Changes for page Simple sentences

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Title

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1		-Clear language
	1	+Simple sentences

Parent

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1		-Main.WebHome
	1	+Plain English.WebHome

Content

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1		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
2		-This helps:
	1	+(% class="box" %)
	2	+(((
	3	+Following this helps:
3	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
	5	+* **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
	6	+* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
	7	+* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or a running business your attention's divided
	8	+* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences carry less cognitive load
	9	+* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
	10	+* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
	11	+)))
8	8
	13	+==
	14	+Guidelines ==
9	9
10	10
11		-== Guidelines ==
	17	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
	18	+[[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.||anchor="#1"]]
12	12
13		-[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
	20	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
	21	+[[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>2. Avoid complex sentence structures.||anchor="#2"]]
14	14
15		-[[Sentence length>>Sentence length||anchor="ssl"]]
	23	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	24	+[[Usability evidence>>Usability evidence||anchor="#UESS"]]
	25	+
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17		-Sentence structure
	27	+----
18	18
19		-Specialist terms
	29	+== ==
20	20
21		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
22		-Words to avoid
	31	+=== {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
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	33	+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.
24	24
25		-== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
	35	+Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
26	26
27		-Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
28	28
29		-WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
	38	+=== {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
30	30
31		-The United Nations recommends plain language for communications.
	40	+They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
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33	33
34		-=== 1. Choose easy and short words not formal, long ones. ===
	43	+Complexity depends on:
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36		-Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’.
37		-
38		-Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan.
	45	+* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
	46	+* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
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40	40
41		-=== 2. Jargon and buzzwords are unlikely to be clear language. ===
42		-
43		-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.
44		-
45		-
46	46	Example:
47		-"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon.
48		-"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language.
	50	+\\(% class="mark" %)"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
	51	+"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
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50	50
51		-=== 3. Write conversationally. ===
	54	+----
52	52
53		-Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform.
	56	+== {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
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	58	+Oxford Guide to plain English
55	55
56		-=== 4. Test your content with users ===
	60	+Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
57	57
58		-What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
	62	+Author Ann Wylie
59	59
	64	+[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
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61		-== Usability evidence for plain English ==
	66	+[['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
62	62
63		-[[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	+[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
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65		-[['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.
	70	+[['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
66	66
67		-[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017
	72	+[['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
68	68
69		-[['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
	74	+[['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
70	70
71		-[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated.
	76	+[['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
72	72
73		-[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011
	78	+[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
74	74
75		-[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004
	80	+[['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
76	76
77		-[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
	82	+[['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
78	78
	84	+[['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
79	79
80		-== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length ==
	86	+[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
81	81
	88	+[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
82	82
	90	+[['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
83	83
84		-== Simple sentence structure ==
	92	+[['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
85	85
	94	+[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
86	86
87		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
88		-Here's some sector specific guidance:
	96	+[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
89	89
90		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
91		-Legal
	98	+[['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
92	92
93		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
94		-Medical
	100	+[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
95	95
96		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
97		-Financial
	102	+[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
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99	99
100		-{{children/}}
	105	+----
101	101
	107	+(% class="box" %)
	108	+(((
	109	+See also:
102	102
103		-
	111	+* [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
	112	+* [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
	113	+* [[Law, medicine, money>>doc:Plain English.Medical.WebHome]]
	114	+* [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
	115	+)))