What plain language means
Plain language means writing so that readers can find what they need, understand it the first time they read it, and act on it if necessary. It does not mean using baby talk, leaving out ideas or lowering the intellectual level. A physicist and a ten-year-old can both appreciate a clear explanation of how a lens bends light. The difference is how much effort the text asks the reader to spend decoding it.
For exhibits, this is especially important. Visitors read on their feet, often in poor light, often while managing children, bags or other people, and they have a limited amount of attention to give each label. Text that is simple to follow is read more often and understood better.
Why it matters for access
Plain wording supports many groups at once. It helps visitors who are learning the language, people with learning disabilities or dyslexia, readers with limited time, and tired or distracted adults. It also eases the load for visitors using screen magnifiers or reading through a translation tool, since long and complex sentences are harder to translate. Clear writing complements cognitive accessibility, and it makes the work of translators and audio describers easier, as discussed in our notes on exhibit translation.
Practical habits
Keep sentences short, but vary them
Many style guides suggest that sentences of around fifteen to twenty words are comfortable for most readers. This is a rule of thumb rather than a law. A short sentence works well for an important point, and a longer one can work if its structure is simple. The aim is to avoid sentences that make the reader stop and reread.
Put the main point first
Begin with what matters most, then add detail. Compare “After a period of decline that lasted several decades, the town’s mill finally closed in the spring” with “The town’s mill closed in the spring, after decades of decline.” The second gives the reader the key fact right away.
Prefer active verbs and concrete nouns
“Workers loaded the cargo by hand” is easier to picture than “the cargo was loaded by hand by workers” and much easier than “manual loading operations were undertaken.” Active voice tells the reader who did what. Passive voice has its uses, but in labels it often hides the actor.
Choose everyday words
Use the simpler word when it carries the same meaning: “use” instead of “utilize,” “start” instead of “commence,” “about” instead of “approximately.” When a specialist term is needed, use it and explain it once, in context, for example: “The loom’s warp, the set of lengthwise threads, is held under tension.” Avoid using different words for the same thing, because a reader may think they mean different things.
Be careful with idioms and metaphors
Phrases such as “a game changer” or “the tip of the iceberg” can be unclear for readers who learned the language later, and for some neurodivergent readers who take figures of speech literally. Use them sparingly, and only when the meaning is obvious.
Give numbers and dates in a readable way
Write dates in a consistent format and in a way that visitors will understand. Round figures where precision does not matter. Avoid piling several numbers into one sentence; a short list or a simple table is often easier.
Structure helps as much as wording
- Short paragraphs. Two or three sentences each is usually plenty on a label or screen.
- Headings that say something. “Why the bridge failed” tells more than “Overview.”
- Layers of detail. Give a headline, then a short paragraph, then optional deeper text for people who want it. This approach respects both the casual visitor and the enthusiast, and it ties into the broader craft of exhibit writing.
- Lists only for real lists. Steps in a process and parallel items suit bullets. Narrative is better as ordinary sentences.
- One idea per label. If a label tries to cover too much, split it.
Talking down is a different problem
Simplifying the language is not the same as simplifying the thinking. Writers sometimes worry about being patronizing, and that fear is reasonable. Some signs of talking down are exaggerated enthusiasm, rhetorical questions in every paragraph, and explanations of obvious things. A good test is to read the text aloud as if speaking to a respected colleague from another field. If it sounds odd, rewrite it.
It also helps to avoid labels that mark readers as a type, such as “kids’ version.” Offer layers or options that any visitor may choose, so nobody has to self-identify. Writing for young children may need further adjustments, which we discuss in the article on young children, and for school groups the reading level may need to be shaped by a curriculum, but the same core habits apply.
Handle context and tone
Visitors come with different levels of background knowledge. Do not assume that they know the period, place or technical vocabulary. At the same time, avoid repeating the same background on every panel. Introduce a concept once in the place where most visitors will encounter it first. Where a story involves people, plain language works well with museum storytelling, because clear verbs and specific details are what make a narrative vivid.
Be careful, too, with tone around hard subjects. Direct, calm wording is usually more respectful than euphemism or drama.
Test with real readers
Readability scores can flag long sentences and rare words, but they cannot tell you whether a label makes sense. The best test is to ask a few people who match your audience to read a sample and then tell you, in their own words, what it says. Where their summary differs from what you meant, the text needs work. Build short testing into your prototype stage and revise before anything is printed or installed. Labels and screens are expensive to change later, and a single round of feedback often removes the worst confusion.
A short editing checklist
- Can I cut the first sentence without losing anything?
- Is the main point near the start?
- Are there words I would not use when speaking to a friend?
- Does each paragraph hold one idea?
- Could someone with no background follow it, and would an expert still find it worthwhile?