Presenter: Sally Hofmeyr

Abstract

We are all familiar with stodgy, unclear, difficult-to-read academic writing. Many authors seem to think they have to use the longest words and the wordiest sentences possible to sound professional and knowledgeable – but do they? In this presentation, I will demonstrate how to apply Plain Language principles when editing congested academic sentences to render them simpler and clearer – which is, incidentally, how the best academic authors write and is therefore far more convincing and professional sounding than the traditional turgid style.

Making this kind of intervention (and educating your clients along the way by doing so) is becoming increasingly important. Trust in science and academia is at an all-time low, and impenetrable academic writing does nothing to help that situation. It is crucial, therefore, for editors to help to make academic writing as clear and accessible as possible. However, that does not mean doing away with jargon! Technical terms usually carry very specific meanings, so they must be treated with caution and sensitivity.

I will discuss the relevant Plain Language principles and show how they can be applied in a range of contexts while taking care to preserve the author’s meaning precisely. This talk will be most relevant to editors of non-examinable academic texts, since the kinds of interventions I will be discussing are beyond the editor’s remit when working on theses and dissertations.