Conestoga College Workshop 3: Plain Language Communication Research

This assignment presents a research report focusing on the application and importance of plain language in various contexts, particularly within academic settings. The student conducted database searches using advanced search statements and operators to identify relevant articles. The assignment includes a research log detailing the search statements used and the number of relevant articles found. Two key articles were analyzed, summarizing their key points and relevance to the topic. The report also features a SWOC analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges) of plain language utilization, along with a secondary research section drawing on key findings from the reviewed articles. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of plain language for effective communication and understanding. The assignment concludes with a comprehensive list of cited references, adhering to APA@Conestoga style.

Advanced Search
Statements
(Enter your Search
Statements using
Operators)
Number
of
Relevant
(Or
New)
Articles
(in first
10
results)
Relevant Articles
(Copy the APA Citation from the Cite
menu.)
1 Plain language and its
importance
1 Matveeva, N., Moosally, M., & Willerton, R.
(2017). Plain language in the twenty-
first century: introduction to the
special issue on plain language. IEEE
Transactions on professional
communication, 60(4), 336-342.
Joseph, G., Lee, R., Pasick, R. J., Guerra, C.,
Schillinger, D., & Rubin, S. (2019).
Effective communication in the era of
precision medicine: A pilot
intervention with low health literacy
patients to improve genetic counseling
communication. European journal of
medical genetics, 62(5), 357-367.
2 Plain Language and
impact on communication
in academic settings
2 Schriver, K. A. (2017). Plain language in the
US gains momentum: 1940–
2015. Ieee transactions on
professional communication, 60(4),

343-383. of
Grene, M. (2018). Measuring the
Effectiveness of Using Plain English
in Health Communication.
In European Academic Colloquium on
Technical Communication 2018 (p.
86)..
3 Plain Language and
communication
enhancement in academic
settings
1 Douglas, D. (2014). Nobody seems to speak
English here today: Enhancing
assessment and training in aviation
English. Iranian Journal of Language
Teaching Research, 2(2), 1-12.
4 Enhancing effective
communication among
learners
1 Morozova, Y. (2013). Methods of enhancing
speaking skills of elementary level
students. Translation Journal, 17(1),
1-24.
5 Essence of plain language
among learners
1 Souto-Manning, M. (2010). Challenging
ethnocentric literacy practices:[Re]
positioning home literacies in a head
start classroom. Research in the
Teaching of English, 150-178.
6 Relationship between
plain language,
1 Ben-Amos, D., & Goldstein, K. S. (Eds.).
(2013). Folklore: Performance and

communication and
performance
communication (Vol. 40). Walter de Gruyter.
7 Classes on Plain
Language and
communication
2 Taguchi, N. (2015). “Contextually” speaking:
A survey of pragmatic learning
abroad, in class, and
online. System, 48, 3-20. Research in
Higher Education, 10(4), 430-442.
Bonvillain, N. (2019). Language, culture, and
communication: The meaning of
messages. Rowman & Littlefield..
8 Interaction between
communication and plain
language in academic
setting
1 Heller, V. (2015). Academic discourse
practices in action: Invoking discursive norms
in mathematics and language
lessons. Linguistics and Education, 31, 187-
206.
Two Best Articles Related to Your Topic in the Article Database
Article 1
Plain Language and communication
enhancement in academic settings
Douglas, D. (2014). Nobody seems to speak
English here today: Enhancing assessment
and training in aviation English. Iranian
Journal of Language Teaching

Article 1
Research, 2(2), 1-12.
Name of database where the article was
retrieved:
EBSCO Host
Relevance:
1. Explain, in plain language, the
key points from the article and
how they would, for your client,
 be related to your topic
 not be known already
 be of interest or potentially
add value
2. use an APA@Conestoga citation
It is always important to understand literature in
its entirety. It is the art of discovering about
ordinary people with extraordinary things or
aspects (Douglas, 2014, p. 3).
Communication is usually in two ways: verbal and
non verbal. Thus, there is neeed to communicate
with other worlsd efefcyievely and effeciently.
(Douglas, 2014, p. 4).
Literature has the soutions of issues, and it is the
heart and sould of language, socirtey and cukture.
Therefore there is need to undertsnd different
people and their langaiges in their various
contexts. (Douglas, 2014, p. 5).
Plain language is important since it makes the
audiences understadn the first time they read or
hear (Douglas, 2014, p. 5).
It is recommended that inividuas should undertsnd
other people’s background so that they don’t miss
it when delivering a message. In the school

Article 1
constext, it is also imoeoetant that the tutors
practice neutral language in case the class has the
audience from different backgrounds (Douglas,
2014, p. 7).
There is need to consider using plain languge in
paces where an inividual does not know the
expected or ‘the likely to be’ audince (Douglas,
2014, p. 9)
Colleges for professional studies are also
academic settings and hence should consider using
plain language to enhance understting in normal
settings. Plain langauge tends to enhance effective
communication (Douglas, 2014, p. 11)
Reference:
 APA@Conestoga for the article:
Douglas, D. (2014). Nobody seems to speak
English here today: Enhancing assessment and
training in aviation English. Iranian Journal of
Language Teaching Research, 2(2), 1-12.

Article 2
Essence of plain language among
learners
Souto-Manning, M. (2010). Challenging
ethnocentric literacy practices: [Re]
positioning home literacies in a head start
classroom. Research in the Teaching of
English, 150-178.
Name of database where the article was
retrieved:
EBSCO Host
Relevance:
1. Explain, in plain language, the
key points from the article and
how they would, for your client,
 be related to your topic
 not be known already
 be of interest or potentially to
add value
2. use an APA@Conestoga citation
It is essential to understand the impact that the
teachers have on learners especially regarding
pedagogies that focusses on inclusive educational
practices (Souto-Manning, 2010, p.151).
Teacher who redesign their teaching mode to plain
language affects a significant number of students
(Souto-Manning, 2010, p.152)
As teachers seek to develop on young children’s
literacy and language strengths, it is always
necessary to understand and document the home
practices of the children so that it will be easy to
position ethnocentric definitions of literacy.
(Souto-Manning, 2010, p.155)

Article 2
Reference:
APA@Conestoga for the article:
Souto-Manning, M. (2010). Challenging
ethnocentric literacy practices: [Re] positioning
home literacies in a head start
classroom. Research in the Teaching of English,
150-178.
Research report outline
INTRODUCTION
Learners are busy people. They can’t afford to spend lots of time deciphering complicated, wordy
documents. Writing in plain language saves time and money. Using plain language is user friendly
and contributes to good customer relations. Readers understand plain language documents quicker
and needless explanations or instructions (Douglas, 2014). Technical writing or technical
communication is about delivery of technical or business information to an intended audience.
Using plain language in technical communication indicates the writing is clear, concise, and
helpful to readers. Plain language documents help the reader quickly distinguish information,
avoid misunderstandings, and save time because readers often gain meaning the first time they read
a document. According to Douglas (2014) Plain language: Uses only as many words as
necessary; Avoids vagueness, inflated words, and complicated sentence construction; Focuses the
audience on the message instead of some convoluted language.
BODY
 Survey
Strengths
Enhances better understanding between the two-people conversing or between an individual and
the audience across various settings.
Weakness
There is always the need to improve language and use of vocabularies; using plan language
always will demand the logic behind enhancing a language with new words.
Opportunities
 Makes it easy for teachers and students to communicate well.

 A significant number of settings require utilization of plain language compared to those
that would require strict utilization of a language that is nit plain
 Cultural orientation can really influence utilization of the plain language.
From the SWOC analysis, one of the opportunity that will be subject of discussion is the use of
plain language to enhance effective communication. In other words, the setting does not matter,
the most important thing is effective communication.
Secondary Research
Douglous (2014) reported that literature plays a very significant function in languages and
people across all the context. He also pointed out that there is a great for consideration of the
audience before passing the message. Literature has the soutions of issues, and it is the heart and
sould of language, socirtey and cukture. Therefore there is need to undertsnd different people and
their langaiges in their various contexts. (Douglas, 2014).
Plain language is important since it makes the audiences understadn the first time they read or
hear (Douglas, 2014).
It is recommended that inividuas should undertsnd other people’s background so that they don’t
miss it when delivering a message. In the school constext, it is also imoeoetant that the tutors
practice neutral language in case the class has the audience from different backgrounds.
For this reason, Souto-Manning (2010) makes some powerful comments. One, it is essential to
understand the impact that the teachers have on learners especially regarding pedagogies that
focusses on inclusive educational practices.
Teacher who redesign their teaching mode to plain language affects a significant number of
students. As teachers seek to develop on young children’s literacy and language strengths, it is

always necessary to understand and document the home practices of the children so that it will be
easy to position ethnocentric definition of literacy (Souto-Manning, 2010).
Conclusions
Literature plays a significant role in communication so is narrowing down to using plain
language. Miscommunication or misunderstanding might arise mostly out of using complex,
wordy and hard terms of a certain language. On the contrary, effective understanding and hence
communication becomes a product of plain language utilization. Lastly, it is essential to
understand the impact that the teachers have on learners especially regarding pedagogies that
focusses on inclusive educational practices.

References
Ben-Amos, D., & Goldstein, K. S. (Eds.). (2013). Folklore: Performance and
communication (Vol. 40). Walter de Gruyter
Bonvillain, N. (2019). Language, culture, and communication: The meaning of messages.
Rowman & Littlefield.
Douglas, D. (2014). Nobody seems to speak English here today: Enhancing assessment and
training in aviation English. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 2(2), 1-
12.
Grene, M. (2018). Measuring the Effectiveness of Using Plain English in Health
Communication. In European Academic Colloquium on Technical Communication
2018 (p. 86).
Heller, V. (2015). Academic discourse practices in action: Invoking discursive norms in
mathematics and language lessons. Linguistics and Education, 31, 187-206.
Joseph, G., Lee, R., Pasick, R. J., Guerra, C., Schillinger, D., & Rubin, S. (2019). Effective
communication in the era of precision medicine: A pilot intervention with low health
literacy patients to improve genetic counseling communication. European journal of
medical genetics, 62(5), 357-367
Matveeva, N., Moosally, M., & Willerton, R. (2017). Plain language in the twenty-first century:
introduction to the special issue on plain language. IEEE Transactions on professional
communication, 60(4), 336-342
Morozova, Y. (2013). Methods of enhancing speaking skills of elementary level
students. Translation Journal, 17(1), 1-24

Schriver, K. A. (2017). Plain language in the US gains momentum: 1940–2015. Ieee
transactions on professional communication, 60(4), 343-383. of
Souto-Manning, M. (2010). Challenging ethnocentric literacy practices:[Re] positioning home
literacies in a head start classroom. Research in the Teaching of English, 150-178
Taguchi, N. (2015). “Contextually” speaking: A survey of pragmatic learning abroad, in class,
and online. System, 48, 3-20. Research in Higher Education, 10(4), 430-442.