Start with the reader, not a list of forbidden words
Jargon is not simply a long or unfamiliar word. It is language that works within a group but may leave other readers guessing. A specialist term can be exactly right in a discussion among specialists. The same term may need an explanation in a guide for newcomers. Before replacing a word, ask who will read the piece, what they probably know already, and what they need to do with the information.
Consider the sentence “The team will deprecate the feature.” For software developers, “deprecate” can signal a particular stage in a feature’s life. For customers, “We will stop recommending this feature and remove it later” may answer the more useful question. Neither version is automatically better. The clearer choice depends on whether readers need the technical label, the practical consequence, or both.
Find the work each term is doing
When editing, mark words that a reader might have to look up or interpret from context. Then sort them into three groups: terms that name a precise concept, terms that provide useful shorthand after an explanation, and terms that merely make an ordinary action sound abstract. This prevents a blanket rewrite that removes distinctions your subject needs.
“Submit a request for authorization” might become “Ask for approval” if the process is straightforward. But “authorization” may be worth keeping if it means permission granted through a defined procedure. In that case, write the connection plainly: “Ask for authorization, the formal permission required before you begin.” The explanation preserves the term while giving readers a foothold.
Watch especially for nouns that hide actions. “The implementation of improvements is underway” tells readers less than “The team is improving the search tool.” The second sentence identifies an actor and an action. If the exact stage matters, add it: “The team is testing improvements to the search tool before releasing them.” Clarity often comes from restoring concrete details, not from choosing shorter synonyms.
Explain complexity instead of erasing it
A simple replacement can become misleading when it covers only part of a term’s meaning. “Correlation” is sometimes replaced with “connection,” but “connection” can suggest a relationship more definite than the writer intends. A more helpful explanation might be: “The two measurements tend to change together; that pattern alone does not show that one causes the other.” Readers get the distinction without having to know the term in advance.
Try introducing an essential term in two steps: describe the idea in familiar language, then name it. For example: “Readers bring expectations from earlier sentences to the next one. Writers can use those expectations to make a transition feel natural; this is sometimes called given-to-new flow.” Once the meaning is established, you can use the shorter term if it appears often enough to earn its place.
Do not explain every concept with an analogy. Analogies can help readers approach an idea, but they can also conceal its limits. If you use one, follow it with a direct description of what the concept does and, when necessary, what the comparison leaves out.
Revise the sentence around the word
A jargon-heavy passage may remain difficult even after every technical word has been swapped out. Long sentences, missing agents, and vague references can still force readers to reconstruct the point. Compare “Following stakeholder alignment, a decision will be actioned” with “After the project leads agree on a plan, the team will decide who will carry it out.” The revision does more than replace vocabulary: it shows who agrees and what happens next.
Be careful not to invent certainty while clarifying. If you do not know who will make the decision, do not assign it to the team merely to make the sentence active. You can write, “After the project leads agree on a plan, a decision will be made about who will carry it out.” It is less direct, but it is honest about what the draft does not specify. Better still, ask the writer or subject expert to fill the gap.
Read the revised paragraph aloud and listen for phrases that require a second pass. Then check its accuracy against the original. The goal is not a casual tone at any cost; it is a version that a reader can follow without losing an important qualification.
Use a three-question editing exercise
Choose a paragraph from your draft and underline each specialized or abstract term. For each one, ask: Does the reader need this exact term? Can I explain it briefly where it first appears? Would a concrete action or example communicate the point better? Make one revision for a reader new to the subject and another for a knowledgeable reader. Comparing them can reveal which details are essential and which phrases are only habitual.
Finally, ask someone outside the subject area to tell you what they think the paragraph means. Pay attention to the places where they hesitate or infer something you did not intend. You do not have to adopt every suggested wording. Their response helps you find the gap between what the sentence says and what you assumed it would convey. Good editing closes that gap while leaving the subject’s real complexity intact.
