Wiki source code of Specialist terms

Version 6.2 by Lizzie Bruce on 2019/04/30 16:20
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4 Following this helps:
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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
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13
14 == Guidelines ==
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16 Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts. Simple words help everyone.
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20 [[1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
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22 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.Createcontentthatalluserscanunderstand2Cwhatevertheirexpertiseorbackground." %)
23 [[2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
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25 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H3.Helpusersunderstandspecialistterms." %)
26 [[3. Help users understand specialist terms.>>doc:||anchor="#3"]]
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29 [[4. Use plain English for highly literate audiences.>>doc:||anchor="#4"]]
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32 [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UEST"]]
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34
35 ----
36
37 === {{id name="#1"/}}1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
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39 Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
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41
42 === {{id name="#2"/}}2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
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44 When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
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46 If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language is in plain language.
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48
49 === {{id name="#3"/}}3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
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51 You could:
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53 * link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
54 * add a explanatory definition after using the term
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57 Example:
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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
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65
66 === {{id name="#4"/}}4. Use plain English for high literacy audiences. ===
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68 Higher literacy level users scan web pages too.
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70 ----
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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
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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
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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
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80 [['How Little Do Users Read'?>>https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-little-do-users-read/]] J. Nielson, NNg, 2008
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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
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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
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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
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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
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92 ----
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95 (((
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97 See also:
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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 )))