PRACTICE Do these charts tell a story?
Let’s practice! Look at these charts and think how you might make them better convey the message. In the 4 ways to make charts that tell your story, we briefly …
Tag: for scholars & professionals
Tips on clear writing and plain language for scholars and professionals.
4 ways to make charts that tell your story
How can we make charts that convey our messages and are more than decoration? Here is a brief intro to data visualization and 4 things you can do to make …
Using plain language for better machine translation in the age of AI
More people today can understand content in other languages thanks to machine and AI translation. These translations can be more understandable if you use plain language principles. Today’s machine and …
Can ChatGPT help copyedit a translation?
Can AI chatbots take over scholarly translation? I used ChatGPT to help me copyedit text that it had translated. Conclusion: it’s probably more efficient to hire a professional human translator …
How to use jargon effectively, responsibly, and inclusively
Most of us have heard that jargon is terrible. Is it really so terrible? And is there any way to use jargon well? For those of you who just want …
Use Word templates for plain language and accessibility
Want to get more people in your organization to use plain language and inclusive language and follow accessibility practices? Word templates may be your friend. I used to think Word …
RESOURCES: Plain language for academics
Here are links to articles from experts who argue how using plain language will help improve academic writing too. It’s not about “dumbing down” your message but making sure that …
RESOURCE: “How to write a research paper – A to Z of academic writing”
Academic editing giant Enago provides a great online guide/overview of all the basics you need to know about academic writing.
RESOURCES: Plain language
Using plain language means writing in a way that your intended audiences can immediately find, understand, and use your messages and information. It’s not about “dumbing down” your message but …
Know the big picture before you start—a key to clearer writing
Understanding the big picture — before you start writing — will help you write better. When you know who and what the document is for, you can put the right pieces in the right place.