Legal Writing

I just knew they were talking gibberish

Posted on April 04, 2010

Transforming legalese is doable

Posted on March 24, 2010

Pennsylvania Lawyers Sponsor Student Writing Contest

Posted on March 19, 2010
Pennsylvania Bar Association Plain English Writing Competition Setting an example for other law schools and state bars, Pennsylvania launches a contest in plain language:The Pennsylvania Bar Association?s Plain English Committee is inviting students to take part in its Plain English Writing Competition...

US Law on PLain Language Closer to Reality

Posted on March 18, 2010
Houses passes bill; Senate vote the next hurdleWashington, DC ? As part of Sunshine Week, the House today passed Rep. Bruce Braley?s (D-Iowa) Plain Language Act (HR 946), which will require the federal government to write new documents in simple, easy-to-understand language...

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Is it information?

Posted on February 12, 2010
This is a little lesson in making information accessible, beyond making language plain. This little video called Information, from MAYnMAYA, makes the point that we need the facts when we need them and in a useful form. http://vimeo.com/3248432This handout from an investment company is sent out as an annual reminder of ?information? resources...

What is content strategy?

Posted on February 01, 2010
I am finding myself frustrated with the jargon arising around social media and new technologies. Some of it can be ignored; some must be learned.Kristina Halvorson defines "content strategy" for us at her blog.It?s a well-founded plan, fueled by your business objectives and user goals...

Everybody wants plain language but the banks?

Posted on January 19, 2010
The Government of Canada's Code of Conduct for Credit and Debit Card Markets has been reviewed by PAC. PAC is a coalition representing 250,000 Canadian merchants, co-chaired by the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors (CCGD) PAC's review and commentary is based on three key principles, one being:- The need to provide clarity - for consumers and merchants Among other issues, merchants want language that can be understood: - Merchants are asking for plain English language contracts, with clearly defined terms...

Democracy requires plain language

Posted on December 17, 2009
At the 2009 Conference of Plain Language Association in Sydney, we learned of an Australian (Victorian Electoral Commission) and a U.S. (http://vote.nist.gov/instructiongap.pdf) project on making voting easier and more accessible. Today I learned of the European interest in this: http://www...

Cheryl Stephens Interview 2009

Posted on December 16, 2009
 MeMeMeMeA video interview of me at the Plain Language Association International where I discuss:1. the democratic right to [understandable] information2. the history of and behind the Association.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2hEDd_VHk4&feature=player_embedded

NYTimes on narrow-minded judges

Posted on December 15, 2009
This so important, I can't let you miss it. Scalia implies that people who disagree with him are not only wrong but blindly ignorant.  Could the Supreme Court be undermining its legitimacy through its ignorance of some basic tenets of social psychology? Three law professors ? Dan M...

Colour Codes - How Colour Affects Your Message

Posted on November 29, 2009
The best choice for print is black. Black is the most visible on white or pale yellow backgrounds. In strong lighting, white objects or print on black are more visible. In weak light or for quick reading, black on white is best. The next best choice is green on white...

I came across this section of 

Posted on November 13, 2009
I came across this section of  Boxes and Arrows blog postWhat design researchers can learn from hostage negotiators By Bryan McClain, Demetrius Madrigal on Learning From Others with the same name as this blog. Let's see what we can learn from hostage negotiators:  Building RapportRapport is established through trust, open communication and empathy...

ClearMark Awards Launched in US

Posted on November 02, 2009
The US Center for Plain Language has released a set of criteria for plain language. To date this represents the most authoritative guideline for producing plain language.This set of criteria supports the Center's launch of annual awards for documents and websites using plain language...

Halloween Weekend Creativity Post

Posted on October 31, 2009
Masks.This is one of a set of three masks I prepared to commemorate Galliano Island. This is "Night Sky".I got stuck because I can't find commercial shadow boxes deep enough to accommodate their depth.

Martin Cutts' presentation to PLAIN2009 Conference

Posted on October 24, 2009
 ?Instructions for consumer products: as easy as 1?2?3??presented toPlain Language Association InterNational conferenceSydney, Australia, October 2009Martin Cutts, research director, Plain Language Commission, UKavailable free from http://www.clearest...

Free Plain Language Consult, Training, Resources from Webcontent.gov

Posted on October 21, 2009
This information is from the blog of Leslie O'Flahavan: Webcontent.gov will celebrate World Usability Day November 12, 2009 with a great offer for web managers and usability analysts: Build your Plain Language skills and celebrate the sustaining power of Usability + Plain Language on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at this year?s World Usability Day! Sign up for a FREE ?mini-consultation? by phone with a usability or plain language expert to improve your government webpage or document Register to attend a FREE in-person plain language training on Nov...

A Summary Report on the Florida Plain Language Initiative

Posted on October 04, 2009
In the latest  issue of Plain Language at Work, William DuBay discusses the hard work and resources involved  in plain language communication. This is his report:Planning Plain-Language Projects: Connecting with ResourcesONCE you have been given the go-ahead for a plain-language project, the first thing you should do is evaluate and plan resources...

Attitude adjustment software for the mind

Posted on October 01, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtL8gTEuwvU

Conference presentation

Posted on October 01, 2009
from the brochure at http://www.insightforums.com/scs09agenda.php#2_breakout_b1 SEC Requirements for Compensation Disclosure Analysis: How Transparency is Good for Corporations and ShareholdersThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that public corporations explain to shareholders (and the public) how their executives are compensated: salaries, benefits, stock options, etc...

On the evolution of linguistics

Posted on September 28, 2009
Christine Kenneally's 2007 book The First Word is the subject of a series of columns in Lex Talk! by Norbert Cunningham. These are just highlights.Meaningful study of language just beginningSeptember 21, 2009http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/790935 ...

Executive Summary ?Improving Health Begins with Understanding? A CIGNA Foundation Thought Leadership Forum

Posted on September 21, 2009
In 2007 CIGNA Foundation's Thought Leadership Forum hosted Improving Health Begins with Understanding, which reached these conclusions about literacy and health.People avoid what they don?t understand. Fear, shame, anxiety and confusion often drive personal health care decisions...

How do we know what other people are thinking?

Posted on September 16, 2009

Don't waste your breath

Posted on September 03, 2009
David Dunning and Justin Kruger of Cornell confirmed: ? Incompetent individuals tend to overestimate their own level of skill. ? Incompetent individuals fail to recognize genuine skill in others. ? Incompetent individuals fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy"Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments" Journal of Personality and Social Psychology...

Clear your path

Posted on September 03, 2009
?Naïve realism is the conviction that one sees the world as it is and that when people don?t see it in a similar way, it is they that do not see the world for what it is. "Lee Ross characterized naïve realism as ?a dangerous but unavoidable conviction about perception and reality?...

Week-end Creativity Post

Posted on August 08, 2009
Home PlanetArt using melted crayons and glitter

Good advice on technical terms

Posted on August 04, 2009
The right advice, from a recent accounting training assignment:  If accounting terms are to be used, you must  explain what those terms mean in plain English.  Avoid accounting jargon, but use  accounting terms correctly where appropriate, so long as it is explained clearly to the  reader...

UK plain language movement

Posted on August 03, 2009
Halifax Council to choose jargon-busting team of 2003 August 2009from the Evening CourierHead of communications at the council Louise Tonkinson said that from October all council publications would have to be reviewed and approved before they were published...

Weekend Creativity Post

Posted on August 01, 2009
This is an anonymous woman I saw in the news last week.I finally have drawn a face that I am willing to show you. I am using techniques I learned from this video series by Sharon Tomlinson: http://allnorahsart.blogspot.com/2009/06/faces-with-crayons.htmlTry it; it is addictive.

Top Language Blogs 2009

Posted on July 31, 2009
Well, fans, thanks for your votes but I did not make it to the top ten language professionals blogs or into the top 100 language blogs. But it was an honour to be nominated for an Oscar...You should find some very interesting reading on any of the winning blogs...

The Effect of Color on Your Web Site

Posted on July 31, 2009
This is interesting info about the associations people make with color. Yet the web site itself makes odd choices...http://www.internet-copywriting-secrets.com/Website-Colors-Boost-Response.html

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