A version of this blog post may also be found in the Editors’ Weekly, the official blog of the Editors’ Association of Canada. Have you seen these memes? “There is no such thing as ‘American English’. There is English. And there are mistakes.” First appearing on Twitter in June 2014, the original tweet was tongue-in-cheek, in keeping with the account’s satirical leaning. The words have since taken on a life of their own, and… Read more
If the thought of speaking in front of an audience makes you nervous, it may not surprise you that many people list public speaking as one of their top fears. For some of my clients and former students, it is their number 1 fear. So where does this leave academics? Many professors and TAs experience anxiety before lectures, and some are particularly panicked at the thought of speaking in those large lecture halls so common… Read more
Academics, educators and business professionals write a variety of texts, including, monographs, articles, cover letters, course outlines, reports, newsletters, brochures and grant proposals. Many write because they have to — for academics, promotion and tenure usually require evidence of publications and/or a teaching dossier; for others, writing is an unavoidable part of running a business or part of their job specifications. Indeed, writing, in some form, is the preferred means of communication for large segments… Read more