Changes for page Simple sentences

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• Page properties (3 modified, 0 added, 0 removed)

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Page properties

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	+Writing about people
	4	+)))
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 visual field
7		-* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
	6	+(% class="box" %)
	7	+(((
	8	+Audience labels: using I, you, we, they
	9	+)))
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	11	+(% class="box" %)
	12	+(((
	13	+== [[Plain English, specialist terms >>doc:.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]] ==
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	16	+(% class="box" %)
	17	+(((
	18	+Simple sentences
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10	10
11		-== Guidelines ==
	21	+(% class="box" %)
	22	+(((
	23	+Law, medicine and money
	24	+)))
12	12
13		-[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
	26	+(% class="box" %)
	27	+(((
	28	+Words to avoid
	29	+)))
14	14
15		-[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]]
	31	+[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
16	16
17		-Specialist terms
	33	+[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
18	18
	35	+[[Law, medicine, money>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
	36	+
19	19	(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
20		-Words to avoid
	38	+[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
21	21
22	22
	41	+----
	42	+
	43	+== ==
	44	+
23	23	== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
24	24
25	25	Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
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56	56	What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
57	57
58	58
59		-== Usability evidence for plain English ==
	81	+== Usability evidence: plain English ==
60	60
61	61	[[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.
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75	75	[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
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77	77
78		-== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
	100	+----
79	79
	102	+== ==
80	80
	104	+== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
	105	+
81	81	=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
82	82
83		-The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
	108	+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.
84	84
85		-You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
	110	+Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
86	86
87	87
88		-== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
	113	+=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
89	89
90	90	They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
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94	94
95	95	* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
96	96	* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
	122	+
97	97
	124	+>Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
	125	+>"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
98	98
99		-Example:
100	100
101		-"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
102		-"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
	128	+== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
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	130	+Oxford Guide to plain English
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105		-== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
	132	+Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
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107		-"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
	134	+Author Ann Wylie
108	108
109		-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."
110		-
111		-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."
112		-
113		-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."
114		-
115	115	[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
116	116
117	117	[['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
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153	153	[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
154	154
155	155
156		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
157		-Here's some sector specific guidance:
	177	+----
158	158
159		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
160		-Legal
	179	+== ==
161	161
162		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
163		-Medical
	181	+== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
164	164
165	165	(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
166		-Financial
	184	+Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
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168	168
169		-{{children/}}
	187	+=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
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	189	+Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
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	191	+
	192	+=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
	193	+
	194	+When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
	195	+
	196	+If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
	197	+
	198	+
	199	+=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
	200	+
	201	+You could:
	202	+
	203	+* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
	204	+* add a explanatory definition after using the term
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	206	+
	207	+>Example:
	208	+>
	209	+>"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]]).
	210	+>
	211	+>"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.
	212	+>
	213	+> "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.
	214	+
	215	+
	216	+== Usability evidence: specialist terms ==
	217	+
	218	+[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
	219	+
	220	+[['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
	221	+
	222	+[['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
	223	+
	224	+[['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
	225	+
	226	+[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
	227	+
	228	+[['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
	229	+
	230	+[['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
	231	+
	232	+
	233	+----
	234	+
	235	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	236	+Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
	237	+
	238	+
	239	+And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!