaches and resonates with everyone.