You’ve sent in your entry. Now it’s over to the judges...

Each category has an independent judging panel of international and New Zealand-based experts. The judges evaluate the entries against the specific requirements for each award and the plain English criteria here.

The judges will:

• select a shortlist of up to 10 entries for each award
• select up to 3 finalists from each shortlist
• choose a winner for each award.

We’ll announce the shortlists and finalists as soon as they’re decided. The winners are announced at the awards ceremony on 15 November.

Trophies and Awards of Distinction

All winners, except for the People’s Choice ‘Brainstrain’, get a unique steel and bronze trophy created for the Awards by Wellington sculptor Campbell Maud. Winners also get the prizes listed on each category page.

All finalists, other than the winner, get an Award of Distinction.

Key dates for 2018

• Entries close at midnight on Monday, 3 September
• Shortlisted entries announced on Wednesday, 19 September
• Finalists announced on Wednesday, 17 October
• Awards ceremony and winners announced on Thursday, 15 November

Judges for the 2018 Plain English Awards
Plain English criteria for documents and websites
What types of user-testing do judges look for?
Terms and conditions