RE: Simplified Text: Examples and Resources

Aimply srRWS, MY PEOVLWM QIRH WITH THE WHOLE SIMPLICITY ISSUE IS THAT
SIMPLICITY IS NOT SIMPLE.  Simplicity is *hard,* and it's contextual.
Readability indices are problematic, because they rely too heavily on
counting and usually assume that short=good.  But that's not always the
case: you can create a bunch of short sentences that produce a grade-level
readability score of, say 8.0 (eight grade), and have an unintelligible
text, often because they rely so heavily on pronoun reference for cohesion--
but the pronouns lose their antecedents, and you end up with a bunch of
"this" and "that" and "these" that aren't tied to anything.

Grammar checkers, speel checkers, style-checkers, and similar tools are most
effective in the hands of highly skilled writers who know how ti interpret
what those tools offer.  This should come as no surprise: isn't it the same
issue we run into all the time with automated accessibility checkers like
Bobby, AccVerify, etc., etc.?  We remind people that these tools are useful
but no substitute for informed human judgment.  Same goes for writing.

John

-----Original Message-----
From: Gregg Vanderheiden [mailto:GV@trace.wisc.edu] 
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 10:36 pm
To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Subject: FW: Simplified Text: Examples and Resources
Importance: High


Are there things in one of these that we don't have in our guidelines or
techniques docs?  Can someone take a look at these and abstract out
strategies that we should capture in our techniques or strategies.


Thanks

Gregg


------------------------------------
Gregg Vanderheiden Ph.D.
Ind Engr - Biomed - Trace,  Univ of Wis
gv@trace.wisc.edu

 


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu [mailto:owner-uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu]
On Behalf Of Jacobs, Steve I
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 2:54 PM
To: uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu
Subject: Simplified Text: Examples and Resources
Importance: High

Dear all,

In support of everyone having access to English simplification resources and
examples... I offer the following.  

The following examples and links are from Lesson 24 of my workshop entitled,
"The Business Benefits of Accessible IT Design." For more information:
http://www.easi.cc/workshops/bbaitsyl.htm


------------
1. Controlled language in Industry and Government:
http://www.easi.cc/jacobs/lesson243_industry.htm

2. Tools to Simplify Text: 
http://www.easi.cc/jacobs/lesson_245_tools.htm

3. Readability Measurement Tools: 
http://www.easi.cc/jacobs/lesson244_readability.htm
 
4. Example of Simplification: http://www.easi.cc/jacobs/simple_english.htm

5. Humor Regarding the Complexity of the English Language:
http://www.easi.cc/jacobs/humor.htm

Sincerely,

Steve

--------
Steve Jacobs
Accessibility Program Manager
and President, IDEAL at NCR
NCR Corporation
2809 Bohlen Drive
Hilliard, Ohio 43026

Phone: (614) 777-0660
Fax: (937) 445-1955
TTY: (800) 855-2880
STS: (877) 750-9097 
E-mail: steve.jacobs@ncr.com
URL: http://www.ncr.com

Received on Monday, 29 April 2002 09:52:01 UTC