Skip to Content

Changes for page Simple sentences

Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version Icon 2.33 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/08 22:02
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version Icon 2.23 Icon
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 17:55
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Icon Page properties
Title
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Simple sentences
1 +Clear language
Parent
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -Plain English.WebHome
1 +Main.WebHome
Content
... ... @@ -1,25 +1,93 @@
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 visual field
7 +* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
8 +
12 12  
13 -==
14 -Guidelines ==
10 +== ==
15 15  
16 -* [[Simple sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/#ssl]]
12 +== Guidelines ==
17 17  
14 +[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
15 +
16 +[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
17 +
18 +[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
19 +
20 +[[Medicine, money and law>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
21 +
22 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
23 +[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
24 +
25 +
18 18  ----
19 19  
20 -==
21 -Simple sentences ==
28 +== ==
22 22  
30 +== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
31 +
32 +Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
33 +
34 +WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
35 +
36 +The United Nations recommends plain language for communications.
37 +
38 +
39 +=== 1. Choose easy and short words not formal, long ones. ===
40 +
41 +Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’.
42 +
43 +Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan.
44 +
45 +
46 +=== 2. Jargon and buzzwords are unlikely to be clear language. ===
47 +
48 +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.
49 +
50 +
51 +Example:
52 +"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon.
53 +"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language.
54 +
55 +
56 +=== 3. Write conversationally. ===
57 +
58 +Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform.
59 +
60 +
61 +=== 4. Test your content with users ===
62 +
63 +What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
64 +
65 +
66 +== Usability evidence: plain English ==
67 +
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 +
70 +[['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.
71 +
72 +[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017
73 +
74 +[['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
75 +
76 +[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated.
77 +
78 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011
79 +
80 +[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004
81 +
82 +[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
83 +
84 +
85 +----
86 +
87 +== ==
88 +
89 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
90 +
23 23  === 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
24 24  
25 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.
... ... @@ -93,9 +93,64 @@
93 93  
94 94  ----
95 95  
96 -See also:
164 +== ==
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/]]
166 +== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
167 +
168 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
169 +Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
170 +
171 +
172 +=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
173 +
174 +Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
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 +
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]]!