Plain language: sentences average <20 words, jargon avoided, active voice >50%

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 mandates that federal agencies use plain language in all public-facing documents and websites. Long, passive-voice sentences and unexplained jargon raise the cognitive load for all readers and functionally exclude people with lower literacy levels, non-native English speakers, and users accessing services under stress. When the average sentence exceeds 25 words, comprehension drops sharply for the majority of the U.S. adult population. Non-compliance with the Federal Plain Language Guidelines also signals systemic content governance failure — content that was never reviewed before publication.

Audit content on at least three public pages (home, about, a service page) using the plainlanguage.gov checklist. Target average sentence length under 20 words, active voice above 50%, and zero unexplained acronyms.

Revise sentences using this pattern:

// Before (passive, 22 words):
"The aforementioned documentation must be submitted in accordance with the
regulations established by the department."

// After (active, 10 words):
"Submit your documents following the department's rules."

For acronyms, expand on first use: "Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)." Use the Hemingway Editor or write-good linter in CI to flag readability regressions before deployment.