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Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
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edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 17:55
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To version Icon 2.15 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 12:52
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5 5  * **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences need less cognition
6 6  * **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
7 7  * **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
8 -
9 9  
10 -== ==
11 11  
10 +
12 12  == Guidelines ==
13 13  
14 14  [[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
15 15  
16 -[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
15 +[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]]
17 17  
18 -[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
17 +Specialist terms
19 19  
20 -[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
21 -
22 22  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
23 -[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
20 +Words to avoid
24 24  
25 25  
26 -----
27 -
28 -== ==
29 -
30 30  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
31 31  
32 32  Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
... ... @@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
63 63  What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
64 64  
65 65  
66 -== Usability evidence: plain English ==
59 +== Usability evidence for plain English ==
67 67  
68 68  [[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.
69 69  
... ... @@ -82,20 +82,17 @@
82 82  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
83 83  
84 84  
85 -----
86 -
87 -== ==
88 -
89 89  == {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
90 90  
80 +
91 91  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
92 92  
93 -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.
83 +The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
94 94  
95 -Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
85 +You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
96 96  
97 97  
98 -=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
88 +== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
99 99  
100 100  They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
101 101  
... ... @@ -104,20 +104,24 @@
104 104  
105 105  * number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
106 106  * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
107 -
108 108  
109 ->Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
110 ->"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
111 111  
99 +Example:
112 112  
113 -== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
101 +"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
102 +"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
114 114  
115 -Oxford Guide to plain English
116 116  
117 -Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
105 +== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
118 118  
119 -Author Ann Wylie
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
120 120  
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 +
121 121  [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
122 122  
123 123  [['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
... ... @@ -159,66 +159,20 @@
159 159  [[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
160 160  
161 161  
162 -----
156 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
157 +Here's some sector specific guidance:
163 163  
164 -== ==
159 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
160 +Legal
165 165  
166 -== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
162 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
163 +Medical
167 167  
168 168  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
169 -Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
166 +Financial
170 170  
171 171  
172 -=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
169 +{{children/}}
173 173  
174 -Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
175 175  
176 -
177 -=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
178 -
179 -When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
180 -
181 -If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
182 -
183 -
184 -=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
185 -
186 -You could:
187 -
188 -* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
189 -* add a explanatory definition after using the term
190 190  
191 -
192 ->Example:
193 ->
194 ->"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]]).
195 ->
196 ->"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.
197 ->
198 -> "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.
199 -
200 -
201 -== Usability evidence: specialist terms ==
202 -
203 -[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
204 -
205 -[['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
206 -
207 -[['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
208 -
209 -[['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
210 -
211 -[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
212 -
213 -[['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
214 -
215 -[['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
216 -
217 -
218 -----
219 -
220 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
221 -Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
222 -
223 -
224 -And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!