Resources > The Clarity Journal

The Clarity Journal

Our biannual journal, The Clarity Journal, is the leading source of plain language news and research from across the globe. The journal features the latest plain language research, practical advice, before-and-after examples, success stories, campaign strategies and much more.

The Clarity Journal is distributed free to members, keeping you up-to-date and informed of changes and trends in plain language and clear communication.

Contact our Editor-in-Chief at editor@clarity-international.org for advertising, article submissions and enquiries.

  • The Clarity Journal 54 November 2005

    In this issue :

    1. Thefounding of Clarity
    2. Master Class No. 2, Boulogne conference : Drafting fromscratch—three versions
    3. NoiseBill instructions and comments
    4. TroublesomeNoiseDisclosure Act
    5. Noise Act 2005
    6. Comments on the draft Bills
    7. Master Class No. 2, Boulogne conference: Revisory drafting—three revisions
    8. The revision that emerged from the project to “restyle” the U.S. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
    9. Cleaning up the act: using plain English in legislation
    10. Testing—we need to do more, more often
    11. Plain language at the Regulator
    12. Whatreadability expert witnessesshould know
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 53 May 2005

    In this issue :

    1. How the European Commission drafts legislation in 20 languages
    2. The European Central Bank’s approach to drafting legislation in 20 languages
    3. The effect of poorly written legislation in a bilingual legal system
    4. Producing multilingual legislation in Switzerland
    5. Linguistic oddities in European Union legislation: don’t shoot the translator
    6. Just fix the English
    7. plain language movement in Italy
    8. Canada’s multilingual plain language projects
    9. Legalese of biblical proportions: some observations on legal language in Israel
    10. Citizen’s Language: Plain language in Mexico
    11. Plain language in Spain
    12. Plain English in Asia
    13. Legal English in Japan: a translator’s perspective
    14. Plain English in Singapore: preparing the next generation of lawyers
    15. ASD simplified technical English
    16. A forensic test of a Pennsylvanian contract
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 52 November 2004

    In this issue :

    1. Plain English and New Zealand statutes
    2. Imperatives in drafting legislation: a brief New Zealand perspective
    3. Plain language in New Zealand: the drafting of legislation
    4. Writing decisions in the New Zealand Disputes Tribunal
    5. The power of language—the lawyer’s dilemma
    6. Rewriting the Income Tax Act
    7. Decisions that convince
    8. Plain language and law graduates in New Zealand
    9. Definitions and capitals: where are we?
    10. O ate 2 of Jill’r pairs
    11. The doleful grip of convention
    12. Plain language in Mexico
    13. Exploring meanings of plain language
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 51 May 2004

    In this issue :

    1. Legal writing: some tools
    2. Drafting readable laws
    3. Advice from the Deep South
    4. D MacDonald Disclosure overload: lawyers are the problem, not the solution
    5. D Hyndman Plain language means better regulation
    6. R Grotsky Plain language: its effects on organizational performance
    7. Know your rights: a plain language series illuminates legal issues for seniors
    8. D Huron Testing plain language texts with adult learners
    9. J Aitken Tudor drafting
    10. D Elliott The Orians, the Andians and the Andorians
    11. D Elliott Provided—and the Kingdom of If
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 50 November 2003

    In this issue :

    1. R Scheer Dear Tony: a lesson in plain English
    2. Is plain language appropriate for well-educated and politically important people?
    3. M Hochhauser Compliance v Communication S Benjamin Words at work: a study
    4. J Kimble The elements of plain language
    5. C Staughton How do the courts interpret commercial contacts?
    6. R Eagleson Numbers: figures or words
    7. R Castle Relative clauses: the “that/which” debate
    8. P Knight on hereby
    9. R Eagleson Conjunctions in lists
    10. C Mowatt Clarity’s new look
    11. D Revell Words as numbers
    12. R Castle Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts, by James Kessler
    13. D Elliott Plain Language for Lawyers, by Michèle Asprey
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 49 May 2003

    In this issue :

    1. C Grose Giving users a central role
    2. T Workman Does it have to be a lawyer?
    3. R I Barrett A judicial response to plain language
    4. L Skelton How to be streetwise about the audience
    5. R Eagleson Bringing the audience to the fore
    6. P Chen The prudence of listening to the audience
    7. J Locke 9/11 Aftermath
    8. V Robinson Including drafters from the start
    9. N Campbell Why do banks write the way they do?
    10. M Saher The plaining of writers
    11. R Castle Some thoughts on lists
    12. S Stapely Physicians, heal yourselves
    13. D Revell, M Adler, R Eagleson Hereby
    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 48 December 2002

    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 47 May 2002

    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 46 July 2001

    Download PDF

  • The Clarity Journal 45 December 2000

    Download PDF