To communicate more clearly, look to your feet
Next time you are about to throw that double-glazing brochure in the recycling bin, stop. It is worth studying how the language and look have been crafted.
How to turn your Arts or Humanities thesis into journal articles
Whatever the format of your PhD, you can adapt your work to publish it in academic journals.
Writing a journal article: bouncing back from rejection
if you or one of your students or colleagues has faced rejection, help them harness their intrinsic motivation to bounce back.
Writing a paper? Be aware of your reader
Anne Wilson When I ask researchers how they read journal articles, most say they read the title, abstract and possibly the first sentence or two. Then they skip to whatever has drawn them to the topic. It might be the…
Who is the protagonist?
Deciding who is the protagonist helps you tell your story with greatest impact.
Reading aloud for a sense of distance
When you read aloud to somebody else, you put yourself in their shoes.
Orwellian versus stained-glass window prose
To communicate well, make sure critical information is first and foremost.
How is academic writing like writing for children?
Heather Dyer I am an academic writer and a children’s author. On the face of it, these two forms of writing are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But actually, they have a lot in common. • They’re both about…
Who’s listening?
Nothing is more paralysing than speaking to people who know more than you do about the very thing you’re speaking about. Students sometimes write badly for a related reason. They write with defensive terror, knowing the person reading the essay…
Writing with empathy
Empathy helps you to understand and engage your readers. If you identify what drives your audience, you will have your readers in the palm of your hand.
