albo - 7:29 pm on Mar 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

I agree whole-heartedly with signor_john: it's not a matter of dumbing down or addressing a lower grade level. It's a matter of politeness toward the reader's stamina and time.

Use small words; let large words earn their keep. I recall with horror many bureaucratic memos with "utilization" in place of "usage" and the like.

I would point you to a website with Ernest Hemingway's 5 Top Tips for Writing Well, if URL citations were allowed here. Instead allow me to cite Steven Krug. Look at the composed text and "Eliminate half of what you’ve written, then eliminate half of what’s left." Make a point.