Wear Your
"Web Writing Hat" When Authoring Online Content
By Mark
Hall
More good advice:
"Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts." –Kellie, age 11
While you may have heard someone comment to the effect, "Writing for the Web is different than writing for print," you may not have known specifically how it should differ. This column seeks to offer specific, concise advice on how to make your Web writing clearer, more attractive, and more effective.
Fortunately, Human Factors International, a leading human factors/usability consultancy based in Fairfield, Iowa, has done a considerable amount of research on the subject of Web reading and writing, and distilled it down to the following key guidelines.
1. Use short, simple words. People read on average 25 percent slower online than they read print media. Keeping phrases short helps to lighten users' reading load.
2. Select specific and precise words. With a paper procedures manual, you may have room to include a detailed glossary. On the Web you don't have this luxury.
3. Be absolutely consistent. As with all design and writing, consistent structure helps the users form a mental model that helps them quickly understand upcoming content.
4. Use appropriate font sizes and styles. Research has shown that sans-serif fonts are easier to read online (though serif fonts are fine for headers). Also, be sure to use large fonts (12-point or larger) for sites oriented toward users over 50 years old.
5. Provide instructions only where needed. Ideally, a well-designed page will not require instructions. If you do feel that they are necessary, keep them short and direct.
6. Avoid acronyms. It is best to avoid using acronyms altogether. If you can't for some reason (for example, you're a SPAWAR guy), at least define the acronym the first time you use it.
7. Abbreviate with caution. As with e-mail and other online communications, incomplete words can often be misinterpreted. (Note that this relates to guideline #2.)
8. Avoid company jargon. People outside your company usually don't know the jargon you use around the water cooler, so it is best avoided.
9. Use the active voice. Enough said. Directness is appreciated online. Don't worry about being overassertive online. Your readers want to know what they should do next, so tell them!
10. Measure readability. Kincaid, Fishburne, Rogers and Chissom developed a readability index at the Naval Training Command Research Center, which you may want to use to estimate the readability of an especially important piece. The formula is: RGL = (11.8 x S) + (0.39 x W) - 15.59.
"RGL" is the reading grade level, "S" is the average number of syllables per word, and "W" is the average number of words per sentence. Use the first 100 words or so in your document to arrive at the figures. (Count all the syllables and divide by the number of words to get the "S." Count all the words and divide by the number of sentences to get "W.") Keep in mind that most people read comfortably about two grade levels below the highest grade they reached in school.
Some of you will recognize these guidelines as good considerations when writing print materials. Many of these guidelines are indeed very similar. But where they diverge, we must take special care so that we can do our part to improve the lives of beleaguered Web users everywhere.
Questions? Write to Mark Hall at mark@hallmark-consulting.com.
