Laki niin kuin se luetaan – säädöskielen käytettävyyttä tutkimassa

How to read the letter of the law: Examining the usability of the statutory texts

Authors

• Riitta Suominen Yksityinen kielitoimisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30661/afinlavk.143355

Keywords:

usability, legalese, comprehension

Abstract

The article looks at how readers understand legal text, which characteristics cause difficulties, and which facilitate understanding. The method used is protocol analysis. It examines a subject’s reading process, highlighting the features that affect reading and understanding. Subjects read test texts while verbalizing their reading experience, and their thinking aloud is recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Subjects include lawyers, officials, and laypeople, and test materials contain extracts from the Finnish Inheritance Code, the Income Tax Act, and the Working Time Act. The results show the impact of different textual elements on comprehension and usability.