Award–Winners
Many organizations give awards for their writing. We've chosen a few examples from the public and private sectors to show you their variety. If you know of another important award we should have on the list, write to us.
External links are shown with a "
".
Legal
Writing Institute
Joe Kimble is chair of the Outreach Committee for the
Legal Writing Institute's Golden Pen Award. This award
recognizes people who significantly advance the cause
of better legal writing.
Burton
Awards
The Burton Awards are also for legal writing. They go
to partners in law firms and to law-school students who
use plain language and avoid archaic, stilted legalese.
This foundation works in association with the Library
of Congress. Past speakers have included Tim Russert,
Tom Brokaw, and Paula Zahn.
No-Gobbledygook Awards
Vice President Al Gore announced the No-Gobbledygook Award at the 1998 National Small Business Awards Program. The award recognizes federal employees who use plain language in innovative ways. Here you can see before–and–after examples of several of those awards. Read Gore's announcement speech, which features several before-and-after examples.
United
Kingdom Awards
After seeing two elderly ladies die because they couldn't
understand an application form for housing benefits, the
Plain English Campaign's founder took the initiative to
fight for plain language. Based in New Mills, Derbyshire
in England, this campaign gives awards in various categories
to those who use plain English.
National Institute of Health Awards
The Plain Language Initiative requires the use of plain
language in all new documents written for the public,
other government groups, and fellow workers. The National
Institute of Health Awards recognize employees whose writing
is clear and to the point.
