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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/44362
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/44362
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am trying to create documentation for an application, and it's for end users who use keyboard (not mouse) and a screen reader.

Some of our conventions require us to always use the full phrase as listed on screen: if we're talking about the category combo box, but the label says " **Please pick a Category:"** [sic], that's what we have to use.

Another convention is for keyboard shortcuts -- they are always several "words" long, as we use white space (or I go non-breaking-space) between each element of it. So we have **CTRL + INSERT + T** for tables list.

So as you may have noticed, I have a tendency towards long sentences with many clauses. I'm using [Hemingway](http://www.hemingwayapp.com) to check each section for [Plain Language](https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/concise/), and I'm trying to revise the hard/very hard sentences.

The problem is, my sentences are often very long _and it's not my fault!_

If I replace a multi-word phrase whether keyboard shortcut or on-screen label with "xx," that usually brings the sentence's word count down that the sentences "pass."

Is this "cheating?" Are these "terms of art" and it's ok to say "Ctrl + INSert + number pad 6" is understood as a "word?"

Should _only_ the keyboard shortcuts count as 1-word, as the users may know them from other uses of the screenreader, (so replacing them mentally with "X" for a plainLang check is ok), but "envelope Send Email checkbox" still has to count as 4 words, as they would be new to the user? Or only the first-usage within a section?

_Note: My workplace doesn't allow the use of 2nd person, despite PlainLang encouraging personal pronouns -- I'm already "wasting" words by having to always say "the user" instead of "you."_

**I'd like to know if other technical writers have a consensus on how to handle these conflicts.**

Original score: 8