How to write accessible emails
Here are some suggestions for ensuring that your emails meet the University’s accessibility standards, particularly for anyone using a screen reader.
Much of it is common sense but easy to forget if accessibility is not front of mind.
Things to avoid
1. Bad use of URLs
Examples of URL use that can be frustrating with a screen reader include:
- Adding a long URL to your text (e.g. https://www.generic-website.co.uk/news/long-complicated-item.html).
- Adding a URL link to ‘click here’ or ‘here’ or ‘read this’.
A much better way is to add a link to text which describes the nature of the link.
2. Underlining for emphasis
Adding emphasis to words using bold and particularly italics is much better than underlining, which is not only harder to read but can cause confusion with hyperlinks.
3. Fonts, sizes and colours that are hard to read
Text that is in a very small size, an unreadable typeface or a colour too similar to the background can be hard to read for anyone, and particularly anyone who is visually impaired.
4. Tables
Tables can be a useful way to organise information, but they can be confusing for screen readers and can end up shrinking the text size on some screens and screen orientations. Tables within tables can be even more so.
In emails, it can be better to use headings to categorise and organise the information.
Things to use
1. Use Accessibility Checkers where available.
- Microsoft Office has a feature that lets you check how accessible your email or document is.
- Apple doesn’t have a direct equivalent, but it does have a number of accessibility tools that you can use to check your work.
2. Short paragraphs
Many shorter paragraphs are easier to read than fewer longer ones.
3. White space
Using white space, whether by simply adding lines between paragraphs or by more complex adjustment of line or paragraph settings, can make it much easier to focus on text and understand its meaning.