5. Have I written this as concisely as possible and kept the message?
Get to the point.
Put the most important information first.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
Write paragraphs with no more than 5 to 7 sentences of 10 to 20 words. Stick to 3 to 5 major points.
6. Have I explained the numbers?
Explain any numbers you used.
Explain normal ranges. Do the math for the reader. Use whole numbers instead of percentages.
7. Have I used the right visuals?
Use illustrations or visuals.
Visuals can help the reader understand your message. Images should support your message and help readers
understand what they need to do. Do not use clipart.
Use typography and white space appropriately.
Fonts and other typographical elements should make your document more readable, not fancier. Having
enough blank space in the margins and between sections also increases readability. Other typographical
elements to consider are:
Left justification
No more than 2 fonts. Check with your marketing staff on what your organization’s font preferences are.
Use bold, not ALL CAPITALS. Use italics and underline sparingly.
In general, font size for text should be 12-14 point and headings should be 16-18 point.
Dark fonts on a light background is easiest to read. Colored fonts should be limited to titles and headers.
8. Did I make my document “skimmable”?
Use headings.
Headings enable your reader to skim your document. Write heading in the form of questions, statements or
action phrases.
Use vertical lists with numbers or bullets.
Lists, which group similar items, are easy for readers to skim. Choose numbers when presenting a list with items
in a specific sequence or rank order. Use bullets when the items listed are equivalent in importance.
9. Have I gotten feedback?
Test for readability and user reactions.
The Community Education Program can tell you the grade level needed for your reader to understand your
document. There is no required reading level for patient materials at MaineHealth but using the concepts in this
checklist will make your document easy to read. Pick a few potential readers for their feedback.
Get approvals.
Get necessary approvals from supervisors. Connect with your marketing staff for design review.
For more information on each of these sections, including examples,
go to MaineHealth.org/HealthLiteracy.