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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 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** – it's less tiring when you can absorb what you read quickly
11 -)))
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
8 +* **visual impairments** – short and simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
9 +* **motor impairments** – it's less tiring when you can understand what you read quickly
10 +
12 12  
13 -==
14 -Guidelines ==
12 +== ==
15 15  
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."
14 +== Guidelines ==
17 17  
16 +[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]]
18 18  
19 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
20 -[[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
18 +[[Simple sentences>>||anchor="ssl"]]
21 21  
22 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
23 -[[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
20 +[[Specialist terms>>||anchor="st"]]
24 24  
22 +[[Law, medicine, money>>doc:.Medical.WebHome]]
23 +
25 25  (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 -[[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UESS"]]
27 -
25 +[[Words to avoid>>doc:.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
28 28  
27 +
29 29  ----
30 30  
31 -== ==
30 +== ==
32 32  
33 -=== {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
32 +== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English ==
34 34  
35 -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.
34 +Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges.
36 36  
37 -Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
36 +WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
38 38  
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
38 +The United Nations recommends plain language for communications.
42 42  
43 43  
44 -Example:
41 +=== 1. Choose easy and short words not formal, long ones. ===
45 45  
46 -(% class="mark" %)This sentence is about 15 words long and is easy to understand. (%%)
43 +Use ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’, ‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and ‘about’ instead of ‘approximately’.
44 +
45 +Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan.
47 47  
48 48  
49 -=== {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
48 +=== 2. Jargon and buzzwords are unlikely to be clear language. ===
50 50  
50 +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.
51 +
52 +
53 +Example:
54 +"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon.
55 +"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language.
56 +
57 +
58 +=== 3. Write conversationally. ===
59 +
60 +Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform.
61 +
62 +
63 +=== 4. Test your content with users ===
64 +
65 +What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else.
66 +
67 +
68 +== Usability evidence: plain English ==
69 +
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 +
72 +[['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.
73 +
74 +[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017
75 +
76 +[['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
77 +
78 +[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated.
79 +
80 +[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011
81 +
82 +[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004
83 +
84 +[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018
85 +
86 +
87 +----
88 +
89 +== ==
90 +
91 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Simple sentences ==
92 +
93 +=== 1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
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.
96 +
97 +Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree 15 word sentences are fine but above 40 words is hard to understand.
98 +
99 +
100 +=== 2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
101 +
51 51  They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
52 52  
53 53  
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57 57  * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
58 58  
59 59  
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
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
63 63  
64 64  
65 -----
115 +== Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
66 66  
67 -== {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
68 -
69 69  Oxford Guide to plain English
70 70  
71 71  Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
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115 115  
116 116  ----
117 117  
118 -(% class="box" %)
119 -(((
120 -See also:
166 +== ==
121 121  
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 -)))
168 +== {{id name="st"/}}Specialist terms ==
169 +
170 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
171 +Make specialist content comprehensible by non-experts.
172 +
173 +
174 +=== 1. Explain specialist terms: anybody can access your content. ===
175 +
176 +Assuming who your audience is, and that they'll understand the technical terms you use, are common misconceptions.
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 +
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]]!