Writing for readability
This page is for editors and trainers. It turns plain language principles (see "Plain language") into rules for the fields editors fill in Exponential, and links the accessibility points that overlap. The accessibility status of the product itself is in Accessibility standards.
Contents
Titles
- Say what the page is about in words people search for: "Apply for a parking permit", not "Parking permit procedures (revised)".
- Keep them short: the title becomes the page's address (URL alias) and appears in menus and search results.
- Renaming is safe: the old address redirects (Redirects and moved content).
Summaries
One or two sentences that answer "is this the page I need?". Lists, search results and feeds show them.
Body text
- One idea per paragraph; most important first.
- Headings that describe the content below them, in order (heading levels in the rich text editor, not bold text).
- Explain abbreviations at first use.
- Numbers as digits, dates in one format.
Links
- Link text that makes sense alone: "parking permit application form", not "click here" (WCAG 2.2 "Link Purpose", WCAG 2.2).
- Say when a link opens a document and its format and size; the file datatype provides them (Files and downloads).
- Link to content with the editor's link or embed tools, so links follow content when it moves.
Tables and lists
Use tables for data with a header row, not for layout. Use lists for steps (numbered) and options (bullets).
Documents
Prefer page text to attached documents; a page is searchable, translatable and accessible with the site's templates (see "PDF and document formats for disclosures" in the transparency section).
A review routine
- Read the page aloud; long sentences stand out.
- Check the page on a phone.
- Check images have alternative text; image fields can require it (Content classes for websites).
- Ask someone outside the team to find one fact on the page.
Related pages
- Plain language
- Editing content
- Accessibility for site builders
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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