Scorecard index.html
Quality 74
Categories
94 1 issue
79 4 issues
100 0 issues
24 48 issues
Voice
81
48
73
Document Information index.html
Kath Straub
Wed Apr 09 09:51:47 EDT 2014
Plain_English
1131 words / 173 sentences
6.5 words is the average sentence length
0 issues found in read-only sections
Administrative Information
Checking Information
SEO
Terminology
Spelling
Grammar
Style
Reuse
Readability
Informality
Liveliness
Terminology 1 issue
1Deprecated
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0
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Terminology
Spelling
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Liveliness
Term Term Set Suggestion Context
such
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Look for red flags, such as:
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Admitted
1
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0
48
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SEO
Terminology
Spelling
Grammar
Style
Reuse
Readability
Informality
Liveliness
Term Term Set Suggestion Context
You did not choose the option to check for admitted terms.
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21Valid
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Informality
Liveliness
Term Term Set Context
opportunity
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English American consumers should have the
opportunity to use credit to build a better future
for themselves and their loved ones.
opportunities
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Credit discrimination prevents people from having
access to these opportunities, and can make
credit more expensive.
Opportunity
(3 occurences)
Plain_English The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal
for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of
credit transaction based on certain characteristics.
practices
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English In addition, the Fair Housing Act makes many
discrimination practices in home financing illegal.
Opportunity
(3 occurences)
Plain_English The Office of Fair Lending and Equal
Opportunity
communications
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Walking away and continuing the discussion later,
if you so choose, is a good way to control
communications with the lender.
Information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Additional Information.
Information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Additional Information.
information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Below you will find links to additional information
about your fair lending rights:
information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Below you will find links to additional information
about your fair lending rights:
information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English For more information on credit discrimination,
download our brochure.
information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English For more information on credit discrimination,
download our brochure.
Department
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Department of Housing and Urban Development:
Development
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Department of Housing and Urban Development:
Opportunity
(3 occurences)
Plain_English More about the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (y
en español).
Department
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Department of Justice:
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New
Spelling 4 issues
Issue Suggestion Context
fairer
(2 occurences)
airer, pairer,
Pairer
You can help us protect consumers and create a
fairer marketplace even if you don’t want to file a
complaint.
fairer
(2 occurences)
airer, pairer,
Pairer
Help inform how we protect consumers & create
a fairer marketplace.
nuestro
(1 occurrence)
Visite nuestro sitio web en español
sitio
(1 occurrence)
Visite nuestro sitio web en español
Grammar 0 issues Order by: Rule | Occurrence
Issue Suggestion
Style 48 issues Order by: Rule | Occurrence
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Terminology
Spelling
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Informality
Liveliness
Information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Information for:
Information
(2 occurences)
Plain_English Information for:
calendar
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Leadership calendar
Administrative
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Administrative adjudication
adjudication
(1 occurrence)
Plain_English Administrative adjudication
Term Context
You did not choose the option to check for new terms.
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Issue Suggestion
complex or long word
What protections do I have against credit
discrimination?
avoid noun cluster
> Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
complex or long word
What protections do I have against credit
discrimination?
complex or long word
What protections do I have against credit
discrimination?
avoid modal verbs
American consumers should have the opportunity
to use credit to build a better future for themselves
and their loved ones.
complex or long word
Credit discrimination prevents people from having
access to these opportunities, and can make credit
more expensive.
complex or long word
What is credit discrimination?
complex or long word
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal
for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of
credit transaction based on certain characteristics.
complex or long word
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal
for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of credit
transaction based on certain characteristics.
complex or long word
In addition, the Fair Housing Act makes many
discrimination practices in home financing illegal.
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Issue Suggestion
complex or long word
What is credit discrimination?
complex or long word
How I can protect myself from credit
discrimination
complex or long word
Offer you credit on terms that are less favorable,
like a higher interest rate, than terms offered to
someone with similar qualifications
simplify word
On the basis of: From: Based on: By:
complex or long word
How can I protect myself from credit
discrimination?
complex or long word
Credit discrimination is often hidden or even
unintentional, which makes it hard to spot.
complex or long word
Credit discrimination is often hidden or even
unintentional, which makes it hard to spot.
use bulleted list
You hear the lender make negative comments
about race, national origin, sex, or other
protected groups.
avoid complex sentences
You are denied credit, but not given a reason why
or told how to find out why.
use complementizer
If you believe a lender has discriminated against
you for any reason, you can file a complaint.
If you believe that a lender
has discriminated against you
for any reason, you can file a
complaint.
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Issue Suggestion
complex or long word
If you believe a lender has discriminated against
you for any reason, you can file a complaint.
Sentence too long: 30 words
Learn more about what factors lenders can
consider in deciding whether to lend money and
deciding what features to offer, like the interest rate
or the term of the loan.
avoid complex sentences
Learn more about what factors lenders can
consider in deciding whether to lend money and
deciding what features to offer, like the interest
rate or the term of the loan.
avoid hidden verbs
Creditors will make decisions based on your credit
history.
use complementizer
Be sure there are no mistakes or missing items in
your credit reports.
Be sure that there are no
mistakes or missing items in
your credit reports.
use complementizer
Be sure you understand the rates and fees you
will pay over the long run.
Be sure that you understand
the rates and fees you will pay
over the long run.
Sentence too long: 29 words
Ask whether the rates and fees quoted to you by
your lender are set, or if there are any
circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees
could change.
avoid complex sentences
Ask whether the rates and fees quoted to you by
your lender are set, or if there are any
circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees
could change.
complex or long word
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Issue Suggestion
Ask whether the rates and fees quoted to you by
your lender are set, or if there are any
circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees
could change.
use "this/that/these/those" with noun
If a creditor does not want to answer your
questions, this could be a bad sign.
avoid modal verbs
Your lender shouldn’t make you feel rushed, or
unnecessarily delay action on your application.
complex or long word
Your lender shouldn’t make you feel rushed, or
unnecessarily delay action on your application.
avoid modal verbs
Remember, the product that works for you today
may not work for you down the road.
avoid needless word
To learn more about the Office of Fair Lending and
CFPB’s fair lending efforts, please read our recent
report to Congress or our recent blog posts.
complex or long word
Within the consumer bureau, the Office of Fair
Lending works to ensure fair, equitable, and
nondiscriminatory access to credit for both
individuals and communities through:
avoid noun cluster
Enforcement and oversight of Federal fair lending
laws; and
avoid complex coordination
Promotion of fair lending compliance and
education among industry, fair lending, civil rights,
and consumer and community advocates.
use bulleted list
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Issue Suggestion
Promotion of fair lending compliance and
education among industry, fair lending, civil
rights, and consumer and community advocates.
avoid noun cluster
Assistant Director Patrice Alexander Ficklin
leads the Office of Fair Lending.
avoid noun cluster
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:
complex or long word
For more information on credit discrimination,
download our brochure.
complex or long word
Helpful tools to protect yourself from
discrimination (y en español).
complex or long word
Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, which also
enforces antidiscrimination laws.
complex or long word
Protections against credit discrimination
avoid noun cluster
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Database
complex or long word
Regulatory implementation
complex or long word
Confidentially report any wrongdoing you have
observed.
complex or long word
Accessibility
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readability
Readable text is easy to read and understand. Readability is important when you want to communicate a
complex technical concept in a simple way.
For example, suppose that you are writing release notes for a new product release. One of the new features is
quite complex. You must explain what the feature can do and help the reader to understand the main benefits.
You do this by writing in a simple style that is easy to read.
Your goal is to ensure that your readability score is appropriate for your content.
If you're not happy with your readability score, use the following guidelines and explanations to improve the
readability of your text:
Guideline Explanation
Use active
voice
When you use active voice it is clearer who performs the action in the
sentence. Compared to the passive voice, the active voice reduces
the ambiguity in a sentence.
Compare the following examples:
The server must be shut down during the module installation
procedure.
Before you install the module, shut down the server.
Use a simple
subject-verb-
object
sentence
structure
A simple subject-verb-object structure makes it clear to the reader
what is happening in the sentence. When it is clear which words are
the subject, verb, and object, the sentence is easier to understand.
Compare the following examples:
The server must be shut down by your administrator.
Your administrator must shut down the server.
Shorten your
average
sentence
length
Shorter sentences increase readability and liveliness. Text is more
enjoyable to read when the reader doesn't have to concentrate too
hard to understand it. Shorter sentences are much easier to
understand than longer ones.
Use fewer
embedded
sentences
Embedded sentences are fragments of text in a sentence that you
could easily separate out into another sentence.
Compare the following examples:
Check for errors in the logging window that appears after you
restart the server that was terminated unexpectedly.
Restart the server that terminated unexpectedly. In the logging
window that appears, check for errors.
Use fewer
complex words
Complex words are generally longer than simple words and are less
familiar to readers. Complex words slow readers down can force a
reader to read the text twice.
Compare the following examples:
Recurring diagnostic procedures facilitate efficient utilization of
server resources.
Regular health checks help you to use your server resources
more efficiently.
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Guideline Explanation
Remove noun
clusters
Noun clusters occur when writers use several nouns to modify another
noun. It becomes difficult for the reader to tell which nouns are
functioning as adjectives
Compare the following examples:
Review our network access cost optimization proposal to find out
how you can save costs.
To find out how you can save costs, review our proposal on how
to optimize costs for your network access.
informality
An informal writing style sounds a lot like how we speak. It is relaxed and colloquial. You can use an informal
voice to reduce the distance between yourself and your readers. You build more of a personal bond with your
reader.
For example, suppose that you're writing an internal memo that describes a new business strategy to everyone
in the company. You want people to feel that you understand their concerns. That they can approach you if
they have any questions. Your readers are more likely to feel this way when you use an informal voice rather
than a formal one.
On the other hand, a really informal voice might not be appropriate for a quarterly report to external
shareholders.
Your goal is to ensure that your content has the appropriate level of informality for your target audience.
If you're not happy with your informality score, use the following guidelines and explanations to change the
informality of your text:
Guideline Explanation
Use first and
second
pronouns
First and second person pronouns help to give the sense that you are
one person in a private conversation with another person. First person
pronouns like "our" give the feeling of inclusiveness, and help the
reader to feel like they are part of the group.
Compare the following examples:
It is common knowledge in the organization, that many
departments have been preoccupied with planning the upcoming
release.
As you all know, preparations and discussions for the upcoming
release have kept many of us really busy.
If you're communicating on behalf of an organization, you'll want to
use the plural pronoun "we". The "we" gives the idea that you're
representing a group of people who all want to help the reader meet
their goals.
Compare the following examples:
Due to a significant amount of user feedback, the interface has
been updated to automatically store the settings from the
previous session.
We've listened to your feedback. It was loud and clear. So we've
updated our product to give you what you asked for. Now, when
you log in, you get your settings from the last time that you were
logged in.
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Guideline Explanation
Use
contractions
Contractions shorten a sentence and make the sentence sound more
like a conversation. In spoken conversation, we usually use
contractions rather than the full form.
Compare the following examples:
If you have a problem with your installation, do not hesitate to
contact us. We are ready for your call.
If you've got a problem with your installation, don't hesitate to
contact us. We're ready for your call.
Use discourse
markers
Discourse markers are words that let you know that a speaker wants
to engage you in a discussion.
When we have a discussion, we say things like "so anyway, we think
that..." or "on the other hand, you might want to..." or "The thing is, we
should really...".
These kinds of expressions are discourse markers. Discourse markers
engage the reader and make it sound like you're having a private
discussion with them.
Compare the following examples:
If you look at how the industry is changing, you'll notice a few
interesting trends. People are relying more on community-
created content. But how much of it is high quality?
Now, if you look at how the industry is changing, you'll notice a
few interesting trends. First off, people are relying more on
community-created content. How much of it is high quality
though?
liveliness
Lively text is exciting and compelling to read. Liveliness is important when you want to convince the reader and
inspire confidence.
For example, a promotional brochure about your products should engage the reader and convince them that
your product can meet their needs. Liveliness might not be as important for other types of text such as system
requirements.
Your goal is to ensure that your content has the appropriate level of liveliness for your target audience.
If you're not happy with your liveliness score, use the following guidelines and explanations to improve the
liveliness of your text:
Guideline Explanation
Use incomplete
sentences
occasionally
Incomplete sentences create a sense of suspense. Compare the
following examples
When processes work efficiently, customers get results and
employees are more productive - both of which are beneficial for
business.
When your processes work efficiently, everyone benefits.
Customers get results. Employees are more productive.
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Guideline Explanation
Vary your
sentence
length
Like incomplete sentences, varied sentence lengths make your text
more exciting to read. When the rhythm of a text is less predicable,
readers pay more attention to what you are saying.
Shorten your
average
sentence
length
Shorter sentences increase readability and liveliness. Text is more
enjoyable to read when the reader doesn't have to concentrate too
hard to understand it. Shorter sentences are much easier to
understand than longer ones.
Use an active
voice
When you address the reader directly, the user feels more engaged.
Compare the following examples:
The Business Dashboard supports market-leading applications,
includes technologies that facilitate business growth and can be
deployed on the platform of your choice.
Our systems and applications work with yours. And because the
Dashboard is so reliable, you can count on it to work when
you’re working.
Ask the reader
questions
occasionally
When you ask the reader questions, they are encouraged to read
further and search for the answers to the question.
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Example acrolinx report-cfpb

  • 1.
    Scorecard index.html Quality 74 Categories 941 issue 79 4 issues 100 0 issues 24 48 issues Voice 81 48 73 Document Information index.html Kath Straub Wed Apr 09 09:51:47 EDT 2014 Plain_English 1131 words / 173 sentences 6.5 words is the average sentence length 0 issues found in read-only sections Administrative Information Checking Information SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Terminology 1 issue 1Deprecated 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Term Term Set Suggestion Context such (1 occurrence) Plain_English Look for red flags, such as: Page 1 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 2.
    Admitted 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Term Term SetSuggestion Context You did not choose the option to check for admitted terms. Page 2 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 3.
    21Valid 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Term Term SetContext opportunity (1 occurrence) Plain_English American consumers should have the opportunity to use credit to build a better future for themselves and their loved ones. opportunities (1 occurrence) Plain_English Credit discrimination prevents people from having access to these opportunities, and can make credit more expensive. Opportunity (3 occurences) Plain_English The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of credit transaction based on certain characteristics. practices (1 occurrence) Plain_English In addition, the Fair Housing Act makes many discrimination practices in home financing illegal. Opportunity (3 occurences) Plain_English The Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity communications (1 occurrence) Plain_English Walking away and continuing the discussion later, if you so choose, is a good way to control communications with the lender. Information (2 occurences) Plain_English Additional Information. Information (2 occurences) Plain_English Additional Information. information (2 occurences) Plain_English Below you will find links to additional information about your fair lending rights: information (2 occurences) Plain_English Below you will find links to additional information about your fair lending rights: information (2 occurences) Plain_English For more information on credit discrimination, download our brochure. information (2 occurences) Plain_English For more information on credit discrimination, download our brochure. Department (2 occurences) Plain_English Department of Housing and Urban Development: Development (1 occurrence) Plain_English Department of Housing and Urban Development: Opportunity (3 occurences) Plain_English More about the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (y en español). Department (2 occurences) Plain_English Department of Justice: Page 3 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 4.
    New Spelling 4 issues IssueSuggestion Context fairer (2 occurences) airer, pairer, Pairer You can help us protect consumers and create a fairer marketplace even if you don’t want to file a complaint. fairer (2 occurences) airer, pairer, Pairer Help inform how we protect consumers & create a fairer marketplace. nuestro (1 occurrence) Visite nuestro sitio web en español sitio (1 occurrence) Visite nuestro sitio web en español Grammar 0 issues Order by: Rule | Occurrence Issue Suggestion Style 48 issues Order by: Rule | Occurrence 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Information (2 occurences) Plain_English Information for: Information (2 occurences) Plain_English Information for: calendar (1 occurrence) Plain_English Leadership calendar Administrative (1 occurrence) Plain_English Administrative adjudication adjudication (1 occurrence) Plain_English Administrative adjudication Term Context You did not choose the option to check for new terms. Page 4 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 5.
    Issue Suggestion complex orlong word What protections do I have against credit discrimination? avoid noun cluster > Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complex or long word What protections do I have against credit discrimination? complex or long word What protections do I have against credit discrimination? avoid modal verbs American consumers should have the opportunity to use credit to build a better future for themselves and their loved ones. complex or long word Credit discrimination prevents people from having access to these opportunities, and can make credit more expensive. complex or long word What is credit discrimination? complex or long word The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of credit transaction based on certain characteristics. complex or long word The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes it illegal for a creditor to discriminate in any aspect of credit transaction based on certain characteristics. complex or long word In addition, the Fair Housing Act makes many discrimination practices in home financing illegal. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 5 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 6.
    Issue Suggestion complex orlong word What is credit discrimination? complex or long word How I can protect myself from credit discrimination complex or long word Offer you credit on terms that are less favorable, like a higher interest rate, than terms offered to someone with similar qualifications simplify word On the basis of: From: Based on: By: complex or long word How can I protect myself from credit discrimination? complex or long word Credit discrimination is often hidden or even unintentional, which makes it hard to spot. complex or long word Credit discrimination is often hidden or even unintentional, which makes it hard to spot. use bulleted list You hear the lender make negative comments about race, national origin, sex, or other protected groups. avoid complex sentences You are denied credit, but not given a reason why or told how to find out why. use complementizer If you believe a lender has discriminated against you for any reason, you can file a complaint. If you believe that a lender has discriminated against you for any reason, you can file a complaint. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 6 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 7.
    Issue Suggestion complex orlong word If you believe a lender has discriminated against you for any reason, you can file a complaint. Sentence too long: 30 words Learn more about what factors lenders can consider in deciding whether to lend money and deciding what features to offer, like the interest rate or the term of the loan. avoid complex sentences Learn more about what factors lenders can consider in deciding whether to lend money and deciding what features to offer, like the interest rate or the term of the loan. avoid hidden verbs Creditors will make decisions based on your credit history. use complementizer Be sure there are no mistakes or missing items in your credit reports. Be sure that there are no mistakes or missing items in your credit reports. use complementizer Be sure you understand the rates and fees you will pay over the long run. Be sure that you understand the rates and fees you will pay over the long run. Sentence too long: 29 words Ask whether the rates and fees quoted to you by your lender are set, or if there are any circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees could change. avoid complex sentences Ask whether the rates and fees quoted to you by your lender are set, or if there are any circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees could change. complex or long word 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 7 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 8.
    Issue Suggestion Ask whetherthe rates and fees quoted to you by your lender are set, or if there are any circumstances in which the quoted rates and fees could change. use "this/that/these/those" with noun If a creditor does not want to answer your questions, this could be a bad sign. avoid modal verbs Your lender shouldn’t make you feel rushed, or unnecessarily delay action on your application. complex or long word Your lender shouldn’t make you feel rushed, or unnecessarily delay action on your application. avoid modal verbs Remember, the product that works for you today may not work for you down the road. avoid needless word To learn more about the Office of Fair Lending and CFPB’s fair lending efforts, please read our recent report to Congress or our recent blog posts. complex or long word Within the consumer bureau, the Office of Fair Lending works to ensure fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory access to credit for both individuals and communities through: avoid noun cluster Enforcement and oversight of Federal fair lending laws; and avoid complex coordination Promotion of fair lending compliance and education among industry, fair lending, civil rights, and consumer and community advocates. use bulleted list 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 8 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 9.
    Issue Suggestion Promotion offair lending compliance and education among industry, fair lending, civil rights, and consumer and community advocates. avoid noun cluster Assistant Director Patrice Alexander Ficklin leads the Office of Fair Lending. avoid noun cluster Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: complex or long word For more information on credit discrimination, download our brochure. complex or long word Helpful tools to protect yourself from discrimination (y en español). complex or long word Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, which also enforces antidiscrimination laws. complex or long word Protections against credit discrimination avoid noun cluster Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Database complex or long word Regulatory implementation complex or long word Confidentially report any wrongdoing you have observed. complex or long word Accessibility 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 9 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 10.
    readability Readable text iseasy to read and understand. Readability is important when you want to communicate a complex technical concept in a simple way. For example, suppose that you are writing release notes for a new product release. One of the new features is quite complex. You must explain what the feature can do and help the reader to understand the main benefits. You do this by writing in a simple style that is easy to read. Your goal is to ensure that your readability score is appropriate for your content. If you're not happy with your readability score, use the following guidelines and explanations to improve the readability of your text: Guideline Explanation Use active voice When you use active voice it is clearer who performs the action in the sentence. Compared to the passive voice, the active voice reduces the ambiguity in a sentence. Compare the following examples: The server must be shut down during the module installation procedure. Before you install the module, shut down the server. Use a simple subject-verb- object sentence structure A simple subject-verb-object structure makes it clear to the reader what is happening in the sentence. When it is clear which words are the subject, verb, and object, the sentence is easier to understand. Compare the following examples: The server must be shut down by your administrator. Your administrator must shut down the server. Shorten your average sentence length Shorter sentences increase readability and liveliness. Text is more enjoyable to read when the reader doesn't have to concentrate too hard to understand it. Shorter sentences are much easier to understand than longer ones. Use fewer embedded sentences Embedded sentences are fragments of text in a sentence that you could easily separate out into another sentence. Compare the following examples: Check for errors in the logging window that appears after you restart the server that was terminated unexpectedly. Restart the server that terminated unexpectedly. In the logging window that appears, check for errors. Use fewer complex words Complex words are generally longer than simple words and are less familiar to readers. Complex words slow readers down can force a reader to read the text twice. Compare the following examples: Recurring diagnostic procedures facilitate efficient utilization of server resources. Regular health checks help you to use your server resources more efficiently. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 10 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 11.
    Guideline Explanation Remove noun clusters Nounclusters occur when writers use several nouns to modify another noun. It becomes difficult for the reader to tell which nouns are functioning as adjectives Compare the following examples: Review our network access cost optimization proposal to find out how you can save costs. To find out how you can save costs, review our proposal on how to optimize costs for your network access. informality An informal writing style sounds a lot like how we speak. It is relaxed and colloquial. You can use an informal voice to reduce the distance between yourself and your readers. You build more of a personal bond with your reader. For example, suppose that you're writing an internal memo that describes a new business strategy to everyone in the company. You want people to feel that you understand their concerns. That they can approach you if they have any questions. Your readers are more likely to feel this way when you use an informal voice rather than a formal one. On the other hand, a really informal voice might not be appropriate for a quarterly report to external shareholders. Your goal is to ensure that your content has the appropriate level of informality for your target audience. If you're not happy with your informality score, use the following guidelines and explanations to change the informality of your text: Guideline Explanation Use first and second pronouns First and second person pronouns help to give the sense that you are one person in a private conversation with another person. First person pronouns like "our" give the feeling of inclusiveness, and help the reader to feel like they are part of the group. Compare the following examples: It is common knowledge in the organization, that many departments have been preoccupied with planning the upcoming release. As you all know, preparations and discussions for the upcoming release have kept many of us really busy. If you're communicating on behalf of an organization, you'll want to use the plural pronoun "we". The "we" gives the idea that you're representing a group of people who all want to help the reader meet their goals. Compare the following examples: Due to a significant amount of user feedback, the interface has been updated to automatically store the settings from the previous session. We've listened to your feedback. It was loud and clear. So we've updated our product to give you what you asked for. Now, when you log in, you get your settings from the last time that you were logged in. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 11 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 12.
    Guideline Explanation Use contractions Contractions shortena sentence and make the sentence sound more like a conversation. In spoken conversation, we usually use contractions rather than the full form. Compare the following examples: If you have a problem with your installation, do not hesitate to contact us. We are ready for your call. If you've got a problem with your installation, don't hesitate to contact us. We're ready for your call. Use discourse markers Discourse markers are words that let you know that a speaker wants to engage you in a discussion. When we have a discussion, we say things like "so anyway, we think that..." or "on the other hand, you might want to..." or "The thing is, we should really...". These kinds of expressions are discourse markers. Discourse markers engage the reader and make it sound like you're having a private discussion with them. Compare the following examples: If you look at how the industry is changing, you'll notice a few interesting trends. People are relying more on community- created content. But how much of it is high quality? Now, if you look at how the industry is changing, you'll notice a few interesting trends. First off, people are relying more on community-created content. How much of it is high quality though? liveliness Lively text is exciting and compelling to read. Liveliness is important when you want to convince the reader and inspire confidence. For example, a promotional brochure about your products should engage the reader and convince them that your product can meet their needs. Liveliness might not be as important for other types of text such as system requirements. Your goal is to ensure that your content has the appropriate level of liveliness for your target audience. If you're not happy with your liveliness score, use the following guidelines and explanations to improve the liveliness of your text: Guideline Explanation Use incomplete sentences occasionally Incomplete sentences create a sense of suspense. Compare the following examples When processes work efficiently, customers get results and employees are more productive - both of which are beneficial for business. When your processes work efficiently, everyone benefits. Customers get results. Employees are more productive. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 12 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml
  • 13.
    Guideline Explanation Vary your sentence length Likeincomplete sentences, varied sentence lengths make your text more exciting to read. When the rhythm of a text is less predicable, readers pay more attention to what you are saying. Shorten your average sentence length Shorter sentences increase readability and liveliness. Text is more enjoyable to read when the reader doesn't have to concentrate too hard to understand it. Shorter sentences are much easier to understand than longer ones. Use an active voice When you address the reader directly, the user feels more engaged. Compare the following examples: The Business Dashboard supports market-leading applications, includes technologies that facilitate business growth and can be deployed on the platform of your choice. Our systems and applications work with yours. And because the Dashboard is so reliable, you can count on it to work when you’re working. Ask the reader questions occasionally When you ask the reader questions, they are encouraged to read further and search for the answers to the question. 1 4 0 48 Scorecard SEO Terminology Spelling Grammar Style Reuse Readability Informality Liveliness Page 13 of 13Scorecard 4/9/2014http://206.80.38.129:8031/output/en/index_html_Kath_022225e57935afbe_3_report.xml