Changes for page Simple sentences

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• Page properties (2 modified, 0 added, 0 removed)

Details

Page properties

Title

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1		-Language use
	1	+Clear language

Content

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1		-(% class="box" %)
2		-(((
3		-Writing about people: being inclusive
4		-)))
	1	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	2	+This helps:
5	5
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7		-(((
8		-Audience labels: I, you, we, they
9		-)))
	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
10	10
11		-(% class="box" %)
12		-(((
13		-Plain English, simple sentences, specialist terms
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15	15
16		-(% class="box" %)
17		-(((
18		-Specialist terms
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22		-(((
23		-Law, medicine and money
24		-)))
	11	+== Guidelines ==
25	25
26		-(% class="box" %)
27		-(((
28		-Words to avoid
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	13	+[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
30	30
31		-[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
	15	+[[Simple sentences >> ||anchor="ssl"]]
32	32
33		-[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
	17	+Specialist terms
34	34
35		-[[Law, medicine, money>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
36		-
37	37	(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
38		-[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
	20	+Words to avoid
39	39
40	40
41		-----
42		-
43		-== ==
44		-
45	45	== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
46	46
47	47	Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
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78	78	What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
79	79
80	80
81		-== Usability evidence: plain English ==
	59	+== Usability evidence for plain English ==
82	82
83	83	[[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	84
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97	97	[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
98	98
99	99
100		-----
101		-
102		-== ==
103		-
104	104	== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
105	105
	80	+
106	106	=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
107	107
108		-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.
109	109
110		-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.
111	111
112	112
113		-=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
	88	+== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ==
114	114
115	115	They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
116	116
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119	119
120	120	* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
121	121	* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
122		-
123	123
124		->Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand
125		->"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
126	126
	99	+Example:
127	127
128		-== 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
129	129
130		-Oxford Guide to plain English
131	131
132		-Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
	105	+== Usability evidence for simple sentences ==
133	133
134		-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
135	135
	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	+
136	136	[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
137	137
138	138	[['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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174	174	[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
175	175
176	176
177		-----
	156	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	157	+Here's some sector specific guidance:
178	178
179		-== ==
	159	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	160	+Legal
180	180
181		-== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
	162	+(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
	163	+Medical
182	182
183	183	(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
184		-Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
	166	+Financial
185	185
186	186
187		-=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
	169	+{{children/}}
188	188
189		-Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
190	190
191		-
192		-=== 2. Create content that all users can understand, whatever their expertise or background. ===
193		-
194		-When you present a concept explain its parts and processes in detail.
195		-
196		-If you need to include a technical term consider explaining it. Make sure the surrounding language in plain language.
197		-
198		-
199		-=== 3. Help users understand specialist terms. ===
200		-
201		-You could:
202		-
203		-* link to an existing definition – this could be an external site
204		-* add a explanatory definition after using the term
205	205
206		-
207		->Example:
208		->
209		->"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]]).
210		->
211		->"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.
212		->
213		-> "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.
214		-
215		-
216		-== Usability evidence: specialist terms ==
217		-
218		-[['Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/]], Nielson Norman Group, 2017
219		-
220		-[['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
221		-
222		-[['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
223		-
224		-[['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
225		-
226		-[['Advantages and disadvantages with Simplified Technical English'>>url:https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:16816/FULLTEXT01]], Msc thesis paper, Karin Disborg, 2007
227		-
228		-[['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
229		-
230		-[['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
231		-
232		-
233		-----
234		-
235		-(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
236		-Here's some sector specific guidance for [[medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]].
237		-
238		-
239		-And here's our list of jargon [[words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]!