Open Government at the National Archives

Plain Writing Examples

View these before and after examples to see how the National Archives implements plain language.

Accessibility Statement: Before | After
Declassification Meetings: Before | After
Emergency Requests: Before | After
ERA Training: Before | After
Federal Records Center: Before | After
JFK Assassination Records: Before | After
National Archives Catalog: Before | After
Online Databases: Before | After (links to the Genealogy section)
Preservation
- Main Page: Before | After (links to the Preservation section)
- Programs: Before | After
Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) : Before | After
Recover Missing Records and Artifacts: Before | After
Research Main Page: Before | After (links to the Military Logbooks section)
Screening Reports for Privacy: Before | After
Veteran's Service Records:
- Letter: Before | After
- Military Service Records: Before | After (links to the Veterans section)

These website pages apply the task-focused approach and Plain Writing guidelines to encourage skimming, scanning, and selecting.

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