Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51

From 2.14 to 2.15 From 2.21 to 2.22

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2.15

edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 12:52

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2.21

edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 14:15

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@@ -7,19 +7,25 @@
  * **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
--
  == Guidelines ==
  [[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
--[[Simple sentences >>    ||anchor="ssl"]]
++[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
--Specialist terms
++[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
++[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
++
  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Words to avoid
++[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
++----
++
++(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
++==   ==
++
  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
  Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
@@ -75,17 +75,21 @@
  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
--== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
++----
++(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
++==   ==
++== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
++
  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
--The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
++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.
--You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
++Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
--== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
++=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
  They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
@@ -94,24 +94,20 @@
  * number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
  * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
++
++>Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
++>"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
--Example:
--"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
--"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
--
--
  == Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
--"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
++Oxford Guide to plain English
--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."
++Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
--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."
++Author Ann Wylie
--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."
--
  [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
  [['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
@@ -153,20 +153,68 @@
  [[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
--(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Here's some sector specific guidance:
++----
  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Legal
++==   ==
--(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Medical
++== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Financial
++Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
--{{children/}}
++=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
++Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
++
++=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
++
++When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
++
++If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
++
++
++=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
++
++You could:
++
++* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
++* add a explanatory definition after using the term
++
++>Example:
++>
++>"It is a Palladian style stone building, and contains a number of splendid paintings and much fine wood-carving." – original sentence.
++>
++>"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.
++> "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.
++
++
++== Usability evidence for explaining specialist terms ==
++
++[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
++
++[['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
++
++[['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
++
++[['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
++
++[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
++
++[['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
++
++[['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
++
++
++(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
++We generated the [[original sentence about a specialist architecture term>>url:http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/palladian]] from yourdictionary.com.
++
++
++(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
++Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
++
++
++And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!

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