Changes for page Simple sentences
Last modified by Lizzie Bruce on 2020/01/11 23:51
From version 2.7
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:14
on 2019/03/07 11:14
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To version 2.9
edited by Lizzie Bruce
on 2019/03/07 11:50
on 2019/03/07 11:50
Change comment:
There is no comment for this version
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... ... @@ -1,43 +1,32 @@ 1 1 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 2 - PlainEnglish2 +Clear language is helpful for: 3 3 4 -Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges. 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 5 5 6 -WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable." 7 7 8 -The United Nations recommends plain language for communications. 9 - 10 +== Guidelines == 10 10 11 - === 1. Choose easy andshort words not formal, longones.===12 +[[Plain English>>Plain English||anchor="pe"]] 12 12 13 - Use‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’,‘help’ instead of ‘assist’, and‘about’ insteadof ‘approximately’.14 +[[Sentence length>>Sentence length||anchor="ssl"]] 14 14 15 -Write for the reading comprehension of a 9 year old. This helps you reach the most users and makes your content easy to scan. 16 - 16 +Sentence structure 17 17 18 - === 2. Jargon and buzzwords areunlikelytobeclearlanguage. ===18 +Specialist terms 19 19 20 -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. 20 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 21 +Words to avoid 21 21 22 22 23 -Example: 24 -"Let's touch base in 10 and do some blue sky thinking." This uses jargon. 25 -"Let's meet in 10 minutes to think of some ideas." Conveys same meaning using clear language. 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. 26 26 27 27 28 -== =3. Writeconversationally.===28 +== {{id name="pe"/}}Plain English == 29 29 30 -Picture your audience and write as if you were talking directly to them, with the authority of someone who can help and inform. 31 - 32 - 33 -=== 4. Test your content with users === 34 - 35 -What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else. 36 - 37 - 38 -(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 39 -Plain English 40 - 41 41 Make content clear and understandable, to open the web up for users with different literacy levels and access challenges. 42 42 43 43 WCAG states that "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable." ... ... @@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ 72 72 What is 'plain' for one person may not be for someone else. 73 73 74 74 75 -== Usability evidence == 64 +== Usability evidence for plain English == 76 76 77 77 [[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. 78 78 ... ... @@ -90,32 +90,27 @@ 90 90 91 91 [[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018 92 92 93 -== Usability evidence == 94 94 95 - [[Guideline3.1 Readable: Make text content readableand understandable.>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]],Web Content AccessibilityGuidelines(WCAG) 2.0, 2008.83 +== {{id name="ssl"/}}Short sentence length == 96 96 97 -[['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. 98 98 99 -[['Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts'>>url:https://www.nngroup.com/articles/plain-language-experts/]], H. Loranger, Nielsen Norman Group, 2017 100 100 101 - [['ThePublicSpeaks: An EmpiricalStudy of LegalCommunication'>>url:https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1843415]], C. R. Trudeau in 14 ScribesJ. Leg. Writing 121 201287 +== Simple sentence structure == 102 102 103 -[['Strengthening plain language'>>url:http://www.iplfederation.org/]], International Plain Language Federation. Undated. 104 104 105 -[[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://www.clearest.co.uk/plain-language-commission-style-guide]], Plain Language Commission, 2011 90 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 91 +Here's some sector specific guidance: 106 106 107 -[['The principles of readability'>>url:http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/readability02.pdf]], Impact Information, William H. DuBay, 2004 93 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 94 +Legal 108 108 109 -[[Plain language entry>>url:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_language]], Wikipedia, last updated 2018 96 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 97 +Medical 110 110 111 -== Short sentence length == 99 +(% class="wikigeneratedid" %) 100 +Financial 112 112 113 113 114 - 115 -== Simple sentence structure == 116 - 117 - 118 - 119 119 {{children/}} 120 120 121 121