1. We spoke about Plain English writing in class. Please answer the following in detail:

a. How would you explain to someone what “Plain English writing” is? (4 Marks)

Plain English writing is a form of writing that only uses simple words, so anyone can understand what’s being written. Only using the vocabulary that is only filled with words most people use everyday rather than literacy advanced descriptions. 

Instead of using more complex words, plain english writing shortens what’s being written into simpler sentences that can get across to everyone. Since some people don’t know English literacy as well as others, by using plain english you are writing to everyone instead of a select group. This technique also allows you to get the most information across readers with the short amount of time you have their attention. By using plain english you get rid of the complex long sentences and simplify it for what the content really is. By removing these unnecessary words you get your point across faster.

b. What makes plain English writing different? (4 Marks)

What makes plain English writing different is the use of a simpler vocabulary, such as using everyday words rather than the more complicated ones. This allows the writing to get to the point faster when you remove the more developed vocabulary and just use basic wording. By using everyday basic phrases people who are literacy challenged or not, can both understand the meaning and purpose of the information. It’s also different because it makes your writing shorter. This means you need to come up with more important (straight to the point) content to fill paragraphs instead of filler words.

c. What is plain language writing for the web and in detail and in your own words, why is it important?(4 Marks)

Plain english writing for the web is to make your sentences get to the point as fast as possible while using recognized everyday words. This is important because many users won’t read every word on an article and let alone stay on your website as “users often leave web pages in 10-20 seconds (Nielsen, 2018).”

 By knowing this information it makes logical sense to shorten your sentences and improve readability for those 10-20 seconds you have the user’s attention. By using plain English it improves your likelihood of capturing their attention, making them stay longer as “the first 10 seconds are so important in influencing the users decision to stay or leave (Nielsen, 2018).” 

When a person can understand what you are offering in this short time span your website stands a chance in getting users to actually read your stuff. When the sentences are short and simple they read information faster and understand what you are offering faster. If you don’t use plain english users may not even understand what you are offering within the 10-20 seconds they spend scanning though your page, leaving your website without even determining if they are truly interested.

2. In a previous assignment, you wrote an introduction article in the “F” pattern. Based on what we discussed in class and based on the feedback provided in class, write a new introductory “content” incorporating

“plain English writing for the web” in the “F” pattern including visuals. 

You are to include your “revised version” (if the version you submitted was not in the F-Pattern).

 Ensure that it addresses the three main objectives of plain English writing. As a reminder, this is an introductory post for your business. Ensure you list it in your hardcopy. (12 Marks)

Little Paws Pilates Club

Where Pilates Meets Puppy Love

Windsor’s New Way To Move 

Little Paws Pilates, located in Windsor Ontario, offers a new and improved way to workout by combining Pilates with puppies. Our club uses certified instructors, providing a great experience for all fitness levels, making pilates fun and approachable.

We Are More Than A Pilates Class

We combine pilates, the community and puppies focusing on self care in an instagram worthy pilates workout. Little Paws Pilates is more than just a pilates class; it’s a lifestyle.

The Benefits From Puppy Pilates

• Improves mood
• Creates a positive experience with exercise
• Helps with weight loss
• Boosts metabolism
• Fixes core strength and posture
• Burns calories
• Reduces stress

We Help You Reach Your Goals

Our club makes exercising fun, while helping our clients reach their fitness goals. By combining pilates movement with playful puppies we make our clients feel more comfortable and motivated throughout their health and wellness journey.

A Supportive Community

Little Paws Pilates was built on the belief that strong women reach their goals faster, when they feel comfortable being who they are. Our club is a community that celebrates each other , a safe environment where women feel supported and confident together.

Refresh your wellness routine and join us in making movement something to look forward to.

3. For question #2, explain how your new post successfully addresses the three main objectives of Plain English writing as discussed in class. Provide a detailed breakdown of each objective. (9 Marks)

My new post successfully addresses the three main objectives of plain english writing because it’s easy to read, the content is organized and sentence structure.

I made my content easy to read by getting rid of any filler words and breaking down sentences to get to the point faster. This helps readers scan through my content faster while providing a clear call to action. I also made sure to replace my complex words with common words so it’s easier to comprehend. By making my content easier to read it also supports my objective by giving the readers the most relevant information they need to know in a short time span. This is crucial since stated in part 1c i only have 10-20 seconds to get my point across which isn’t a lot of time. By using this objective it helps give the reader the most relevant information, making them more likely to stay on my website when they have a clear call to action. 

I made my content organized by breaking parts up into sub heading and bullet points while also utilizing the f pattern to make my content easier to scan. By breaking up my content using subheading this clearly shows the reader what they are about to read before they read it. This will help the reader get to the information they are most interested in quickly. The bullet points used also make it easier to scan because it breaks down the important facts into a few words, which users appreciate. Lastly, I made sure to add the most important information first, so if the users consume any of my content it will at least be the most important details.

The last objective I used to make my content plain English writing was sentence structure. This means I structured my sentences small and supported one topic at a time. By doing this it helps the reader understand my sentences quickly when scanning, making it less likely to confuse anyone. It keeps my points direct, making the information not only easy to scan but to process. Finally I made sure to start with a subject then a verb to utilize this concept. This helps the reader understand what the subject is and what is happening in a fast direct way for the web.

a. Describe one specific technique you used to improve readability in your revised version and explain why it is effective. (4 Marks)

A technique I used to improve readability in my revised version is by testing my writing. I tested my writing by first reading what I wrote outloud, this helped me find certain words that didn’t fit or were too complex to flow through naturally. It’s important to have a voice that sounds like you are talking to the readers, so using unnecessary complex words defeats that objective and makes it sound like a book rather than conversational.

 I also tested my writing by using a readability scanner called hemingway editor. This helped me find sentences that were too hard to read and also find unnecessary filler words. By testing my writing it allowed me to identify what should be changed to make my sentences simpler and clearer. Sometimes it’s hard to notice what should be changed just by reading silently. But by saying what was written out loud like it’s used in a conversation, helped me find complicated or unfitting sentences/words. Using tools like hemingway editor also helped point out what sentences were hard to read, while highlighting unnecessary words. 

Overall by using this specific technique it helped me identify complex or unnecessary words, and get straight to the main idea of each sentence, helping me follow plain english writing.

b. What was the most challenging aspect of applying the F-Pattern and Plain English writing principles? How did you overcome it? (5 Marks)

I think the most challenging part of applying the F pattern and plain english principles was reducing my content while still making it feel like it was complete. By removing unnecessary words and under simplified sentences, I was surprised by how short my content was. This made me question if I should add more sentences because of how brief it was. 

However I do know that plain English writing is about quality rather than quantity. While the sentences I had did make my content longer it didn’t provide any important information that would truly benefit me or the reader. All my unversed version did was include unnecessary details and filler words that made getting to point slower.

I overcame this by making sure my headings and subheading fully communicated what the page or each section was about. I also made sure every sentence I wrote had a clear purpose that can be understood. By doing these two things I can get to the main point in a clear, fast manner, even if it means less content/filling up my webpage. 

4. For question #2, what did you do differently from the original post? Please outline, explain and justify what you changed & why. Essentially, what did you learn from this new topic and what did you change and why? (8 Marks)

What I did to revise my original version was by cutting out any unnecessary words, replacing complex phrasing with simpler phrasing and made my tone more conversational. By using these techniques it made my content easier to understand and scan through.

First I cut out unnecessary filler words that added no value to the message I wanted to get across. By removing these words it made my point clear and simple while still keeping the meaning the same. For example I noticed I used “just” a lot which is something I removed, keeping my messages purpose short and direct.

Second, I replaced more complex phrases with simpler words that get straight to the point faster. By doing so it allows readers to understand the purpose faster making it more likely for them to stay on my website. For example I replaced “accomplishing your goals” to “reach your goals”. By revising this sentence I made it simpler with the use of any complex words that allows readers to easily understand and scan through without thinking too much.

Lastly, I changed my tone of voice to be conversational, changing my phrasing to “you” and “your”. By doing this it makes the reader think I’m talking to them, making my content more engaging and less formal, which is important when writing for the web.

 By making these changes it not only improved my readability but also made my message clear, engaging and got to the main idea in a short amount of time. This is important when writing content for a webpage because readers will scan through content to decide whether they want to commit their time to reading the full article. By revising my original content it allows readers to make their decision based on relevant purposeful information that gives my website a fair chance in catching readers interest.

PART A – HEADLINE ANALYSIS & CRITICAL THINKING

Part A Questions

1. Headline Resonance (6 marks)

Find one (1) headline you recently encountered that you felt was effective.

a) Provide the exact headline

“How to stay fit forever: 25 tips to keep moving when life gets in the way (Saner, 2018).”

b) Explain why it resonated with you

The headline resonates with me because I am interested in health and fitness. I go to the gym regularly, but I have recently been struggling to stay consistent while balancing full time school and a part time job. I still want to achieve my fitness goals before summer so the headline caught my attention. I think the use of the word “forever” helped because it implied to me long term, as I’m struggling to maintain gym results. While also including “25 tips”, it made me curious of the solutions they have to fix my problem.

c) Tie your explanation directly to specific headline elements discussed in class

The headline incorporates multiple headline writing concepts I learned in class, such as, utilizing a number. “25 tips” capture readers attention by indicating they have these specific solutions to fix your problem. The writer also knows who their target audience is, making the headline to best catch their attention. I can easily identify who they are talking to; people who struggle staying consistent to their routine and maintaining their results. They also understand what tone of voice this audience responds to. By sympathizing and using relatable messaging like “when life gets in the way” it uses a tone of understanding, almost like they went through the same experience.

2. Accuracy & Representation (4 marks)

Was the headline in Question #1 An accurate representation of the article content?

a) Explain your reasoning clearly

After reading the article, it did represent what the headline was offering which was tips on how to stay fit forever. The content provided multiple suggestions that aligned with the promise of the headline. However, the tips were generic and are known by many people in this situation, such as working out at home, or not relying on willpower. Although this article did give the 25 tips the headline promised, I personally believe it did not offer any unique or new solutions to stay “fit forever.” 

b) Reference course discussion on misleading vs effective headlines

In my opinion the headline is technically not misleading because it follows through with the 25 habits promised. However the promise of “staying fit forever” could be misleading since there is no guarantee that the habits in the article can make a person stay fit forever. The headline was exaggerated but the article still provided the fitness tips regardless of how generic or well known they were. 

Authors must remember that writing a headline that does not accurately represent the content or misleads the reader in any way could harm their credibility and damage their career. Misleading headlines can cause readers to get frustrated, disappointed or misled. This harms an author’s reputation because people become skeptical therefore will no longer click on their articles.

3. Click Motivation (8 marks)

a) Provide a different headline you recently clicked on.

“The Epstein Files Reveal What Trump Knew” 

c) Explain why you clicked it, not why you liked it

I clicked on this headline because it is a current topic of discussion in the media. The Epstein files are now being released and many of them mention the president Donald Trump. Though I don’t follow the case too closely, I do know Donald Trump has stated he knew nothing about the illegal activity that Jeffery Epstein was involved in. So wording the headline as “ what trump knew” compelled me to click.

d) Tie your reasoning directly to course concepts. This must be a different headline than Question #1.

This headline incorporates several of the topics covered in class such as, avoiding vagueness, being straight to the point and creating a sense of urgency. This headline is short and sweet, addressing directly to readers what the article will teach them. By father implying “ what Trump knew” about the Epstein files it instills the fear of missing out creating that sense of urgency. It gives off a tone as he’s hiding something, making the user feel they are about to read something important. Users usually scan through headlines quickly making these concepts very important for writers, in order to catch their attention in a timely manner. 

These 3 concepts catch attention by making the user read only the necessary information considering the short time slot each advertiser has to grab their attention. It also creates a time urgency by making it seem this information needs to be discovered right now and lastly it tells the user exactly what they will get out of reading the article.

PART B – HEADLINE CREATION & APPLICATION

Part B Questions

1. Headline Variation (12 marks)

Using the article from Part A, Question #1, you are to create three (3) different headlines. Each headline must emphasize a different headline element discussed in class. (3X4=12 Marks)

For each headline:

a) Include the Headline

b) Explain your reasoning

c) Reference specific class concepts

Headline 1 – 23 Proven Habits To Keep You Fit When You Don’t Have Time

When writing this headline I decided to use the word “proven” to make this headline sound like these habits have been backed up by a professional. This kind of wording makes it sound like these habits have been supported by research rather than just a personal opinion. It gives the readers an impression that the article will give real credible advice to their problem, increasing clicks.

Secondly, I choose the specific number 23 instead of using the number 25 ( 25 is an odd number but it’s generic) . From what I learned in class, random numbers are less typically in the reader’s mind which makes the reader feel like the article has credibility. As a LinkIn article stated “Odd-numbered listicle headlines outperform even ones by 20% (Westebbe, 2020).”

Readers think that exactly 23 habits were chosen on purpose rather than adding the number 25 for convenience. This seems like the 23 habits were carefully selected by the author, adding only the important habits to the list. Therefore, using words like proven and odd numbers gives the article more credibility and purpose, more likely to be clicked on.

Headline 2 – Dream Body, Busy Schedule; How To Make It Work

I wrote this headline because it promises the readers something of value, by addressing the specific issue. I wanted to make the article specific and easy to understand by adding the goal that is wanted while including what the challenge is. This gives readers the feeling that the writer understands their problem and has the knowledge to help. By clearly stating “how to make it work” at the end they are assured that this article will provide them with real solutions to their specific problem.

By being specific and promising something valuable to the reader it invokes curiosity about what the content has to offer. I kept the headline as short as possible due to short attention spans, but I specifically wanted to address the hard truth that staying fit while living a busy life is hard. The promise of value comes in when add in “how to make it work” at the end emphasizing I know what to do and how to help.

Headline 3 – Act Now Before You Lose Results: 23 Tips To Stay Fit

This headline was created employing the urgency headline approach. To do this I added the words “act now” as a call to action to push the reader to respond. While adding “before you lose results”, the situation becomes time sensitive putting pressure on the reader to figure out how to avoid losing their results. 

The target audience wants to remain fit, so by indicating that they might lose their results it makes them curious to learn about the habits. By understanding what my target audience’s values are and their need to prevent these setbacks will help my message get across. As a result, my phrasing communicates urgency by highlighting the risks and possibilities of not knowing these habits.

Urgency headlines are used to motivate and get immediate action by making the situation feel it could be a missed opportunity if they wait to take action. People are motivated by a fear of losing out  and the awareness of having a deadline, which is why I’ve designed this headline for my target audience. Understanding they have achieved a level of fit they are satisfied with, now looking to keep the weight off. Using urgency phrasing makes my target audience aware of what can happen if they don’t maintain their progress, making them more inclined to click on the article due to a fear of losing out.

2. Headline Intent vs Outcome (4 Marks)

Choose one headline you created in Part B, Q#1 Part B and answer the following:

a) What is the primary intent of this headline? (e.g. curiosity, urgency, clarity, relevance, emotional pull)

My primary intent of the article of my headline “23 Proven Habits To Keep You Fit When You Don’t Have Time” is to increase relevancy by making the article sound credible and precise. Clearly indicating I have 23 specific habits to fix the problem that have been proven.

b) What action or response is the headline designed to trigger?

The headline is supposed to trigger the reader to want to click on the article, as they believe this article has backed up solutions to stay fit. To increase clicks, I used tactics of including a specific number and the phrase “proven” to create the belief of credibility. These tactics make the reader assume the article has helped other people in the same situation.

c) Explain why this intent is appropriate for the target audience you selected.

The intent is appropriate for the target audience because it is specifically calling them out. These individuals don’t want long workouts, they want methods that can help achieve the outcome without requiring a lot of time or much dedication.  I intentionally make the readers feel understood by highlighting both the problem and indicating the article has the solution. By addressing the situation in the headline it correctly attracts the target audience by making them feel as though the content is relevant to them and worth their time. 

3. SCC Advertising Program Headline (6 marks)

Create one headline for an article about the SCC Advertising Program, targeted to local graduating high school students.

You must provide:

a) The headline

Headline –  Advertising Skills Universities won’t teach But St Clair College Will

b) An explanation of the information missing from the instructions

What’s missing from the instructions is the details on which direction I should take this headline, as my target audience is not fully defined. All I know is that they are local and graduating high school, knowing nothing about values, interests, motivates or what stage of the funnel they are at. 

I don’t know what pushes them to commit, since my target audience is large and broad, influencing how my message gets across to students. Therefore, the details were missing, leading me to market the assumption they were already looking into advertising as a career.

c) A detailed justification for your headline choice based on course concepts. You are intentionally not being told what questions to ask.

I created this headline using the class concept of promise of value while also incorporating curiosity. My headline suggests that university advertising programs won’t give students the practical skills they need to be successful in this industry, but St Clair will. I suggest to the reader that choosing St Clair College will give them the important employable skills other advertising courses miss. By saying what “universities won’t teach” it grabs the reader’s curiosity which makes them click.

4. Second-Year Course Headline (4 marks)

Create one headline promoting second-year digital courses in this program, targeted to first-year students.

You must provide:

a) Provide the headline

Headline – 7 Reasons Why Scott Makes Or Breaks Your Advertising Career

b) Explain your reasoning clearly using class content

I made this headline for first year students to create curiosity while using emotional personal factors of the target audience. Since it is targeted to first year advertising students in this program I made it personal by adding a professor’s name and referring to their advertising career. There are a lot of rumours that go around about Scotts classes, how they are hard to pass and a lot of work. By tapping into these fears it makes the audience curious and feel like the information is crucial to know. They are likely nervous for second year due to the rumors, which makes them want to know why this professor makes or breaks their advertising career. This headline feels personal, relevant and specific by using “your advertising career”. By tapping into these emotions the headline leaves them without knowing something that is relevant to them, making it more appealing to click rather than to ignore. I specifically chose the number seven because according to the website Medium “Content Marketing tested its hypothesis and tweaked its headline to include the number 7, click-through rates increased by 20%(Blackwood, 2023).” Therefore by also incorporating an odd number it makes the headline sound even more certain and important.