Wiki source code of Simple sentences

Version 2.39 by Lizzie Bruce on 2019/03/16 02:00

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Lizzie Bruce 2.26 1 (% class="box" %)
2 (((
Lizzie Bruce 2.33 3 Following this helps:
Lizzie Bruce 1.8 4
Lizzie Bruce 2.33 5 * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
6 * **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 7 * **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're distracted it's hard to comprehend convoluted structures
8 * **cognitive impairments** – shorter, non-complex sentences carry less cognitive load
9 * **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
Lizzie Bruce 2.39 10 * **motor impairments** – clear, concise content is shorted so requires less navigation
Lizzie Bruce 2.26 11 )))
Lizzie Bruce 1.8 12
Lizzie Bruce 2.33 13 ==
14 Guidelines ==
Lizzie Bruce 2.22 15
Lizzie Bruce 2.36 16 Short, simple sentences are better on the web than long, protracted prose with complex syntax. WCAG says: "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
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Lizzie Bruce 2.34 19 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 20 [[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
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22 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 23 [[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
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25 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 26 [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UESS"]]
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Lizzie Bruce 2.18 29 ----
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Lizzie Bruce 2.34 31 == ==
Lizzie Bruce 2.20 32
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 33 === {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
Lizzie Bruce 2.6 34
Lizzie Bruce 2.21 35 The maximum sentence length for a good level of comprehension is 25 words. Split long sentences up into 2 or 3, or use bullet points.
Lizzie Bruce 2.6 36
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 37 Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
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Lizzie Bruce 2.35 39 * 15 word sentences are more likely to be comprehensible
40 * 25 words is a good maximum sentence length limit
41 * above 40 words sentences are hard to comprehend easily
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Lizzie Bruce 2.15 43
Lizzie Bruce 2.35 44 Example:
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Lizzie Bruce 2.36 46 (% class="mark" %)This sentence is about 15 words long and is easy to understand. (%%)
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Lizzie Bruce 2.35 48
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 49 === {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 50
51 They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
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54 Complexity depends on:
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56 * number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
57 * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
Lizzie Bruce 2.16 58
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 59
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 60 Example:
61 \\(% class="mark" %)"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
62 "The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 63
64
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 65 ----
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 66
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 67 == {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
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Lizzie Bruce 2.21 69 Oxford Guide to plain English
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 70
Lizzie Bruce 2.21 71 Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 72
Lizzie Bruce 2.21 73 Author Ann Wylie
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 74
75 [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
76
77 [['Sentence length: why 25 words is our limit'>>url:https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/04/sentence-length-why-25-words-is-our-limit/]], Inside GOV.UK, UK Government blog, 2014
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79 [['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
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Lizzie Bruce 2.38 81 [['The role of word difficulty and sentence length in text comprehension'>>https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED215330]], T. M. Duffy and P. K. U'Ren, 1982
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 82
83 [['The Influence of Semantics and Syntax on What Readers Remember'>>url:https://www.hcde.washington.edu/files/people/docs/Isakson_Spyridakis_Sem_Syn.pdf]], C. S. Isakson and J. H. Spyridakis, 1999
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85 [['How the brain attunes to sentence processing: Relating behavior, structure, and function'>>url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819595/]], A. Fengler, L. Meyer, A. D. Friederici, National Center for Biotechnology Information
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87 [['Functional Analysis of Clause Complex in the Language of News Websites Texts: A Comparative Study of Two Articles'>>url:http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0616/ijsrp-p5445.pdf]], F. M. S. Eid, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 6, Issue 6, June 2016
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89 [[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
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91 [['Readability Assessment of Internet-Based Consumer Health Information'>>url:http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/53/10/1310/tab-pdf]], T. M. Walsh and T. A. Volsko in Respiratory Care October 2008, 53 (10) 1310-1315
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93 [['The research basis of plain language techniques: Implications for establishing standards'>>url:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Schriver/publication/285927928_The_research_basis_of_plain_language_techniques_Implications_for_establishing_standards/links/5664c50208ae192bbf90aa85/The-research-basis-of-plain-language-techniques-Implications-for-establishing-standards.pdf]], Karen Schriver, PhD, Dr. A. L. Cheek, M. Mercer, Center for Plain Language, November 20, 2008, Mexico City
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95 [['Readability Levels of Health-Based Websites: From Content to Comprehension'>>url:https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ851863.pdf]], M. Schutten, A. McFarland, PhD, International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 2009, 12:99-107
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97 [['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
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99 [[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
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101 [['Shorter Lines Facilitate Reading in Those Who Struggle'>>url:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0071161]], Matthew H. Schneps , Jenny M. Thomson, Gerhard Sonnert, Marc Pomplun, Chen Chen, Amanda Heffner-Wong, 2013
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103 [['Towards a better measure of readability: Explanation of empirical performance results'>>url:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1989.11435805]], Leslie A. Olsen & Rod Johnson, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015
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105 [['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
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107 [[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
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109 [['Understanding Plain English summaries. A comparison of two approaches to improve the quality of Plain English summaries in research reports.'>>url:https://researchinvolvement.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40900-017-0064-0]] 2017
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111 [['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
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113 [[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
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Lizzie Bruce 2.19 115
Lizzie Bruce 2.18 116 ----
Lizzie Bruce 2.15 117
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 118 (% class="box" %)
119 (((
Lizzie Bruce 2.33 120 See also:
Lizzie Bruce 2.16 121
Lizzie Bruce 2.34 122 * [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
123 * [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
124 * [[Law, medicine, money>>doc:Plain English.Medical.WebHome]]
125 * [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
126 )))