Skip to Content

Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version Icon 2.11 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:51
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version Icon 1.2 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/06 16:07
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Icon Page properties
Title
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Clear language
1 +Plain English
Parent
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Main.WebHome
1 +Clear language.WebHome
Content
... ... @@ -1,106 +1,0 @@
1 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
2 -This helps:
3 -
4 -* **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
5 -* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences need less cognition
6 -* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller field of focus
7 -* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
8 -
9 -
10 -== Guidelines ==
11 -
12 -[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
13 -
14 -[[Sentence length>>Sentence length||anchor="ssl"]]
15 -
16 -Sentence structure
17 -
18 -Specialist terms
19 -
20 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
21 -Words to avoid
22 -
23 -
24 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
25 -Our guidelines come out of conversations held on Slack about clear language usability evidence. Clear language helps in all areas. It opens it up to the widest possible audience.
26 -
27 -
28 -== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
29 -
30 -Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
31 -
32 -WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
33 -
34 -The United Nations recommends plain language for communications.
35 -
36 -
37 -=== 1. Choose easy and short words not formal, long ones. ===
38 -
39 -Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’.
40 -
41 -Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan.
42 -
43 -
44 -=== 2. Jargon and buzzwords are unlikely to be clear language. ===
45 -
46 -Often, these words are too general and vague and can lead to misinterpretation or empty, meaningless text. Avoid them. Instead, think about what the term actually means and describe that. Be open and specific.
47 -
48 -
49 -Example:
50 -"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon.
51 -"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language.
52 -
53 -
54 -=== 3. Write conversationally. ===
55 -
56 -Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform.
57 -
58 -
59 -=== 4. Test your content with users ===
60 -
61 -What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
62 -
63 -
64 -== Usability evidence for plain English ==
65 -
66 -[[Guideline 3.1 Readable: Make text content readable and understandable.>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, 2008.
67 -
68 -[['Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities'>>url:http://templatelab.com/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/]], page 4 Article 2, Definitions, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2018.
69 -
70 -[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017
71 -
72 -[['The Public Speaks: An Empirical Study of Legal Communication'>>url:https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1843415]], C. R. Trudeau in 14 Scribes J. Leg. Writing 121 2012
73 -
74 -[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated.
75 -
76 -[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011
77 -
78 -[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004
79 -
80 -[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
81 -
82 -
83 -== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length ==
84 -
85 -
86 -
87 -== Simple sentence structure ==
88 -
89 -
90 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
91 -Here's some sector specific guidance:
92 -
93 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
94 -Legal
95 -
96 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
97 -Medical
98 -
99 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
100 -Financial
101 -
102 -
103 -{{children/}}
104 -
105 -
106 -