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 2.6
2.6
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:13
on 2019/03/07 11:13
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... ... @@ -1,29 +1,6 @@ 1 1 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 2 - Thishelps:2 +Plain English 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 8 - 9 - 10 -== Guidelines == 11 - 12 -[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]] 13 - 14 -[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]] 15 - 16 -[[Specialist terms>>Specialist terms||anchor="st"]] 17 - 18 -[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]] 19 - 20 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 21 -[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]] 22 - 23 ----- 24 - 25 -== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English == 26 - 27 27 Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges. 28 28 29 29 WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable." ... ... @@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ 58 58 What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else. 59 59 60 60 61 -== Usability evidence for plain English==38 +== Usability evidence == 62 62 63 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. 64 64 ... ... @@ -76,141 +76,33 @@ 76 76 77 77 [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018 78 78 79 - ----56 +== Usability evidence == 80 80 81 - == {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple==58 +[[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. 82 82 60 +[['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. 83 83 84 - ===1. Makeyouraveragesentence15wordslong.===62 +[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017 85 85 86 -The maximumsentencelengthwewouldrecommendfor easycomprehensionis25 words.64 +[['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 87 87 88 - You can splitlongersentencesupto2 or 3 or restructure the contentth bulletpointstomakemeaningclearerforusers.66 +[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated. 89 89 68 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011 90 90 91 - ==2. Avoidcomplexsentence structures.==70 +[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004 92 92 93 -They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences. 94 - 72 +[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018 95 95 96 - Complexitydependson:74 +== Short sentence length == 97 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 - 101 101 102 ->Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 103 ->"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand 104 104 78 +== Simple sentence structure == 105 105 106 -== Usability evidence for simple sentences == 107 107 108 -"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 109 109 110 - 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."82 +{{children/}} 111 111 112 -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." 113 113 114 -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 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 161 -Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts. 162 - 163 - 164 -=== 1. Remember that anybody can access your content. === 165 - 166 -Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions. 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]]!