Award–Winners
During the Clinton Administration the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR) awarded one plain language prize (No Gobbledygook Award) a month since the award was established in July 1998 for a total of 17 awards. Vice President Al Gore created the award to recognize federal employees who use plain language in innovative ways after President Clinton issued a June 1998 memorandum directing agencies to write all forms, documents and letters in plain language.
The "No Gobbledygook" award was the centerpiece of Gore's plain language initiative, which took shape after Clinton issued his memorandum. Under the initiative, NPR and the Office of Management and Budget formed a group called the Plain Language Action Network (PLAN) that provided plain-language training to agencies.
Here are some examples from former Vice President Gore's No Gobbledygook Awards.
Eighth Plain Language Award
The eight plain language award went to the Food and Drug
Administration for its new over-the-counter
drug labeling requirements .
Ninth Plain Language Award
Vice President Gore presented this award to the Veterans
Benefits Administration for its program on Reader-Focused
Writing:Letter
1 Letter
2 Letter
3
Twelfth Plain Language Award
Vice President Gore selected the Social Security Administration's
newly rewritten form, "Your
Social Security Statement", as the winner of his twelfth
award.
Thirteenth Plain Language Award
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires sport utility vehicle producers to include a label alerting drivers to the potential danger of the vehicle rolling over in every vehicle they make. The original label was written more than 20 years ago: a 77-word, text-only, black-and-white label. The new one uses graphics, bright colors, and a short, bulleted message.
Read about other No Gobbledygook award-winners.