Skip to Content

Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version Icon 2.13 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:54
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version Icon 2.18 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 13:22
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Icon Page properties
Content
... ... @@ -3,24 +3,24 @@
3 3  
4 4  * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
5 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
6 +* **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
8 8  
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"]]
14 +[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]]
16 16  
17 -Sentence structure
16 +[[Specialist terms>>Specialist terms||anchor="st"]]
18 18  
19 -Specialist terms
18 +[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
20 20  
21 21  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
22 -Words to avoid
21 +[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
23 23  
23 +----
24 24  
25 25  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
26 26  
... ... @@ -76,28 +76,141 @@
76 76  
77 77  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
78 78  
79 +----
79 79  
80 -== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length ==
81 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
81 81  
82 82  
84 +=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
83 83  
84 -== Simple sentence structure ==
86 +The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
85 85  
88 +You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
86 86  
87 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
88 -Here's some sector specific guidance:
89 89  
90 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
91 -Legal
91 +== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
92 92  
93 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
94 -Medical
93 +They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
94 +
95 95  
96 +Complexity depends on:
97 +
98 +* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
99 +* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
100 +
101 +
102 +>Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
103 +>"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
104 +
105 +
106 +== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
107 +
108 +"People with some learning disabilities read letter for letter – they do not bounce around like other users. They also cannot fully understand a sentence if it’s too long. People with moderate learning disabilities can understand sentences of 5 to 8 words without difficulty. By using common words we can help all users understand sentences of around 25 words." GOV.UK
109 +
110 +The Oxford Guide to Plain English recommends 15–20 words per sentence. It also says: "…if you regularly exceed 40 words, you’ll certainly weary and deter your readers."
111 +
112 +Jyoti Sanyal, author of 'Indlish' said: "Based on several studies, press associations in the USA have laid down a readability table. Their survey shows readers find sentences of 8 words or less very easy to read; 11 words, easy; 14 words fairly easy; 17 words standard; 21 words fairly difficult; 25 words difficult and 29 words or more, very difficult."
113 +
114 +Author Ann Wylie said: "When the average sentence length in a piece was fewer than 8 words long, readers understood 100% of the story. At 14 words, they could comprehend more than 90% of the information. But move up to 43-word sentences and comprehension dropped below 10 percent."
115 +
116 +[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
117 +
118 +[['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
119 +
120 +[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
121 +
122 +[['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
123 +
124 +[['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
125 +
126 +[['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
127 +
128 +[['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
129 +
130 +[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
131 +
132 +[['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
133 +
134 +[['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
135 +
136 +[['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
137 +
138 +[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
139 +
140 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
141 +
142 +[['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
143 +
144 +[['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
145 +
146 +[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
147 +
148 +[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
149 +
150 +[['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
151 +
152 +[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
153 +
154 +[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
155 +
156 +----
157 +
158 +== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms: explain them ==
159 +
96 96  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
97 -Financial
161 +Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
98 98  
99 99  
100 -{{children/}}
164 +=== 1. Remember that anybody can access your content. ===
101 101  
166 +Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
102 102  
168 +
169 +=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
170 +
171 +When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
172 +
173 +If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
174 +
175 +
176 +=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
177 +
178 +You could:
179 +
180 +* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
181 +* add a explanatory definition after using the term
103 103  
183 +
184 +>Example:
185 +>
186 +>"It is a Palladian style stone building, and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving." – original sentence.
187 +>
188 +>"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.
189 +> "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.
190 +
191 +
192 +== Usability evidence for explaining specialist terms ==
193 +
194 +[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
195 +
196 +[['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
197 +
198 +[['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
199 +
200 +[['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
201 +
202 +[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
203 +
204 +[['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
205 +
206 +[['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
207 +
208 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
209 +We generated the [[before sentence about an architecture term>>url:http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/palladian]] from yourdictionary.com and applied our recommendations.
210 +
211 +
212 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
213 +Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
214 +
215 +
216 +And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!