Wiki source code of Specialist terms
Version 5.2 by Lizzie Bruce on 2019/04/30 16:18
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1 | (% class="box" %) | ||
2 | ((( | ||
3 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) | ||
4 | Following this helps: | ||
5 | |||
6 | * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly | ||
7 | * **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things | ||
8 | * **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or running a business your attention's divided | ||
9 | * **cognitive impairments** – words and sentences that are easy to understand carry less cognitive load | ||
10 | * **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field | ||
11 | ))) | ||
12 | |||
13 | |||
14 | == Guidelines == | ||
15 | |||
16 | Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts. Simple words help everyone. | ||
17 | |||
18 | |||
19 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Explainspecialistterms:A0anybodycanaccessyourcontent." %) | ||
20 | [[1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]] | ||
21 | |||
22 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.Createcontentthatalluserscanunderstand2Cwhatevertheirexpertiseorbackground." %) | ||
23 | [[2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]] | ||
24 | |||
25 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H3.Helpusersunderstandspecialistterms." %) | ||
26 | [[3. Help users understand specialist terms.>>doc:||anchor="#3"]] | ||
27 | |||
28 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) | ||
29 | [[4. Use plain English for high literacy audiences.>>doc:||anchor="#4"]] | ||
30 | |||
31 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) | ||
32 | [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UEST"]] | ||
33 | |||
34 | |||
35 | ---- | ||
36 | |||
37 | === {{id name="#1"/}}1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. === | ||
38 | |||
39 | Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions. | ||
40 | |||
41 | |||
42 | === {{id name="#2"/}}2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. === | ||
43 | |||
44 | When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail. | ||
45 | |||
46 | If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language is in plain language. | ||
47 | |||
48 | |||
49 | === {{id name="#3"/}}3. Help users understand specialist terms. === | ||
50 | |||
51 | You could: | ||
52 | |||
53 | * link to an existing definition – this could be an external site | ||
54 | * add a explanatory definition after using the term | ||
55 | |||
56 | |||
57 | Example: | ||
58 | |||
59 | **Before** | ||
60 | "It is a Palladian style stone building, and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving." – [[original sentence>>url:http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/palladian]] | ||
61 | \\**After** | ||
62 | (% class="mark" %)"It is a [[Palladian style>>url:http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/style-guide-palladianism/]] stone building, and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving."(%%) – with link to a definition | ||
63 | \\(% class="mark" %)"It is a Palladian style stone building and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving. Palladian style architecture features include columns, symmetry and decorative arches."(%%) – with explanatory definition | ||
64 | |||
65 | |||
66 | === {{id name="#4"/}}4. Use plain English for high literacy audiences. === | ||
67 | |||
68 | Higher literacy level users scan web pages too. | ||
69 | |||
70 | ---- | ||
71 | |||
72 | == {{id name="#UEST"/}}Usability evidence: specialist terms == | ||
73 | |||
74 | [['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], H.[[ >>url:https://www.nngroup.com/people/hoa-loranger/]]Loranger and K. Moran, NNg, 2017 | ||
75 | |||
76 | [['Writing Digital Copy for Specialists vs. General Audiences'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/videos/writing-digital-copy-specialists/?lm=how-users-read-on-the-web&pt=article]], K. Moran, NNg, undated | ||
77 | |||
78 | [['Plain Language For Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/videos/plain-language-for-experts/?lm=how-users-read-on-the-web&pt=article]] , H.[[ >>url:https://www.nngroup.com/people/hoa-loranger/]]Loranger, NNg, undated | ||
79 | |||
80 | [['How Little Do Users Read'?>>https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-little-do-users-read/]] J. Nielson, NNg, 2008 | ||
81 | |||
82 | [['TechWhirl Fast 5: Understanding Plain Language and Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://techwhirl.com/techwhirl-fast-5-understanding-plain-language-simplified-technical-english/]], Connie Giordano, TechWhirl, 2017 | ||
83 | |||
84 | [['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], MSc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007 | ||
85 | |||
86 | [['Technical Writing Need Not Be Abstruse—Use Plain Language for Maximum Impact'>>url:https://digital.gov/2015/10/23/technical-writing-need-not-be-abstruse-use-plain-language-for-maximum-impact/#]], Colleen Blessing, 2015 | ||
87 | |||
88 | [['The Facets of the General Public as Audience'>>url:https://www.dropbox.com/s/2u2cybl7c57u0tr/AudienceIssues.pdf?dl=0]] Cheryl Stephens and Mariah Stufflebeam, 2017 | ||
89 | |||
90 | [[‘Guidelines for authoring comprehensible web pages and evaluating their success’>>http://faculty.washington.edu/jan sp/Publications/Authoring_Comp rehensible_Web_Pages.pdf]], Spyridakis, J. H., Technical Communication, 2000, pp. 359– 82 | ||
91 | |||
92 | ---- | ||
93 | |||
94 | (% class="box" %) | ||
95 | ((( | ||
96 | (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) | ||
97 | See also: | ||
98 | |||
99 | * [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]] | ||
100 | * [[Simple sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Simple%20sentences/]] | ||
101 | * [[Law, medicine, money>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Medical/]] | ||
102 | * [[Words to avoid>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Words%20to%20avoid/]] | ||
103 | ))) |