Part of: Grammar points
Ampersands
Last updated: 20 December, 2019
Following this helps people with:
non-fluency: "and" is more widely known and understood
cognitive impairments: spelled out words require less mental effort
visual impairments: "and" is easy to code and non-problematic for speech software
Guidelines
Some screen reading and text to speech software and applications need the ampersand sign to be coded in a different way in HTML. You may not have control over that.
The symbol can be a distractor, it stands out as it is taller than most letters and is an unusual shape. Some users will not understand what it means.
1. Use "and" not the ampersand symbol "&"
1. Use "and" not the ampersand symbol "&"
Always, except for:
academic references: Brown, G & Smith, P, 2005
company name as it appears on the Companies House register
descriptions of logo images, for example "M&S logo"
Usability evidence: abbreviations and acronyms
GOV.UK Style Guide A to Z UK Government website
"What is preferred to use in alt text “&” or “&” for screenreader users?", 2010
'What Character Was Removed From The Alphabet?' 2011
Etymonline entry on ampersand, 2017
'Punctuation & Grammar: Bridging the Gap Between UX and Copywriting' 2017
'Analyzing the Ampersand: When to use “and” versus “&” in UX writing.' 2018
Ampersands, Oxford English Dictionary. Needs subscription