My editing advice column, Ask Dr. Editor, is available through UniversityAffairs.ca. This Ask Dr. Editor piece breaks down successful science communication and public engagement into three effective strategies: “Effective science communication deconstructed: Strategies to engage the public in your research topic.” Have a question you want me to answer? Contact me or ask me on Twitter at @shortishard.
Category Archives: Plain and Simple Language
#AskDrEditor: Simple tricks to add clarity in complex sentences
My editing advice column, Ask Dr. Editor, is available through UniversityAffairs.ca. This Ask Dr. Editor explains why starting your sentence with the word “this” can creative unnecessary ambiguity, and provides a straightforward fix: “Simple tricks to add clarity in complex sentences: The criticism that some academic writing can be difficult to read shouldn’t be ignored.”Continue reading “#AskDrEditor: Simple tricks to add clarity in complex sentences”
#AskDrEditor: Jargon can make for good academic writing
My editing advice column, Ask Dr. Editor, is available through UniversityAffairs.ca. This Ask Dr. Editor details three types of good and not-so-good jargon, and provides a tool for identifying when to edit–and when not to edit–the jargon in your work: “Jargon can make for good academic writing: The use of jargon can be effective inContinue reading “#AskDrEditor: Jargon can make for good academic writing”
#AskDrEditor: Reducing the weight of your words
My editing advice column, Ask Dr. Editor, is now available through UniversityAffairs.ca. This Ask Dr. Editor explains why you don’t want more than six words in between the main subject and verb of your sentence, and how to integrated plain language writing strategies into your work: “Reducing the weight of your words: How to lightenContinue reading “#AskDrEditor: Reducing the weight of your words”
#AskDrEditor: Being understood outside your discipline
My editing advice column, Ask Dr. Editor, is now available through UniversityAffairs.ca. The ninth Ask Dr. Editor column provides concrete steps to help you ensure that readers outside your discipline will understand your key words & concepts: “Being understood outside your discipline: how to immerse yourself in the linguistic world in which your readers live,Continue reading “#AskDrEditor: Being understood outside your discipline”