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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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edited by Lizzie Bruce
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1 -(% class="box" %)
2 -(((
3 -Following this helps:
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** – clear, concise content is shorted so requires less navigation
11 -)))
12 -
13 -==
14 -Guidelines ==
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."
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 -
29 -----
30 -
31 -== ==
32 -
33 -=== {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
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.
36 -
37 -Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
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
42 -
43 -
44 -Example:
45 -
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 -
51 -They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
52 -
53 -
54 -Complexity depends on:
55 -
56 -* number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
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 -
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
63 -
64 -
65 -----
66 -
67 -== {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
68 -
69 -Oxford Guide to plain English
70 -
71 -Jyoti Sanyal 'Indlish'
72 -
73 -Author Ann Wylie
74 -
75 -[[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
76 -
77 -[['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
78 -
79 -[['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
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 -
83 -[['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
84 -
85 -[['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
86 -
87 -[['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
88 -
89 -[[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
90 -
91 -[['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
92 -
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]], Karen Schriver, PhD, Dr. A. L. Cheek, M. Mercer, Center for Plain Language, November 20, 2008, Mexico City
94 -
95 -[['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
96 -
97 -[['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
98 -
99 -[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
100 -
101 -[['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
102 -
103 -[['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
104 -
105 -[['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
106 -
107 -[[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
108 -
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]] 2017
110 -
111 -[['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] Edwin Toonen, Yoast, 2018
112 -
113 -[[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign, undated
114 -
115 -
116 -----
117 -
118 -(% class="box" %)
119 -(((
120 -See also:
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 -)))
1 +Please go to [[readabilityguidelines.co.uk/clear-language/simple-sentences>>url:https://readabilityguidelines.co.uk/clear-language/simple-sentences/]].