by Karin Cather | Feb 21, 2018 | Editing, Plain Language, Writing
What is plain language? It’s what you use to communicate effectively when there is a high price for ambiguity. It’s what you use when you have complicated information to convey to busy people who don’t have the time for gibberish. It’s language...
by Karin Cather | Jan 27, 2017 | Plain Language, Research
I’ve taken a look at some of these altgov Twitter accounts to give a brief review of what they’re doing. The courageous men and women running these accounts are engaging in unprecedented level of bipartisan resistance by transmitting information to the...
by Karin Cather | Jan 25, 2017 | Client Relations, Plain Language, Research, science writing, Writing
I am taking a risk by saying this: Science, medicine, and education are essential elements of a civilized society and the free exchange of ideas is an essential element of democracy. Trump is preventing government scientists from sharing information with the public....
by Karin Cather | Feb 21, 2016 | Editing, Plain Language, Style and Style Guides, Writing
One throat to choke. No. Yikes! Let’s go for the ask. No. Open the kimono. By all that’s holy, no. That’s just creepy, especially in light of #MeToo. Human capital . . . No. No. No. Learnings. Instantiate. Please don’t use business jargon....
by Karin Cather | Jan 18, 2016 | Editing, Plain Language, science writing, Writing
How many of us have read a science paper and wondered what disembodied hand was at work? Literally. Scientists perform surgical procedures on animals and then kill them. Then they analyze the results and report them. They divide people into groups and administer...
by Karin Cather | Oct 27, 2015 | Editing, Plain Language, Style and Style Guides, Uncategorized, Writing
Yesterday (at the time of this writing), John McIntyre, one of the titans of the editing profession, posted the following on his Facebook page, courtesy of The Poke:* The Poke’s caption was, “The kind of headline a journalist waits their whole life to...