When we read, we usually do it for reasons other than to ‘just read’. There is usually another task we are trying to accomplish: learn something new, confirm the information we already have, be entertained, check what others are up to, make plans, etc.

It might come as no surprise, then, that majority of people prefer to read text that is below their skill level¹. If you think about it, it requires less effort for them to understand what they are reading.

You could think that it might not matter as much if the topic is easy, and maybe it doesn’t, but once the topic gets technical, writing with lower-grade level will help the reader understand the information in front of them.

What is the difference between higher-grade and lower-grade level text?

Here is an example:

A. ‘Wake vortex turbulence is an aerodynamic phenomenon resulting from lift generation in fixed-wing aircraft. As an aircraft generates lift, the pressure differential between the upper and lower wing surfaces induces the formation of counter-rotating vortices at the wingtips. These vortices persist in the atmosphere creating turbulence that can pose risks to trailing aircraft.’

Vs.

B. ‘Wake vortex turbulence is a type of turbulence created by an aircraft. When a plane flies, air moves over and under the wings. This creates a pressure difference that produces lift. As the air from under the wing moves towards the area above the wing, it rolls up into two spinning vortices that trail from the wingtips. These vortices take a while to disappear and they can create turbulence for the aircraft flying behind.’

Can you guess what grades these paragraphs are? Paragraph A is grade 14, paragraphs B – grade 8. The preferred level for most people is … grade 6–7. 

So how can you make technical writing lower-grade or simpler?

Here are five tips:

1. Use shorter sentences

Shorter sentences tend to focus on one information point at a time. Focus on sentences with parenthesis, en- or em-dashes, several commas (except for lists) and start with these. These sentences will be easy to break down into shorter sentences. Here is an example:

‘Wake vortex turbulence is a type of turbulence created by an aircraft during flight when air moves over and under the wings creating a pressure difference that produces lift.’ Can be broken down into three separate sentences: ‘Wake vortex turbulence is a type of turbulence created by an aircraft. When a plane flies, air moves over and under the wings. This creates a pressure difference that produces lift.’

Once the long sentences are out of the way, look at the medium length sentences and reduce the number of words. The chances are you will be able to remove some adjectives, adverbs or filler words that are not crucial to put the point across. 

2. Use easier synonyms 

Simpler words mean greater chance the reader will not have to pause to look up the meaning of the word first, before they can de-code the meaning of the sentence. Or that they don’t have to re-read the sentence a couple of times to understand it fully.

In the paragraph A, for example, the phrase ‘the pressure differential’ was swapped for the simpler ‘pressure difference’ in paragraph B.

3. Create visual breaks

Our brains like aesthetics. Text that is visually spaced out creates an instant perception of it being easier to read. Shorter paragraphs with line breaks between them create that spaciousness without the need for inserting images, diagrams or charts.

4. Choose words that paint a picture

That well-known phrase ‘I see what you mean’ can guide you here. Choosing words and descriptions that help the reader create an image or a little movie in their mind will make it easier for them to follow a trail of thought. This will also make the information easier to retain, making your writing more memorable.

For example, the sentence ‘air moves over and under the wings’ in the paragraph B helps the reader imagine what happens. It is much harder to do in the paragraph A.

5. Include comparisons to every-day things.

Relating complicated contexts to something familiar helps the reader connect the dots, especially if you are trying to explain or describe something abstract.  

For example, adding a comparison to ‘mini tornadoes’ or ‘whirlwinds’ to the paragraph B would further help the reader visualise how the wake vortex is created.

These are just five examples of how technical writing can be made simpler. There are more things we can do, of course. The challenge with technical writing is that the topic in itself already requires a lot of effort from the reader to fully understand, so simplifying how things are written can make the reading that little bit easer.

How much to simplify the technical text?

It depends on a few things:

Most importantly, it depends on your intended audience and how likely they are to be familiar with the topic. Aviation engineer will be more comfortable with aviation-specific technical terms than an aviation enthusiast. Do keep in mind, though, that writing simply is not just about the words you choose, and even the highly literate individuals will still prefer reading at a lower-grade level, simply because it’s easier¹.

Secondly, it depends on the type of technical text you are working on: How it will be used? In what context will it be read? For example, is it an article that will likely be read on a coffee break, or is it a set of instructions to follow whilst setting up an equipment.

Thirdly, how much information do you need the reader to retain? For example, if you are writing an emergency procedure for a pilot to learn and memorise the simpler the writing, the better.

You’re not alone

Whenever you are in doubt and feel that your audience might struggle to follow the information you’ve written, but at the same time you are not sure how to make things easier to read – I can hep you!

You can either:

1. Subscribe to receive notification about my posts. They might give you an idea what to do.
2. Send me an email with your problem or question and I’ll try to help. Just click the ‘get in touch’ link on the top of the page.

And if you know anyone who you think might enjoy this article or might find these writing tips helpful, please share this post with them.

Happy writing!

Sources:
1. Socialshakeupshow.com