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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
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Title
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1 -Simple sentences
1 +Clear language
Parent
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1 -Plain English.WebHome
1 +Main.WebHome
Content
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1 -(% class="box" %)
2 -(((
3 -Following this helps:
1 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
2 +This helps:
4 4  
5 -* **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
6 -* **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
7 -* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're holding a baby or a running business your attention's divided
8 -* **cognitive impairments** – easy to understand words and sentences carry less cognitive load
9 -* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
10 -* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
11 -)))
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 field of focus
7 +* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
12 12  
13 -==
14 -Guidelines ==
15 15  
16 -* [[Simple sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/#ssl]]
10 +== Guidelines ==
17 17  
18 -----
12 +[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
19 19  
20 -==
21 -Simple sentences ==
14 +[[Sentence length>>Sentence length||anchor="ssl"]]
22 22  
23 -=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
16 +Sentence structure
24 24  
25 -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.
18 +Specialist terms
26 26  
27 -Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
20 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
21 +Words to avoid
28 28  
29 29  
30 -=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
24 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
25 +Our guidelines come out of conversations held on Slack about clear language usability evidence. Clear language helps in all areas. It opens it up to the widest possible audience.
31 31  
32 -They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
27 +
28 +== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
29 +
30 +Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
31 +
32 +WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
33 +
34 +The United Nations recommends plain language for communications.
33 33  
34 34  
35 -Complexity depends on:
37 +=== 1. Choose easy and short words not formal, long ones. ===
36 36  
37 -* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
38 -* distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
39 +Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’.
40 +
41 +Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan.
39 39  
40 40  
41 ->Example:"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
42 ->"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
44 +=== 2. Jargon and buzzwords are unlikely to be clear language. ===
43 43  
46 +Often, these words are too general and vague and can lead to misinterpretation or empty, meaningless text. Avoid them. Instead, think about what the term actually means and describe that. Be open and specific.
44 44  
45 -== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
46 46  
47 -Oxford Guide to plain English
49 +Example:
50 +"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon.
51 +"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language.
48 48  
49 -Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
50 50  
51 -Author Ann Wylie
54 +=== 3. Write conversationally. ===
52 52  
53 -[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
56 +Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform.
54 54  
55 -[['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
56 56  
57 -[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
59 +=== 4. Test your content with users ===
58 58  
59 -[['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
61 +What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
60 60  
61 -[['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
62 62  
63 -[['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
64 +== Usability evidence for plain English ==
64 64  
65 -[['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
66 +[[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.
66 66  
67 -[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
68 +[['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.
68 68  
69 -[['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
70 +[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017
70 70  
71 -[['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
72 +[['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
72 72  
73 -[['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
74 +[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated.
74 74  
75 -[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
76 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011
76 76  
77 -[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
78 +[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004
78 78  
79 -[['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
80 +[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
80 80  
81 -[['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
82 82  
83 -[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
83 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length ==
84 84  
85 -[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
86 86  
87 -[['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
88 88  
89 -[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
87 +== Simple sentence structure ==
90 90  
91 -[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
92 92  
90 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
91 +Here's some sector specific guidance:
93 93  
94 -----
93 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
94 +Legal
95 95  
96 -See also:
96 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
97 +Medical
97 97  
98 -* Plain English
99 -* [[Specialist terms>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/#st]]
100 -* [[Law, medicine, money>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Medical/]]
101 -* [[Words to avoid>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Words%20to%20avoid/]]
99 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
100 +Financial
101 +
102 +
103 +{{children/}}
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106 +