Changes for page Simple sentences
Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version 
2.18 
2.18
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 13:22
on 2019/03/07 13:22
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To version 2.14
2.14
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:55
on 2019/03/07 11:55
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... ... @@ -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 visualfield6 +* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller field of focus 7 7 * **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly 8 8 9 9 10 + 10 10 == Guidelines == 11 11 12 12 [[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]] 13 13 14 -[[S implesentences>> ||anchor="ssl"]]15 +[[Sentence length>> ||anchor="ssl"]] 15 15 16 - [[Specialistterms>>Specialistterms||anchor="st"]]17 +Sentence structure 17 17 18 - [[Medicine, moneyandlaw>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]19 +Specialist terms 19 19 20 20 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 21 - [[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]22 +Words to avoid 22 22 23 ----- 24 24 25 25 == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English == 26 26 ... ... @@ -76,141 +76,28 @@ 76 76 77 77 [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018 78 78 79 ----- 80 80 81 -== {{id name="ssl"/}}S implesentences==80 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length == 82 82 83 83 84 -=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. === 85 85 86 - Themaximumsentencelength we wouldrecommend forasycomprehension is 25 words.84 +== Simple sentence structure == 87 87 88 -You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users. 89 89 87 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 88 +Here's some sector specific guidance: 90 90 91 -== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. == 90 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 91 +Legal 92 92 93 - Theyareless easy to comprehend quickly. Understandingthem requires more cognitiveeffort than simple sentences.94 - 93 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 94 +Medical 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 - 160 160 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 161 - Make specialist contentcomprehensibleby non-experts.97 +Financial 162 162 163 163 164 - === 1. Remember that anybody can access yourcontent. ===100 +{{children/}} 165 165 166 -Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions. 167 167 168 - 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 182 182 183 - 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]]!