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title: Text Simplification 
description: Accessibility
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# Week 2: Text Simplification

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# Important Reminder

## This is an important reminder
## Make sure zoom is running and recording!!!
## Make sure captioning is turned on


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# Learning Goals for today
- Understanding how to apply text simplification principals to create plain language documents
- Understanding when to use plain language


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# Why Plain Language

Helps make text accessible to the non-scientific public (including disabled people). 

Can also directly help someone with an intellectual disability. 
- [WCAG guidelines](https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG3/2021/how-tos/clear-words/) state that text simplification also "benefit individuals who live with cognitive and learning disabilities, language impairments, memory impairments, and autism." 

--
Somewhat different requirements for these different audiences

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# When to use Plain Language

- May help with member checking (make sure that study participants or other interested parties can learn about your research)
- Responsibility to share research you do *on* disabled people *with* disabled people (i.e. back to the public)
- The  Plain Writing Act of 2010, described on [plainlanguage.gov](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/), "requires federal agencies use clear government communication that the public can understand and use."
- Meets WCAG AAA standard ([SC 3.1.5](https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html)) 

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# When Not to use Plain Language

- Scientific paper submissions benefit from clear and concise and readable text, but this is different from text simplifiation
- WCAG AAA is a very high standard to meet everywhere

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# Text Simplification Guidelines 
We are asking you to focus on this subset

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- Use simple words
- Use positive language
- Use short paragraphs
- Use short sentences
- Avoid jargon
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- Use active voice
- Use present tense
- Use examples
- Use headers
- Use transition words
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# Use Simple Words
- <q>as a means of</q>  &rarr;  <q>to</q>
- <q>at the present time</q>  &rarr; <q>now</q>

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# Use Positive Language
- Avoid double negatives
- <q>no fewer than</q> &rarr; <q>at least</q>

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# Use Short Paragraphs and Sentences
- Consider if a clause should become a new sentence

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# Avoid Jargon
- Sometimes the complex word isn't necessary
- If you must use jargon, define it

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# Use Active Voice
- <q>The lake was polluted by the company</q> &rarr;  <q>The company polluted the lake</q>
- A good check to see if you're using passive voice: are you using
	- A form of <q>to be</q> (e.g., am, is, are, was, be, being, been)
	- A verb ending in <q>-ed</q>

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# Use Present Tense
- Don't: <q>These sections describe types of information that would satisfy the application requirements of Circular A-110 as it would apply to this grant program.</q>
- Do: <q>These sections tell you how to meet the requirements of Circular A-110 for this grant program.</q>

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# Use Examples
- Especially for more complicated topics


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# Use Transition Words
- Use words: <q>for instance,</q> <q>also,</q> <q>however,</q> <q>to summarize</q>
- Echo previous ideas
- Avoid ambiguous <q>this</q>


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# Use Headers
- Preferably, use headers that are built into platforms (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Word, EdStem)
- If those are not available, styling text in bold or underlined can still help visual readers

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# Text Simplification Resources
- If you have any questions or want examples about any of these concepts, you can look at the [PlainLanguage.gov website](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/).

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# Text Simplification Competency (1/2)

Please pick at least four guidelines to focus on from the following list and specify which four you picked. You can address more to reach a higher competency score. Follows best practices for plain language writing as described on the federal plain language website

How this will be assessed: You should tell us when you use plain language writing, and ask us to assess. There will be multiple opportunities to do this during the quarter.
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# Text Simplification Competency (2/2)

- Use simple words
- Use positive language
- Use short paragraphs
- Use short sentences
- Avoid jargon
- Use active voice
- Use present tense
- Use examples
- Use headers
- Use transition words 

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# Plain Language Assignment

Write a plain language abstract of a research paper abstract using text simplification (of an assigned reading)

We'll pick papers on Friday