CAN-ASC 3.1 Plain Language: Public review draft – Annex A (informative)

Table of contents for Annex A

In accordance with this standard, the organization will consider the following guidelines.

Follow all plain language practices when creating forms.

Use a title and an introduction to explain to the audience the purpose of the form and why it needs to be completed.
Include a table of contents, a list of essential abbreviations or a lexicon.
Group the content or questions by themes.
Give each group a unique title.
Follow a structure the audience is most accustomed to.
Identify the sections of the form the audience does not need to complete.
Make mandatory sections of the form obvious for the audience.
Include an explanatory guide, if needed, such as in an appendix or incorporate a hyperlink that opens in a new window.

Use the same structure for all questions and answers but closed-ended questions are preferred.
Label each form field in a clear manner, for example "Name as it appears on your birth certificate" instead of "Name".
Number each question.
Allow for a "don't know" or "other" response.
Leave enough space for text answers and enough space between each item or question.

Plan alternative formats according to the needs of the audiences: audio, video, etc.
Make sure forms are compatible with all browsers.
Alert the audience to any items needed at hand before completing the form. A good example is: "Gather your documents before completing this form."
Give the audience the choice to complete the form either on paper or electronically.
Place instructions where the audience needs them, instead of at the top or bottom of the page.