7 Communicate Interculturally with the SCORE Model and Plain Language
Confederation College and Christina Page
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to
- Define plain language and identify the three core elements of plain language
- Describe the elements of plain language and how they support clear communication
- Use the SCORE principles to revise spoken and written communication
The more culturally and linguistically diverse your audience, the higher the stakes for plain language, because jargon, idioms, and complex sentence structures create barriers to clear communication. This is also an equity issue, because dense, inaccessible language tends to privilege those who already have power.
In fact, the Canadian government requires employees to write plainly – and so does the World Health Organization (WHO)! A branch of the United States government created Federal Plain Language Guidelines to ensure that government agencies were writing plainly. Much of the information in the Plain Language chapter of this text has been adapted from these guidelines.
The Three Elements of Plain Language
When you write using plain language, you write with your audience and purpose in mind. To write plainly, you must consider three main elements: word choice, sentence structure, and tone.
1. Word choice
Plain language is easy to understand, so you are able to communicate clearly with a wide audience. Writers should avoid uncommon or overly technical language that might not be understood by everyone.
Plain word choices are
- simple, common, accurate words
- not jargon, idioms, or figurative language
- inclusive
2. Sentence structure
Plain language is concise, so readers can get the message quickly. Being concise means conveying your message accurately and politely in as few words as possible. When you are concise, you are respectful of your readers’ time. Plain sentence structure uses
- direct, concise, and simple sentences
- active voice unless passive is necessary
3. Tone
Plain language has a positive, conversational tone, so you can establish a friendly rapport with your reader. Writing with an appropriate tone has
- a friendly, conversational, and positive feeling
- first and second person pronouns that speak to the reader
Reflection Point
How are your skills at using plain language? Practice writing clearly. Use principles of plain language to revise these sentences:
- There are so many social problems such as domestic abuse, child abuse, more frequent use of fire arms among teens and on to such needs as food banks.
- Those engaged in the business of farming are discouraging future generations from farming because of the lack of being able to provide a viable income.
- We are sorry to advise you that the new program changes will not be completed until Wednesday.
- The lack of landfill sites and the continual need to recycle is an issue everyone must deal with.
- A new addition to our Gymnastics programs, a “Display Team” will be added for those children who would like to work on routines and have the talent and desire to perform.
Share your sentences with a partner and evaluate each other’s work.
Exercise for Clear Writing from Learning Networks of Ontario
The SCORE Principles
Another way to think about plain language is to consider the "SCORE" communication principles (Berardo, 2012).
| SCORE Principle | The Rationale | Suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| S =
Simplify and Specify |
Much miscommunication happens across cultures because the language is hard to understand or the details are not specific. | Make your communication as easy to understand as possible:
|
| C =
Clarify and Confirm |
Two people may think they understood each other, but they may actually have a different understanding of the situation. Therefore, it is important to continually clarify what you are intending to communicate and confirm that this is in fact what the other person understands. | Ensure the message you are delivering is clear and understood:
|
| O =
Organize and Outline |
When communication is highly structured and organized well, it becomes easier for others to understand the main points. | Structure your communication:
|
| R =
Rephrase and Reframe |
Providing multiple ways of saying the same thing increases the chances of being understood. | Provide alternative ways of saying the same thing:
|
| E =
Explain with Examples |
Providing the rationale behind our thinking can make our intentions clearer to our audience. Using examples to illustrate our point (and sometimes literally illustrating our point using drawings and visuals) helps clarify our message. | Reinforce key concepts with explanations and examples:
|
Case Study
Ahmed, a hospitality management student working part-time at a busy downtown hotel, noticed communication challenges between the front desk and housekeeping staff. Miscommunications about room readiness were causing delays for guests and creating tension between departments. Recognizing an opportunity to apply the SCORE principles he learned in class, Ahmed developed a new communication protocol for the hotel staff.
First, Ahmed used the simplify and specify principle by creating a checklist with short, clear sentences about room status indicators, eliminating vague terms that confused staff. He implemented clarify and confirm practices where housekeeping staff would acknowledge receipt of requests with a brief confirmation message. To implement the organize and outline practice, he developed a color-coded digital dashboard with numbered sections that visually displayed room status in real-time. When staff struggled with new procedures, Ahmed used techniques to rephrase and reframe, explaining concepts using hotel-specific analogies that resonated with his colleagues. Finally, he explained with examples by documenting specific scenarios and providing visual aids showing how improved communication prevented problems. Within three weeks of implementation, guest complaints about room delays decreased by 30%, and the general manager recognized Ahmed’s initiative as a valuable contribution to improving hotel operations.
Reflection Point
Think of a recent situation in your workplace, in class, or in the community where you experienced a miscommunication that may be related to differences in language or culture.
- With the SCORE principles in mind, what changes would you make to your communication strategy?
- What will you do in a similar situation in the future?
Chapter References
Berardo, K. (2012). Framework: The SCORE Communication Principles. In K. Berardo & D. K. Deardorff (Eds.), Building Cultural Competence: Innovative Activities and Models (pp. 225–230). Stylus.
Federal plain language guidelines. U.S. General Services Administration. https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. (n.d.). Canada.ca content style guide. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/government-communications/canada-content-style-guide.html
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Use plain language. https://www.who.int/about/communications/understandable/plain-language
Attribution Statement
Content in the Plain Language section of this chapter is adapted from Intercultural Business Communication by Confederation College (eCampusOntario, 2021), licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
AI Statement: The SCORE model case study was adapted from content generated by Perplexity AI. (2025, May 21). Case study of SCORE principles application in hospitality management [AI-generated content]. https://www.perplexity.ai/
A communication approach that prioritizes clarity and accessibility for a wide audience. Plain language considers three elements: word choice (simple and common words), sentence structure (direct and concise), and tone (positive and conversational).
Technical or specialized language used within a particular group or field that may not be understood by a general audience. In plain language practice, jargon should be avoided or clearly explained.
Expressions where the figurative meaning differs from the literal meaning of the words (e.g., "hit the nail on the head"). Can create barriers to understanding in intercultural communication and should be avoided in plain language writing.
A framework for intercultural communication developed by Kate Berardo (2012), consisting of five principles: Simplify and Specify, Clarify and Confirm, Organize and Outline, Rephrase and Reframe, and Explain with Examples.
