Getting writing style right the first time
Why
Students' ability to understand what is trying to be conveyed to them is affected by the words used. The use of excessive jargon or complex phrases can make a web page more difficult to read and comprehend.
- A student with a learning disability - or even a student without a disability - may not be able to follow along easily
How
- Use straightforward language to express yourself. Be wary of writing over the heads of your students. It may be harder to express yourself in simple language, but your message will be clearer
- Focus attention by briefly previewing the content and structure of a section
- Place important concepts at the beginning of paragraphs
- Use headings and subheadings to identify main topics
- Break your pages into digestible chunks of content. This also creates more white space, which makes pages easier to read
- Use bulleted lists to summarise long strings of information
- Add meaningful illustrations to simplify and explain complex content