I have a pretty big vocabulary, but I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know every word there is, especially when it comes to industry-specific jargon – or worse, industry-specific jargon that has different meanings in different industries.…
Finding Flow in the Facts – How to Give Your Papers Narrative
When you write a research paper, you’re aiming for a brilliant treatise brimming with interesting details – or, failing that, a few pages good enough to finagle a decent grade. Unfortunately, many a student despondently stares at their paper, feeling that all they’ve…
“Best” is an Asymptote
“Do your best.” It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? We talk about doing our best (or the opposite) all the time, especially when it comes to writing. Failed to get that bid? “Well, at least we did our best.” People liked…
When and How to (Re-)Use Boilerplate
In an ideal world, every item description is written individually and each section of a business proposal is tailored specifically to the client. In the real world, however, that’s often just not practical, especially when you’re effectively saying the same…
The Joy of Following Convention
Thinking of being original? Before you go bucking convention, stop! Think about what your goal is. Are you just trying to be different for the sake of being different? If so, you probably shouldn’t. Convention exists for a reason, and that reason…