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Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:49
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edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/09 03:19
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To version Icon 1.21 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 16:49
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1 -(% class="box" %)
2 -(((
3 -{{id name="#UM"/}}Following this helps:
4 -
5 -
6 -* **people in a hurry** – simply written content is quicker to scan
7 -* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious it's harder to comprehend things
8 -* **people who are multi-tasking** – when distracted you cannot concentrate on complex text
9 -* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words carry less cognitive load
10 -* **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
11 -* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
12 -)))
13 -
14 -
15 -== Guidance ==
16 -
17 17  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
18 -The [[legal>>doc:||anchor="l"]], [[medical>>doc:||anchor="m"]] and [[financial>>doc:||anchor="mo"]] professions are known for using complex terminology. But it's not necessary and confuses people who use their services. 
19 -
2 +The legal, medical and financial professions are known for using complex terminology. But it's not necessary and confuses people who use their services.
20 20  
21 -=== Law ===
22 22  
23 -Judges need to decide what legal writers intended by their writing. They evolved a set of tools for this analysis: Statutory Interpretation. Using plain English can make meaning clear, so that judges avoid relying on sometimes contradictory interpretations.
24 -
5 +[[Law>>doc:||anchor="l"]]
25 25  
26 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Usesimplelanguageforlegalterms." %)
27 -[[1. Use simple language for legal terms.>>doc:||anchor="#l1"]]
7 +[[Medicine>>doc:||anchor="m"]]
28 28  
29 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.Explainthelawincontext." %)
30 -[[2. Explain the law in context.>>doc:||anchor="#l2"]]
9 +[[Money>>doc:||anchor="mo"]]
31 31  
32 -[[Usability evidence: plain English in law>>doc:||anchor="#UEL"]]
33 33  
12 +== {{id name="l"/}}Law ==
34 34  
35 -=== Medicine ===
14 +Judges need to decide what legal writers intended their writing to mean. They have evolved a set of tools for this analysis: Statutory Interpretation.
36 36  
37 -People need doctors' letters and consultant reports to be easy to understand. And they need online information about health conditions to be comprehensible.  
38 -
16 +Writing in plain English can make meaning clear, so that judges don’t have to rely on sometimes contradictory interpretations.
39 39  
40 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Writeclearly." %)
41 -[[1. Write clearly.>>doc:||anchor="#m1"]]
18 +If information on your website is unclear your organisation could be taken to court and lose, even if the content was approved by a legal department.
42 42  
43 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.Explainmedicalterms." %)
44 -[[2. Explain medical terms.>>doc:||anchor="#m2"]]
45 45  
46 -[[Usability evidence: plain English in medicine>>doc:||anchor="#UM"]]
21 +=== 1. Explain the law simply, in context. ===
47 47  
23 +When you refer to a law, or part of it, explain what the law is about right there at the point of user need. Do not only refer to it in a reference section or appendix.
48 48  
49 -=== Money ===
25 +>Example:
26 +> "We collect personal information on this form under section 26 the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, because it concerns our programs and activities (c), and it is necessary for planning and evaluating our programs and activities(e)."
27 +> This content is positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.
50 50  
51 -Many people do not understand financial terms. This causes problems. Complex terminology describing conceptual arrangements about a non-tangible resource does not help anyone. 
52 -
29 +>Example:
30 +>
31 +>"Direct sales contract — exemptions from application of the Act" [Subheading]"
32 +>
33 +>5 (1) This section describes direct sellers that are, and circumstances in which direct sellers are, exempt from the application of sections 19 to 22 (required contents, direct sales contracts, direct sales contract — cancellation, credit agreement respecting direct sales contract) of the Act." [Body copy]
53 53  
54 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.Useclearlanguage." %)
55 -[[1. Use clear language.>>doc:||anchor="#mo1"]]
35 +== ==
56 56  
57 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.Explainterminology." %)
58 -[[2. Explain terminology.>>doc:||anchor="#mo2"]]
37 +== Usability evidence for plain English in law ==
59 59  
60 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H3.Giveexamplesofconceptualarrangements." %)
61 -[[3. Give examples of conceptual arrangements.>>doc:||anchor="#mo3"]]
62 -
63 -[[Usability evidence: plain English in finance>>doc:||anchor="#UEMO"]]
64 -
65 -
66 -----
67 -
68 -== {{id name="l"/}}Law – plain English guidelines ==
69 -
70 -=== {{id name="#l1"/}}1. Use simple language for legal terms. ===
71 -
72 -If information on your website is unclear your organisation could be taken to court and lose, even if content is approved by your legal department.
73 -
74 -
75 -=== {{id name="#l2"/}}2. Explain the law in context. ===
76 -
77 -When you refer to a law, or part of it, explain what that law is at the point of user need. Do not only refer to it in a reference section or appendix.
78 -
79 -
80 -Example:
81 -\\(% class="mark" %)Positioned at the top of a form, not hidden away in references section.
82 -
83 -(((
84 -"We collect personal information on this form under section 26 the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, because it concerns our programs and activities (c), and it is necessary for planning and evaluating our programs and activities(e)."
85 -)))
86 -
87 -
88 -Example:
89 -\\[Subheading]
90 -(% class="mark" %)"**Direct sales contract — exemptions from application of the Act**(%%)
91 -
92 -
93 -[Body copy]
94 -(% class="mark" %)5 (1) This section describes direct sellers that are, and circumstances in which direct sellers are, exempt from the application of sections 19 to 22 (required contents, direct sales contracts, direct sales contract — cancellation, credit agreement respecting direct sales contract) of the Act."
95 -
96 -
97 -=== {{id name="#UEL"/}}Usability evidence: plain English in law ===
98 -
99 99  [['Joseph Kimble—No, the law does not (normally) require legalese'>>url:http://www.ivacheung.com/2015/07/joseph-kimble-no-the-law-does-not-normally-require-legalese-editing-goes-global-2015/]] Editing Goes Global, 2015. Professor Joseph Kimble discusses the "psuedo-precision of legalese".
100 100  
101 101  [[Plain language: the underlying research>>url:https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/Schriver_Karen%20Clarity2012.pdf]], Karen Schriver slide presentation, pages 29 to 35.
... ... @@ -107,58 +107,46 @@
107 107  [[Plain English Campaign>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/campaigning/past-campaigns/legal/drafting-in-plain-english.html]] believes legalese is unnecessary and does not do what it was intended to. "The argument that clarity should be sacrificed for a document to be comprehensive does not stand up."
108 108  
109 109  
110 -----
111 111  
112 -== {{id name="m"/}}Medicine – plain English guidelines ==
51 +== {{id name="m"/}}Medicine ==
113 113  
114 -=== {{id name="#m1"/}}1. Write clearly. ===
53 +People need letters and reports about their health from doctors and consultants to be easy to understand. And they need online information to be comprehensible. 
115 115  
55 +
56 +=== 1. Write clearly. ===
57 +
116 116  Users of the information might be in shock or anxious, which reduces cognition.
117 117  
118 118  
119 -=== {{id name="#m2"/}} 2. Explain medical terms. ===
61 +=== 2. Explain medical terms. ===
120 120  
121 121  Medical terms are likely not to be understood by your readers. It is likely assuming they would know a word in a foreign language. Follow the word or phrase with a plain English explanation.
122 122  
123 123  
124 -=== {{id name="#UM"/}}Usability evidence: plain English in medicine ===
66 +== Usability evidence for plain English in medicine ==
125 125  
126 -[[Guide to medical information>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/medicalguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
68 +[[Plain English Campaign – guide to medical information>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/medicalguide.pdf]]
127 127  
128 -[[Guidance on writing letters to outpatients>>http://www.aomrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Please_write_to_me_Guidance_010918.pdf]] from Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
70 +[[Academy of Medical Royal Colleges – Guidance on writing letters to outpatients>>http://www.aomrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Please_write_to_me_Guidance_010918.pdf]]
129 129  
130 -[['Clarity is king – the evidence that reveals the desperate need to re-think the way we write'>>https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/02/17/guest-post-clarity-is-king-the-evidence-that-reveals-the-desperate-need-to-re-think-the-way-we-write/]] GDS blog, Mark Morris, 2014
131 131  
132 -[['Connecting with audiences: An evidence-based language sourcebook for the Department of Health'>>http://www.linguisticlandscapes.co.uk/pdf/DH%20Language%20Guidelines%20230710%20FINAL_for%20website_240114.pdf]] Linguistic Landscapes, July 2010
73 +== {{id name="mo"/}}Money ==
133 133  
134 -[[NHS content style guide beta>>https://beta.nhs.uk/service-manual/content/how-we-write]], January 2019
75 +Many people do not understand their finances and it causes them problems. Complex terminology describing concept-heavy arrangements about a non-tangible resource makes things difficult for everybody.
135 135  
136 136  
137 -----
78 +=== 1. Use clear language. ===
138 138  
139 -== ==
80 +=== ===
140 140  
141 -== {{id name="mo"/}}Money – plain English guidelines ==
82 +=== 2. Explain terminology. ===
142 142  
143 -=== {{id name="#mo1"/}}1. Use clear language. ===
84 +=== ===
144 144  
145 -Dealing with financial issues can be stressful, which means your audience will have less cognitive capability available. Write information so that it is easy for them to understand.
146 -\\
86 +=== 3. Give examples of conceptual arrangements. ===
147 147  
148 -=== {{id name="#mo2"/}}2. Explain financial terminology. ===
149 149  
150 -Avoid using financial jargon. Acronyms and pseudonyms may make sense internally, but people using your services may not understand them.
89 +== Usability evidence for plain English in finance ==
151 151  
152 152  
153 -=== {{id name="#mo3"/}}3. Give examples of conceptual arrangements. ===
154 -
155 -A tracker or shared ownership mortgage is easier to understand if you give examples.
156 -
157 -This is important for credit arrangements where there is an initial interest rate that may change.
158 -
159 -
160 -=== {{id name="#UEMO"/}}Usability evidence: plain English in finance ===
161 -
162 -[[A to Z of financial terms (PDF 87KB)>>http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/financialguide.pdf]] from Plain English Campaign.
163 -
164 -[[Plain English guide to financial term (PDF 686KB)>>https://www.nala.ie/resources/plain-english-guide-financial-terms]] from National Adult Literacy Agency, Ireland, January 2009.
92 +