2026 ALISE Annual Conference

How does writing strategy affect whether adults can understand and use information?  This study compares how traditional technical writing, AI-generated content, and plain language affect adult reading comprehension in high-stakes contexts—health, legal, and financial. Using a 3×3 Latin Square design, browser-based eye-tracking, and a novel discourse annotation framework, the study examines how textual structure shapes readers' ability to understand and act on information. Findings contribute to information literacy practice, plain language policy, and the design of public-facing communication.