Astro-seminar by Scott Thomas: Simple Technical Writing

As scientists, we write. A lot. Not only do we write, but we write to communicate complicated, technical ideas. But whether we speak English as a first language or not, we are often not taught the nuts and bolts of what makes written English clear and easy to understand.

I am an ex-astrophysicist who now works in English language teaching and assessment. Using examples drawn from astronomy, I will show you how to identify common mistakes that make sentences and paragraphs difficult to understand. And I will share specific tips on how to convey ideas cleanly.

This talk is for everyone who reads or writes, especially if you have ever read something and thought "That was hard to understand, but I can't really say why."