The Plain Language Project: accessible digital texts
Using plain language boosts trust in the university and reduces the risk of our students facing discrimination. As part of the project, we are implementing user tests, tailoring texts to the target audience and providing staff with skills development. We are focusing in particular on university-wide texts relating to student support.
Photo: Jason Leung from Unsplash.com.
The aim of the project is to rewrite the most important digital texts on student support at Lund University in plain language. The aim is also to lay the foundations for long-term plain language work as part of student support. We will therefore both adapt texts to plain language and train those responsible for writing them.
The project aims to ensure that
- selected relevant digital texts meet the requirements and expectations placed on informative texts in the public sector
- there is a professional development group comprising people who work on plain language in digital texts aimed at students (and teaching staff)
- a follow-up has been carried out to show the extent to which the plain language work has had an impact.
The project is funded by the Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities programme and will run until spring 2027.
How you can get involved in the project
- Please feel free to tell students who face any kind of reading barrier about our reference group.
- Please do get in touch with examples of digital texts for students that could be better tailored to the reader.
- Contact us if you’d like to improve your skills in tailoring text to the reader and writing in plain language. We’re happy to share reading tips and resources.
Get in touch with us! Email us at: digital [at] education [dot] lu [dot] se (maria[dot]esaiasson[at]kommunikation[dot]lu[dot]se) or #lisa [dot] ohrnell [at] edusupport [dot] lu [dot] se (lisa[dot]ohrnell[at]edusupport[dot]lu[dot]se)
The team working on the project
Project group:
- Maria Esaiasson, project manager (20%), The Unit for Educational Services/Corporate Communication (Internal Communication and Management Support)
- Lisa Öhrnell, language consultant (100%), The Unit for Educational Services
Steering group
Chair and commissioning body:
Jimmie Kristensson, pro vice-chancellor for communication, integrity and character
Members:
- Kia Olsson, Head of office at Student Support and Learning, Student Affairs
- Charlotte Simonsson, Associate professor, Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences
- Kikki Nillasdotter, Lecturer, Centre for Languages and Literature (SOL), Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology
- Eva Johannesson, Communications Director and Assistant Head of Division at Internal Communication and Management Support, Corporate Communication Division
- Emilia Björkman, student representative
- Johanne Elde, Communications Officer, Faculty of Science (served on the steering group during the autumn term of 2024)
Read more about the project
The project brief for “Plain Language: Accessible Digital Texts” (PDF, 246 kB)
The decision on “Plain Language: Accessible Digital Texts” (PDF, 223 kB)
Contact us
Do you have any questions about the project Plain Language: accessible digital texts?
Email Maria Esaiasson digital [at] education [dot] lu [dot] se (maria[dot]esaiasson[at]kommunikation[dot]lu[dot]se) or Lisa Öhrnell lisa [dot] ohrnell [at] education [dot] lu [dot] se (lisa[dot]ohrnell[at]education[dot]lu[dot]se)