Changes for page Simple sentences

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

From 2.15 to 2.14 From 2.25 to 2.24

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2.24

edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 18:05

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2.15

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

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@@ -2,33 +2,24 @@
  This helps:
  * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
--* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
--* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or a running business your attention's divided
--* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences carry less cognitive load
++* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences need less cognition
  * **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
  * **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>>||anchor="st"]]
++Specialist terms
--[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
--
  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
++Words to avoid
------
--
--==   ==
--
  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
  Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
  What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
--== Usability evidence: plain English ==
++== Usability evidence for plain English ==
  [[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.
@@ -84,20 +84,17 @@
  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
------
--
--==   ==
--
  == {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
++
  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
--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.
++The maximum sentence length we would recommend for easy comprehension is 25 words.
--Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
++You can split longer sentences up into 2 or 3 or restructure the content with bullet points to make meaning clearer for users.
--=== 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.
@@ -106,20 +106,24 @@
  * 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:
--== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
++"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
++"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
--Oxford Guide to plain English
--Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
++== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
--Author Ann Wylie
++"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
++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, 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 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
@@ -161,66 +161,20 @@
  [[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
--== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
++(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
++Medical
  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
--Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
++Financial
--=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
++{{children/}}
--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 (source [[yourdictionary.com>>url:http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/palladian]]).
-->
-->"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: 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" %)
--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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