Technical writing for specialist audiences uses jargon for precision. News writing for general audiences needs plain language for accessibility. AI tools can bridge this gap — translating technical content into plain language without sacrificing accuracy — when prompted correctly.
The Jargon-Simplification Prompt
For any technical passage, use: "Rewrite the following passage for a reader with no specialist knowledge of [field]. Replace all technical terms with plain-language equivalents. If a technical term must be retained, define it in parentheses immediately after first use. Keep all facts, figures, and attributions intact. Do not simplify to the point of inaccuracy." Include the target reading level for more specific results: "Write for a Year 10 / 8th-grade reading level" or "Write for an intelligent non-specialist adult." Always have the journalist review the simplified version against the original for accuracy before publication.