Changes for page Simple sentences

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edited by Lizzie Bruce
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2 2  This helps:
3 3  
4 4  * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
5 -* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
6 -* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or a running business your attention's divided
7 -* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences carry less cognitive load
5 +* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences need less cognition
8 8  * **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
9 9  * **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
10 -
11 11  
12 -== ==
13 13  
10 +
14 14  == Guidelines ==
15 15  
16 16  [[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
17 17  
18 -[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
15 +[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]]
19 19  
20 -[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
17 +Specialist terms
21 21  
22 -[[Law, medicine, money>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
23 -
24 24  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
25 -[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
20 +Words to avoid
26 26  
27 27  
28 -----
29 -
30 -== ==
31 -
32 32  == {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
33 33  
34 34  Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
... ... @@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
65 65  What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
66 66  
67 67  
68 -== Usability evidence: plain English ==
59 +== Usability evidence for plain English ==
69 69  
70 70  [[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.
71 71  
... ... @@ -84,20 +84,17 @@
84 84  [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
85 85  
86 86  
87 -----
88 -
89 -== ==
90 -
91 91  == {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
92 92  
80 +
93 93  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
94 94  
95 -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.
96 96  
97 -Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine buabove 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.
98 98  
99 99  
100 -=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
88 +== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
101 101  
102 102  They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
103 103  
... ... @@ -106,20 +106,24 @@
106 106  
107 107  * number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
108 108  * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
109 -
110 110  
111 ->Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
112 ->"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
113 113  
99 +Example:
114 114  
115 -== 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
116 116  
117 -Oxford Guide to plain English
118 118  
119 -Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
105 +== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
120 120  
121 -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
122 122  
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 +
123 123  [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
124 124  
125 125  [['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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161 161  [[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
162 162  
163 163  
164 -----
156 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
157 +Here's some sector specific guidance:
165 165  
166 -== ==
159 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
160 +Legal
167 167  
168 -== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
162 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
163 +Medical
169 169  
170 170  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
171 -Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
166 +Financial
172 172  
173 173  
174 -=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
169 +{{children/}}
175 175  
176 -Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
177 177  
178 -
179 -=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
180 -
181 -When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
182 -
183 -If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
184 -
185 -
186 -=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
187 -
188 -You could:
189 -
190 -* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
191 -* add a explanatory definition after using the term
192 192  
193 -
194 ->Example:
195 ->
196 ->"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]]).
197 ->
198 ->"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.
199 ->
200 -> "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.
201 -
202 -
203 -== Usability evidence: specialist terms ==
204 -
205 -[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
206 -
207 -[['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
208 -
209 -[['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
210 -
211 -[['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
212 -
213 -[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
214 -
215 -[['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
216 -
217 -[['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
218 -
219 -
220 -----
221 -
222 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
223 -Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
224 -
225 -
226 -And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!