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 5.3 Icon
edited by XWikiGuest
on 2019/05/03 14:47
Change comment: Added comment

Summary

Details

Icon Page properties
Author
... ... @@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
1 -xwiki:XWiki.LizzieBruce
1 +XWiki.XWikiGuest
Content
... ... @@ -4,31 +4,50 @@
4 4  
5 5  * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
6 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
7 +* **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're distracted it's hard to comprehend convoluted structures
8 +* **cognitive impairments** – shorter, non-complex sentences carry less cognitive load
9 +* **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
10 +* **motor impairments** – clear, concise content is shorted so requires less navigation
11 11  )))
12 12  
13 13  ==
14 14  Guidelines ==
15 15  
16 -* [[Simple sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.myxwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Plain%20English/Plain%20English%2C%20simple%20sentences/#ssl]]
16 +Short, simple sentences are better on the web than long, protracted prose with complex syntax. WCAG says: "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
17 17  
18 +
19 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
20 +[[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
21 +
22 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
23 +[[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
24 +
25 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 +[[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UESS"]]
27 +
28 +
18 18  ----
19 19  
20 -==
21 -Simple sentences ==
31 +== ==
22 22  
23 -=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
33 +=== {{id name="#1"/}}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.
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.
37 +Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
28 28  
39 +* 15 word sentences are more likely to be comprehensible
40 +* 25 words is a good maximum sentence length limit
41 +* above 40 words sentences are hard to comprehend easily
42 +
29 29  
30 -=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
44 +Example:
31 31  
46 +(% class="mark" %)This sentence is about 15 words long and is easy to understand. (%%)
47 +
48 +
49 +=== {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
50 +
32 32  They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
33 33  
34 34  
... ... @@ -38,18 +38,17 @@
38 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 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
60 +Example:
61 +\\(% class="mark" %)"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
62 +"The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
43 43  
44 44  
45 -== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
65 +----
46 46  
47 -Oxford Guide to plain English
67 +== {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
48 48  
49 -Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
69 +[[Oxford Guide to plain English>>https://global.oup.com/academic/product/oxford-guide-to-plain-english-9780199669172?cc=gb&lang=en&]] , Oxford University Press, 2013
50 50  
51 -Author Ann Wylie
52 -
53 53  [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
54 54  
55 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
... ... @@ -56,8 +56,12 @@
56 56  
57 57  [['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
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
77 +[['Short sentences boost readability. Nearly 140 years of research proves it'>>https://www.wyliecomm.com/2018/08/short-sentences-boost-readability/]] A. Wylie, a collection of studies since 1880s, 2018
60 60  
79 +[['Indlish: The book for every English-speaking Indian'>>http://www.vivagroupindia.com/frmBookDetail.aspx?BookId=5020&Status=C]], J. Sanyal, 2006. Book.
80 +
81 +[['The role of word difficulty and sentence length in text comprehension'>>https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED215330]], T. M. Duffy and P. K. U'Ren, 1982
82 +
61 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 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
... ... @@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
68 68  
69 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 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
93 +[['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]], K. Schriver, PhD, Dr. A. L. Cheek, M. Mercer, Center for Plain Language, November 20, 2008, Mexico City
72 72  
73 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 74  
... ... @@ -76,26 +76,29 @@
76 76  
77 77  [[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
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
101 +[['Shorter Lines Facilitate Reading in Those Who Struggle'>>url:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0071161]], M. H. Schneps , J. M. Thomson, G. Sonnert, M. Pomplun, C. Chen, A. Heffner-Wong, 2013
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
103 +[['Towards a better measure of readability: Explanation of empirical performance results'>>url:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1989.11435805]], L. A. Olsen, R. Johnson, Taylor and Francis Group, 2015
82 82  
83 83  [['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
84 84  
85 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
109 +[['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]] E. Kirkpatrick, W. Gaisford, E. Williams, E. Brindley, D. Tembo, D. Wright, 2017
88 88  
89 -[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
111 +[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] E. Toonen, Yoast, 2018
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
113 +[[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  
93 93  
94 94  ----
95 95  
118 +(% class="box" %)
119 +(((
96 96  See also:
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/]]
122 +* [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
123 +* [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
124 +* [[Law, medicine, money>>doc:Plain English.Medical.WebHome]]
125 +* [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
126 +)))
Icon XWiki.XWikiComments[0]
Author
... ... @@ -1,0 +1,1 @@
1 +Chris in Oslo
Comment
... ... @@ -1,0 +1,1 @@
1 +It's my experience that when you say to people "X should be on average Y long", they hear "X should be at least Y long". They get hung up on the number and think they have to reach it. I could absolutely imagine that people who are not experienced (usually exactly the ones who want clear and explicit guidance) will see this and make sentences *longer* because theirs is only 10 words. TL;DR: I don't think is bad advice, but I do think people are bad at averaging and bad at understanding that X limit does not mean "write X much" :)
Date
... ... @@ -1,0 +1,1 @@
1 +2019-05-03 15:47:13.900