Use Simple, Easy-to-Understand Language
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Explain why it’s important to follow the plain language guidelines.
- Name three ways to make language more readable.
Keep It Simple
When creating accessible views, keep it simple. The WCAG states that text “should be written as clearly and simply as possible.” Simplicity helps people more easily see the relationships and intersections in your data.
How can you make the language simple? Be concise, keep your sentences short, and avoid jargon. Jargon falls under the Understanding WCAG guideline, Unusual Words. Certain cognitive disabilities make it difficult to understand specialized words and figurative language.
Follow the federal plain language guidelines to keep your content clear and easy to scan. The plain language guidelines referred to in this unit are the official guidelines for the Plain Writing Act of 2010, and were developed for government agencies to help their users “find what they need, understand what they find, and use what they find to meet their needs.”
Some people think that using plain language guidelines means “dumbing down” the language. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Don’t talk down to your audience, but do respect their time and cognitive ability by providing clear and concise text. Plain language guidelines help you convey your intended message.
Remember, you’re reading your text already knowing what you mean to say. Your audience isn’t. That’s why it’s important to provide text that is as clear as possible. As we mentioned in the first unit of this module–don’t just make sure that your visualizations are understandable, make sure that your visualizations are impossible to misunderstand.
Be Concise
Use as few words as you can to get your point across. Watch out for prepositional phrases that artificially bloat your language. Look at every phrase and ask yourself if you can use a simple word instead.
Instead of… | Write… |
|---|---|
a number of | several |
in order to | to |
as well as | and |
on a quarterly cadence | quarterly |
is able to | can |
Beware of adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Instead of using an adverb, use a stronger verb or adjective instead–or just remove the adverb entirely.
Instead of… | Write… |
|---|---|
very good | great |
pretty easy | easy |
definitely optimistic | optimistic |
extremely happy | ecstatic |
truly talented | gifted |
Keep in mind that adverbs can be important to your message. Use adverbs sparingly. How do you know when it’s important to use them? Refer to the sentence you just read: Use adverbs sparingly. It doesn’t quite mean the same thing as “use adverbs.”
Write Short Sentences
Another success criteria for the Understanding WCAG guideline is Reading Level. This criteria recommends that you keep the readability score at an accessible level. As mentioned in the first unit of this module, the National Literacy Institute reports that 54% of adults in the US read below a sixth-grade level. Aim to create content at or below this level.
One of the most well-known readability tests used to analyze the complexity of text is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test. This test analyzes a sample of text and returns a reading level score based on average sentence length and word length. Higher complexity text equates to a higher reading level. What does this mean for you? It means you should keep your sentences short. Aim for no more than 25 to 30 words per sentence. Avoid complex sentences with a lot of modifying phrases. Instead, make each idea or concept the subject of its own sentence. Remove unnecessary adverbs. And don’t use two words when one will do.
Avoid Jargon
Like adverbs, jargon serves a purpose. It can serve as shorthand for your audience, but only if they’re familiar with the terms that you’re using. Always keep your audience in mind and use the language they use. When in doubt, leave the jargon out and opt for plain language instead. If you must use jargon, WCAG recommends you include a mechanism, such as a list of definitions, for words used in an unusual way, including idioms and jargon.
Instead of… | Write… |
|---|---|
circle back | revisit |
drill down | analyze |
let’s dialogue | let’s discuss |
ideate | think about |
In this unit, you learned about adding text to your vizzes to make them accessible. You also learned how to make that text understandable and easy to read for people of all abilities. In the next unit, explore how to use color in a thoughtful and accessible way.