b. What was the most challenging aspect of applying the F-Pattern and Plain English writing principles? How did you overcome it? (5 Marks)
The most challenging aspect of applying the F-Pattern and Plain English writing principles was finding a balance between including important details while keeping it concise. Since we learnt that “readers scan web pages in an F-Pattern” and that “many read only the 1st two words in a paragraph” (Briscoe, W3 – B – Introduction to Internet content writing (W25).pdf, Slide 20). I wanted to ensure that my content was structured so that readers can quickly absorb the key points when they are scanning in this pattern, while still being able to get a clear and concise point across with plain English writing. The challenge involved keeping my message brief and scannable while still being informative and engaging. This means I needed to simplify the language from my original introductory article without losing my readers.
To overcome this, I used several different strategies.
First, I focused on prioritizing key information. To do this I put the most important information at the beginning of sections and phrases. One of the most important things about the F-pattern is that “the first two paragraphs have the most important information.” (Briscoe, W3 – B – Introduction to Internet content writing (W25).pdf, Slide 23). The words at the start surrounded product benefits, guarantees and call to actions so that people who are skimming the content, still get to absorb the most important information right away. When learning the top 10 principles for plain language, a crucial step to take when writing in plain language is to “only include critical information. Limit policy information unless necessary.” (Briscoe, W8 – B – Plain Language Writing Tips (W25).pdf, Slide 5) I got rid of a lot of text-based content that didn’t seem valuable to the user such as filler words and long text because I don’t want them to be confused and overwhelmed with paragraphs of information.
Secondly, I broke up the text. To execute this I used headings, bullet points and short paragraphs so that the content was easier to scan, and the most important information stayed visible. I did this so that I could bring attention to the key sections. When learning about the F-pattern, we were taught about grammar rules to break. The third rule states to “break up chunks of text so that blocks/ paragraphs are 3-5 lines rather than 3-4 sentences.” (Briscoe, W3 – B – Introduction to Internet content writing (W25).pdf, Slide 43). This means making the content more digestible for the reader. My paragraphs were at most 1-3 sentences long. This allowed me to “organize information logically” and “design for reading” (Briscoe, W8 – A – Plain Language Writing (W25).pdf, Slide 39) two important and strategic guidelines used in plain English writing for best results. This allowed me to incorporate aspects of plain English writing and the F-pattern together seamlessly.
Thirdly, I used sentences that focused on straightforward and purposeful language. To do this I simplified the language by removing redundant words and avoiding overly complex language. This makes my sentences much more direct to the user. We learnt that with plain language, “it’s about writing as through readers matter.” (Briscoe, W8 – A – Plain Language Writing (W25).pdf, Slide 15). When we make it easier for the user, we are being conscious of their time since they decided to stop on our content amongst countless other options available to them. “People hate having to sit and unpack complicated sentences, look up unfamiliar phrases or search for the tangible benefit in a paragraph full of unnecessary waffle.” (Briscoe, W8 – Writing Website Copy & Plain Language (W25).pdf Slide 2). By using straightforward language and common everyday words, I was able to still get the message across without losing its meaning. This helped me “write fluidly to move readers through text” (Briscoe, W3 – B – Introduction to Internet content writing (W25).pdf, Slide 23) an objective of the F-Pattern. Since many people scan for language with words they understand, this purposeful language helps with scanning behavior because it quickly communicates the key points that readers can retain.
I was able to overcome the challenge of applying both the F-Pattern and Plain English writing together at once by putting these strategies to work. I had to remind myself that “plain English writing does not replace the “F” pattern. You use plain English writing with the “F” pattern.” (Briscoe, W8 – A – Plain Language Writing (W25).pdf, Slide 83). Remembering this helped put into perspective that these principles are made to work together and not against each other. In the end I created a new introductory article that is structured for scanning and clearly written for readers to engage with. This article ensures that readers can find the information they need quickly and understand the value behind what is written. By implementing these strategies and overcoming this challenge I was able to write an effective, professional and accessible article to a wider audience.