Plain language benefits

Easier to understand.
Readersmake fewer mistakes.
Readers find answers more quickly.
Readers need less assistance.
Improves accessibility, inclusivity, search-ability, readability, and scaleability.

Guidelines

Be Clear and Concise

Use short, meaningful headings.
Stick to one idea per paragraph.
Use keywords in the beginning of each paragraph.

Use simple sentence structures and simpler language.
Be concise, simple and clear – less is more.
e.g., “Use” vs. “Utilize”; “If” vs. “In the event of”
Avoid slang, jargon, clever, or humorous language.
Avoid repetition.

Be consistent.
Write at an 8th grade reading level (https://hemingwayapp.com.)
Aim for a Microsoft Word readability score of 70 or greater.

Be Conversational and Approachable

Write in informational, active voice
Pro tip: if you can add “by zombies” to the end of a sentence, you’re using passive voice.
Examples
Passive: The course was offered by the department of Animal Sciences in 2021.
Active: We offered the class in 2021.
Write positively
Use I, you, we, and us pronouns.
Use “you” statements
Use inclusive language
Guide readers through the information
Write for your audience, not experts.
Assume your audience is new to the subject, avoid jargon or overly technical terms

Be Service-driven

Think about the questions readers might ask by putting ourselves in their shoes.
Use clear calls to action.
Use headings, lists, and other semantic structures to help readers navigate.
List resources in order of importance.

Principles to Remember

Put people first:
It is essential to focus on the person, not their characteristics.(e.g., woman who is blind vs. blind woman.)
We are more than our descriptors:
Avoid generalizations and don’t assume someone’s identity unless relevant to the discussion, like inviting women students to meet your women in leadership at a STEM networking event.
Use universal phrases:
Idioms, industry jargon, and acronyms can exclude a candidate who may not have specialized knowledge of a particular subject and can lead to miscommunication. Plus, many idioms don’t translate well globally across languages or countries.
Use gender-neutral language:
Inclusive ways to address a group: e.g., folks, people,team.
Inclusive verbs and adjectives: e.g., human-man, firefighter, partner.
Recognize the impact of mental health language:
“Bipolar,” “PTSD,” “OCD,” and “ADD” are real mental health diagnoses that people possess. Avoid other derogatory terms that stem from the context of mental health, like “schizo,” “paranoid,” “psycho,” “crazy” or “insane.
Educate Yourself and Ask if you aren’t sure:
Inclusive language is nuanced and is meant to reflect an individual’s or group’s personal style and preference. 

Source: Handshake.com

Resource: apstylebook.com

Pretend someone is reading this to you and you can’t see it. Does the link text make sense?

Put keywords at the beginning of the link phrase.
Search your page for “Click Here” – You shouldn’t find it. Please reword your link.
Don’t spell out full urls in your text unless:
– you are trying to get the users to memorize a short url
– you are using an email link, in which case, spell out the email address in addition to linking it

Resource: plainlanguage.gov

Describe how the contents of image relates to written content.
Add alt text to all non-decorative images.
If an image is decorative without contextual meaning, check the box as “decorative.” You can use “” to indicate a decorative image in Outlook.
Don’t include “image of” or “photo of”.
Complex alt text descriptions may be used to explain infographics, charts, or graphs, but a better practice is to present the information using a semantic element like a list or paragraph.
For images that serve as links, alt text should be the link description.
Hide or remove your image and read the alt text to see if it fits.

Resource: WebAIM.org

Images

Images are a great way to break up sections of text and enhance the design of an email. However, there are some image guidelines.

Avoid embedding text in images
– The copy in your email should be live text, not text embedded in an image as screen readers cannot detect it.
– If you have embedded text in an image, be sure to define that text within your email body copy below the image. Use short, descriptive alt text for the image.
Always add alternative text
If you use a branded header or banner image, spell out the words in the image for the alt text.

Fonts

Sans serif fonts like Source Sans Pro, Arial, and Calibri are easier to read.
Avoiding using all caps and excessive italics, or underlines.
Keep text at a reasonable size, no lower than 11 or 12 points (14 or 16 pixels, points to Pixels converter.)
Ensure perceivable differentiation between all heading and paragraph styles.
Ensure sufficient line spacing. Use built-in styling tools rather than extra returns.
Underline hyperlinked text.
Create bold and/or larger headings for easy scanning.

Color Contrast

Use high-contrast color schemes on opposite ends of the color spectrum for readability, such as white and black.
Avoid using color alone to convey meaning. Use color along with a secondary element, such as shape or text differences.
Use color contrast checkers, such as this Color Checker.
Check out University of Illinois brand accessible color combinations.
For standard texts:
size less than 24px: contrast of 4.5:1 minimum
size greater than or equal to 24px: contrast of 3:1 minimum
For bold texts:
size less than 18.5px: contrast of 4.5:1 minimum
size greater than or equal to 18.5px: contrast of 3:1 minimum
For non-underlined links
contrast of 3:1 minimum with the surrounding text and with the background color

Resrouce: Color contrast guidelines

Once we have crafted accessible, inclusive content, our next step is to build and style our email. To do this, we utilize semantic structures and styles.

Semantic Structure

Using semantic structure provides an organized hierarchy for your content. This makes it easier for users with assistive technologies, such as screen readers, to navigate and understand information. The email content hierarchy should be established through the use of headings, subheadings, and other organizational elements.

Headings

Headings should be scannable and explain what an email section is about. Heading text should be clear and concise.

Headings should be organized in a structured, semantic order.
Use the built-in heading styles in both Webtools and Outlook with descriptive heading texts to make it easier for screen reader users to determine the structure of the message and navigate the headings.
Think of your document like an outline for an essay.
Heading 1 (h1) should be the page title. There is only one title or Heading 1 on a page. 
The next level down would be Heading 2 (h2). Under those headings, you would use H3, etc. 
Headings must go in sequential order. You can have multiple Headings 2-6.

Lists

Lists are a great way to break up longer pieces of text.

Bulleted lists are used for lists with no important order.
Numbered lists used are for specifically ordered lists.

Paragraphs 

Paragraph Text Style

Align text to the left instead of centered or justified.
Use paragraphs with headings. 
Break up text into short paragraphs.
Add additional spacing between sentences and paragraphs to reduce the reading load. Use built-in email spacer tools, NOT extra returns.
Write descriptive hyperlink text. People who use screen readers can sometimes scan a list of links, so they should convey clear and accurate information about the destination.
Don’t use link texts such as “Click here” or ‘Learn more.” Use the title of the destination page or keywords from the destination page, not the full page url.

Paragraph Banners

Use paragraph banners to separate content visually with full-width, highlighted text.
Make sure your highlight color and text color pass contrast guidelines.

Tables

Tables should be used to convey tabular data only and not as a tool to lay out the design of your email. Consider using lists and paragraph options to present information.

If you do use tables, please follow these guidelines:

Avoid fixed width tables.
Don’t combine separate tables.
Edit any existing hyperlink texts so that they are clear and don’t break mid-sentence.
Use table titles, captions, alt text, and headers.
Use table headers. Screen readers use header information to identify rows and columns, and to keep track of their location in a table.
Ensure there are no blank cells.
If you must use tables to layout your email, add the attribute <table role=”presentation”> on every table element (this is for non-tabular data only.)

Attaching Documents

Describe the content of an image with text in the email.
If you do attach a file to an email, make sure the document is accessible. Learn more about the law and this process with these IT Accessibility Document Accessibility tips.
Learn more about PDF accessibility with these IT Accessibility PDF tips.
If the information could simply be added to the body of the email as text, then consider doing this instead of attaching documents.

Other Tips

Avoid animation as auto-playing animations and videos can be distracting.
Use text for your name and contact information in email signatures.
Adding a logo is okay, but be sure to add alternative text for the logo.
Use captions and transcripts for videos.

Outlook’s Accessibility Checker

Will review your content and flag accessibility issues it comes across.
Will explain each issue and suggest how to resolve it.
Allow it to notify you of potential accessibility issues while you work:
Select File > Options > Accessibility
Select that you want to see notifications through a MailTip while you work

To test a Webtools email, send a draft to your Outlook account to use Outlook tools.

Outlook Immersive Reader

Try reading the email with Immersive Reader to check how it sounds.
Message > Immersive Reader > Read Aloud

Request Accessible Emails

Let people know that you prefer to receive accessible content.

In Outlook:
Account details > File > Info > Account Settings > Access this account on the web
Outlook then will open in your browser
Accessibility Settings > Select the settings icon > General > Accessibility
Select the ‘Ask senders to send content that’s accessible’ checkbox.

More Resources

Color Contrast Checker
Document Accessibility tips
PDF Accessibility tips
More on Accessible Emails

Checklist for Accessible Emails

Write email subject lines, headings, sentences, and paragraphs that are clear and concise.
List resources in order of importance.
Stick to one idea per paragraph with keywords at the beginning.
Use simple sentence structures, plain language, and active voice.
Write at an 8th-grade level.
Avoid repetition.
Avoid jargon, humor, slang, and industry terms.
Use I, you, we, and us.
Use descriptive hyperlinks (not “click here”.)
Use alt text with all images.
Do not embed meaningful text in images.
Use high contrast colors for text.
Use semantic elements to lay out your email, not tables.
Describe attachment contents in body of email.