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2 2  This helps:
3 3  
4 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
5 +* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
6 +* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or a running business your attention's divided
7 +* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences carry less cognitive load
8 +* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
7 7  * **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
10 +
8 8  
12 +== ==
9 9  
10 -
11 11  == Guidelines ==
12 12  
13 13  [[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
14 14  
15 -[[Sentence length>>Sentence length||anchor="ssl"]]
18 +[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
16 16  
17 -Sentence structure
20 +[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
18 18  
19 -Specialist terms
22 +[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
20 20  
21 21  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
22 -Words to avoid
25 +[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
23 23  
24 24  
25 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 -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.
28 +----
27 27  
30 +== ==
28 28  
29 29  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
30 30  
... ... @@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
62 62  What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
63 63  
64 64  
65 -== Usability evidence for plain English ==
68 +== Usability evidence: plain English ==
66 66  
67 67  [[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.
68 68  
... ... @@ -81,27 +81,143 @@
81 81  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
82 82  
83 83  
84 -== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length ==
87 +----
85 85  
89 +== ==
86 86  
91 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
87 87  
88 -== Simple sentence structure ==
93 +=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
89 89  
95 +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.
90 90  
91 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
92 -Here's some sector specific guidance:
97 +Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
93 93  
94 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
95 -Legal
96 96  
97 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
98 -Medical
100 +=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
99 99  
102 +They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
103 +
104 +
105 +Complexity depends on:
106 +
107 +* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
108 +* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
109 +
110 +
111 +>Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
112 +>"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
113 +
114 +
115 +== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
116 +
117 +Oxford Guide to plain English
118 +
119 +Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
120 +
121 +Author Ann Wylie
122 +
123 +[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
124 +
125 +[['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
126 +
127 +[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
128 +
129 +[['The role of word difficulty and sentence length in text comprehension'>>url:https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a114935.pdf]], T. M. Duffy and P. K. U'Ren, 1982
130 +
131 +[['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
132 +
133 +[['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
134 +
135 +[['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
136 +
137 +[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
138 +
139 +[['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
140 +
141 +[['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
142 +
143 +[['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
144 +
145 +[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
146 +
147 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
148 +
149 +[['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
150 +
151 +[['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
152 +
153 +[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
154 +
155 +[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
156 +
157 +[['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
158 +
159 +[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
160 +
161 +[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
162 +
163 +
164 +----
165 +
166 +== ==
167 +
168 +== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
169 +
100 100  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
101 -Financial
171 +Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
102 102  
103 103  
104 -{{children/}}
174 +=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
105 105  
176 +Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
106 106  
178 +
179 +=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
180 +
181 +When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
182 +
183 +If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
184 +
185 +
186 +=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
187 +
188 +You could:
189 +
190 +* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
191 +* add a explanatory definition after using the term
107 107  
193 +
194 +>Example:
195 +>
196 +>"It is a Palladian style stone building, and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving." – original sentence (source [[yourdictionary.com>>url:http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/palladian]]).
197 +>
198 +>"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.
199 +>
200 +> "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.
201 +
202 +
203 +== Usability evidence: specialist terms ==
204 +
205 +[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
206 +
207 +[['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]], Nielson Norman Group, undated
208 +
209 +[['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]] Nielson Norman Group, undated
210 +
211 +[['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
212 +
213 +[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
214 +
215 +[['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
216 +
217 +[['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
218 +
219 +
220 +----
221 +
222 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
223 +Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
224 +
225 +
226 +And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!