McGill's websites must be accessible to all audiences. Our provincial government has made this a requirement. It's also simply the right thing to do.
An important part of web accessibility compliance is using plain language - presenting text that is readable and understandable (see Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Guideline 3.1).
Using plain language also improves:
- Comprehension
- Adherence to instructions
- Usability
- Search engine optimization (SEO) - People use plain language when typing into search
Studies prove that professionals prefer plain language as it allows people to understand content as quickly as possible.
How to write content using plain language
Keep it short and simple
- Write short paragraphs and sentences
- Paragraphs should be no more than 100 words, 3-5 sentences
- Paragraphs should only be displayed at full-page width - do not place paragraphs in half or third-width blocks
- When adding body/description text to WMS blocks - Call-to-action, Statement and List blocks - limit text to 1 sentence
- Use sentences that are no longer than the typical accepted length for secondary education
- Note: In English that is 25 words maximum, recommended length is 15-20 words
- Choose simple words, e.g. don't say utilize, say use
- Choose words that are the most familiar to your audience
- Avoid professional jargon, slang, and other terms with a special meaning
- Remove redundant words, words that don't add meaning
- Use active voice
- Use verb tenses consistently
- Use names and labels consistently
Be organized
- Include a single topic or subtopic per paragraph
- Use bulleted or numbered lists instead of paragraphs when presenting a series of related items
- Put information in logical order with the important details first
Follow web standards for readability
- Expect users to scan
- Structure your content
- Use your users' questions as headings
- Format content using the inverted pyramid style
- For long articles start with a summarized overview
- Write in a friendly tone
- Write like you would talk, use contractions, use the present tense
- Use pronouns - "you" - to speak directly to your reader
Related websites, articles and tools
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Guideline 3.1
- Plain Language Act of the United States Government
- Center for Plain Language
- Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts, Nielsen Norman Group
- Writing Digital Copy for Domain Experts, Nielsen Norman Group
- Tools:
- Microsoft Office Tools - Use Microsoft Word to scan your document for readability statistics
- Get your document's readability and level statistics, Microsoft
- Hemingway editor
