#30 Plain Language - Minimum

guidelines/index.html

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+
+    
+        Plain Language (Minimum)
+        A
+        New
+
+        Plain language: Provide clear and simple language in instructions, labels, navigational elements, and error messages which require a response to continue so that all of the following are true:
+        For instructions, labels, and navigational elements:
+        
+            Simple tense:
+            Use present tense and active voice. (See exceptions for different context and language.)
+            Simple, clear and common words:
+            Use words or phrases that are most frequently used for the current context, unless this will result in a loss of meaning or clarity. This includes not using abbreviations, words or phrases, unless they are the common form to refer to the concept for beginners. Where word frequencies are known for the context, they can be used.
+            Double negatives:
+            Are not used.
+            Concrete language:
+            Non-literal language is not used, or can be automatically replaced, via an easy-to-set user setting. All meaning must be retained when non-literal text is replaced.
+        
+        Also on controls:
+            
+                The words on controls and labels identify an element's function.
+            
+        Also on instructions:
+        
+            Each step in instructions is identified, and concrete wording is used.
+        
+        Exceptions:
+        
+            When a passive voice or other tense can be clearer. Other voices, tenses and terms may be used when it has been shown, via user testing, to be easier to understand, friendlier, or appropriate.
+            In languages where present tense and active voice do not exist, or are not clearer in the language of the content, use the tense and the voice that are clearest for the content.
+            When describing or discussing past or future events, the present tense is not required.
+            If the writing style is an essential part of the main function of the site, such as a game, a literary work, or teaching new terms.
+            Where less common words are found to be easier to understand for the audience. Such findings are supported by user testing that includes users with cognitive disabilities.
+            The writing style items may be replaced for a location or type of content in which user testing has shown a more effective writing style to aid comprehension for people with cognitive disabilities. Such as for content written in a specific natural language.
+            The content will be penalized for not conforming to a given writing style (such as a CV, dissertation, or Ph.D. proposal).
+        
+
+        
+            Related Glossary Additions or Changes
+                concrete wording
+                Concrete wording uses literal language, is specific and describes things you experience through your senses: smoke, mist, a shout.
+                word frequencies
+                Word frequency are lists of a language's words grouped by frequency of occurrence within some given text corpus. Word lists should also give the meaning of the usage.
+                non-literal languages
+                Non-literal language is language that goes beyond the dictionary meaning of the word or phrase. It uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. Figurative language includes, but is not limited to: metaphor, sarcasm, simile, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, idioms, and cliche. For example:
+                
+                    "I've told you a million times to clean your room!"
+                    "The sun is like a yellow ball of fire in the sky."
+                    "You are what you eat."
+                    "Busy as a bee."
+                
+                are a few of the many examples of figurative language in common usage.
+                      
+        
+        
+            What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.
+            Guideline 3.1
+        
+        
+            Description
+            The intent of this success criterion is to ensure people can understand and use navigational elements, user interfaces, and instructions. Clear language for all content is an important accessibility principle. However, if the user does not understand words and terms in these critical areas, the whole application or web site often becomes unusable.
+
+            A real-life example is a person, with mild dementia, trying to use an application to turn on a heating and air conditioning unit. The menu item for selecting heat or air conditioning is labelled "mode". The user does not know that "mode" refers to heat or to air conditioning, and thus cannot use the whole unit because of this one term.
+
+            In this real-life example (reported by a task force member), a visitor turned on an air conditioner and did not turn it off when leaving the dwelling. The weather became a bit cooler. The user, who could not turn on the heat because of the language used, became hypothermic, and needed emergency treatment.
+
+            People with dementia have impaired short-term memory, and difficulty remembering new information. Therefore, learning and remembering new terms can be impossible. However, if an interface uses familiar terms and design, it is fully usable. Not being able to use these applications mean that more people require live-in help, and lose their independence.
+
+            In another example, many task force members cannot use GitHub because the terms it uses are not typical for functions (such as "push" instead of "upload").
+
+            Some users, particularly those on the autism spectrum, will have difficulty with figurative language, as they will try to interpret it literally. This will frequently lead to the user to failing to comprehend the intended meaning, and may instead act as a source of stress and confusion. (Taken from ETSI)
+
+            It should be noted that restrictions on scope make it practical from the content providers' perspective, and the exceptions ensure it is widely applicable. For example, error messages, which require a response to continue, are being included as a level A because, without understanding these messages, the user is completely unable to continue. Error messages, which do not require a response, may be frustrating, but do not always make the whole application unusable. 
+    
+    
+        Benefits
+        This supports those who have reading difficulties, language disabilities, and some visual perceptual difficulties. It can include people with intellectual disabilities, Receptive Aphasia, and/or Dyslexia, as well as those with general cognitive learning disabilities. This supports those who have Dementia, and/or acquire cognitive disabilities as they age.
+    
+    
+        Related Resources
+        Resources are for information purposes only. No endorsement is intended or implied.
+        
+            de Villiers, P. A., de Villiers, J.G., Diaz, S., Cheung, C., Alig, R., Radizt, V, and Paul, R. 2011. Non-Literal Language and Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Poster presented at the ASHA Convention, San Diego, 2011. Available at: http://www.asha.org/Events/convention/handouts/2011/de-Villiers-de-Villiers-Diaz-Cheung-Alig-Raditz-Paul/ [Accessed 5th February 2017].
+            Down Syndrome South Australia 2011. Understanding Down Syndrome. [pdf] Welland: Down Syndrome South Australia. Available at: http://www.downssa.asn.au/__files/f/3203/A%20Student%20with%20Down%20Syndrome%202014.pdf [Accessed 6th February 2017].
+            Muskens, L. et al.,2014. Never Too Old to Use a Tablet In: Miesenberger, Fels, Archambault, et al. 2014. Computers helping people with special needs, 14 international conference ICCHP. Springer. pp.392-393.
+            Norbury, C. F. 2005. The relationship between theory of mind and metaphor: Evidence from children with language impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 23, pp.383-39. Available at: http://www.pc.rhul.ac.uk/sites/lilac/new_site/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/metaphor.pdf. [Accessed 5th February 2017].
+            Oi, M., Tanaka, S. and Ohoka, H., 2013. The Relationship between Comprehension of Figurative Language by Japanese Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders and College Freshmen's Assessment of Its Conventionality of Usage. Autism Research and Treatment, 2013, [e-journal] Article ID 480635, 7 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/480635.
+            Phiriyapkanon. T. 2011 Is big button interface enough for elderly users? M.Sc.: Malardardalen University.
+            Stroke Association 2012. Accessible Information Guidelines Making information accessible for people with aphasia. [pdf] London: Stroke Association. Available at https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/Accessible%20Information%20Guidelines.pdf%281%29.pdf [Accessed 5th February 2017].
+            Tager-Flusberg, H. 2000. Language and Understanding Minds: Connections in Autism. In: Baron-Cohen, S., Tager-Flusberg, H. and Cohen, D.J. eds 2000. Understanding other minds: Perspectives from autism and developmental cognitive neuroscience. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: http://www.ucd.ie/artspgs/langimp/TAG2.pdf. [Accessed 6th February 2017].
+            Vogindroukas, I. and Zikopoulou, O., 2011. Idiom understanding in people with Asperger syndrome / high functioning autism. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia, 16(4), pp.390-395. Available at http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-80342011000400005&lng=en&nrm=iso [Accessed 5th February 2017].
+        
+    
+
+    
+        Testability
+        The success criterion is testable if each of the bullet points are testable. If all the content fails any bullet point, it is not conformant to this success criterion. If it passes all of the bullet points, it is conformant.
+        
+            Simple tense: Use present tense and active voice. (See exceptions for different context and language.)
+        
+        Testing for exceptions:
+        If present tense and active voice have not been used, the tester will need to confirm if one of the exceptions is relevant. If an exception is not relevant; and present tense and active voice have not been used, then the content fails this success criterion.
+        
+            Simple and clear words: Use words or phrases most frequently used for the current context, unless this will result in a loss of meaning or of clarity. Where word frequencies are known for the context, they can be used. This includes not using abbreviations, words, and phrases, unless they are the common forms to refer to concepts for beginners.
+        
+        Even languages with a small number of users have published lists of most-frequent words (such as Hebrew). If there is a natural language that does not have such a list, algorithms exist that calculate these lists for languages, or for specific contexts. Testing content against these word lists can be done manually. However, it is expected there will be a natural language processing testing tool by the time this goes to CR. (It is already integrated into a tool by IBM.)
+        Testing for exceptions is as discussed above.
+        
+            Double negatives are not used.
+        
+        Use of double negatives is verifiable. It is assumed a natural language processing tool will also test for this. Testing for exceptions is as discussed above.
+        
+            Literal text: Metaphors and non-literal text are not used, or can be automatically replaced via an easy-to-set user setting. All meaning must be retained when non-literal text is replaced.
+        
+        Non-literal text and metaphors can be identified when the meaning of the sentence is something other than the meaning of the individual words. This is human testable. Cognitive computing algorithms can test for this as well.
+        If the text is not literal, then the tester must confirm that personalization and an easy user setting enables it to be replaced, such that all meaning is retained.
+    
+    
+        Techniques
+        
+            Using common words; or
+            Using personalization and COGA semantics to provide easily available plain language; or
+            Using active voice in English, and the present tense; or
+            Using an alternative word frequency list for a given context; or
+            Using concrete wording; or
+            Using clear terms in menu items that describe functions; or
+            Associating a common word or clear definition when a proprietary word is used; or
+            Failure of SC 3.1.x due to requiring users to learn new terms or new meanings for terms or symbols; or
+            Failure of SC 3.1.x due to showing words that are common, but not in the correct context or with an unclear meaning; or
+            Failure of SC 3.1.x due to use of non-literal text without an easy-to-use literal text replacement
+        
+    
 
 		
 			Acknowledgments