Join Chris Nodder for an in-depth discussion in this video Write for an 8th-grade audience, part of Learning to Write for the Web.
- You might think that using big words is a great way…to impress your audience, but that misses a major point.…People don't care to find out how large your vocabulary is.…Instead, they just want to read and understand…the information that you're providing.…Even if people can read at a higher reading level,…they find it easier to read simple text.…What this means is, you should write…for a 5th-grade reading level in your summaries,…an 8th-grade in the majority of your content,…and a maximum of 11th-grade in accompanying literature.…
Those grade levels correspond to a reading age…of around 11, 14, and 18.…This is about the age of children…in their last year of grade school, middle school,…and high school in the United States.…But there are also a lot of individuals…who just don't have the skills…to read at a high reading level.…A US government survey in 2003 found…that 14% of US adults are functionally illiterate.…And another 29% have only basic reading skills,…enough to perform simple everyday literacy activities.…
Author
Chris Nodder
Released
11/14/2014- Explain how people read differently on the web.
- Name the reading level that body text should be written at.
- Identify types of text that serve as signposts for readers on the web.
- Give examples of how to make your target audience care about your text.
- List documents that could be used to provide supporting evidence to an article.
- Determine the expiration date on seasonal articles.
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
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Introduction
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Welcome1m 5s
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Introduction to web writing2m 11s
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Using the exercise files1m 13s
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1. Write for Fast Reading
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Challenge: Editing text1m 44s
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Solution: Editing text2m 36s
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2. Reading Age and Tone
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3. Don't Tease: What's in It for Me?
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Solution: Creating signposts3m 15s
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4. Front-Load Your Content
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Solution: Reorganizing text2m 49s
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5. Remove the Sales Pitch
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Industry-specific words3m 13s
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6. Provide Detailed Information and Useful Images
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7. Actively Manage the Information You Publish
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Conclusion
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Next steps3m 37s
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Video: Write for an 8th-grade audience