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Independent Report Finds U.S. Federal Agencies Failing Plain Language Act ObjectivesBALTIMORE, Feb. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VisibleThread released findings from its 2016 U.S. Government Index Report, a comparative study of the quality of content on a set of federal agency websites. The study, which also includes detailed comparisons to a benchmark 2011 report of the same agencies, finds that communication is worse today than it was five years ago. The company has made the full report available on their website at www.visiblethread.com/solutions/industry/government/ The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires that federal agencies use "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." VisibleThread's independent report ranks federal agency sites across four different categories: readability, frequency of passive voice, frequency of long sentences and density of complex words. The 2016 report finds that despite modest improvement in passive voice and long-sentence frequency, federal agency communication is regressing. Measures of average complexity across the Index have more than doubled and readability has gone up a full grade-level. "VisibleThread's 2016 U.S. Government Index results should give people cause for concern as quality of communication has a direct impact on Government costs, particularly for agencies responsible for overseeing compliance," stated Fergal McGovern, CEO of VisibleThread. "Poor communication correlates with higher administrative costs, increased litigation and lower revenues, and yet it's one of the easiest and least costly variables governments can address." The Top 6 agencies in the 2016 Index were: 1. U.S. Geological Survey; 2. U.S. Mint; 3. Smithsonian; 4, Department of the Interior; and 5. a tie between Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census. The U.S. Mint was the only agency measured in the entire Index with an acceptable Readability Score. Eight agencies achieved acceptable scores in the 2011 Index. The U.S. Geological Survey was one of only four agencies that registered acceptable levels of passive voice – no agency met requirements in the 2011 Index. The report also includes full Index tables and additional key findings for individual department and agency performance, including directional rank change and areas for plain language improvement. VisibleThread, which develops enterprise-grade document content analysis solutions for sales, marketing and communication professionals, uses its technology and a database of complex words published by PlainLanguage.gov to produce the data for the Index. Private companies use VisibleThread's solutions to analyze lengthy sales proposals or other marketing assets and identify risk. Authors of the report were able to scan a federal agency's website in a matter of minutes to produce the assessment. This scan also identified the factors that are driving scores for each of the criteria and their location on the website. About VisibleThread Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160208/330813 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independent-report-finds-us-federal-agencies-failing-plain-language-act-objectives-300217274.html SOURCE VisibleThread |