Dummies::Home
"From the start, For Dummies was a simple yet powerful concept: Relate to the anxiety and frustration that people feel about technology by poking fun at it with books that are insightful and educational and make difficult material interesting and easy. Add a strong dose of personality, a dash of comic relief with entertaining cartoons, and — voilá — you have a For Dummies book."
Sunday, December 08, 2002
'Introducing...' books
"Introducing - from Marx to Freud, from Einstein to Postmodernism, Icon’s brilliantly written and illustrated guides provide witty and accessible introductions to the key figures and issues that have shaped the world in which we live."
Very similar to but seemingly different from the 'for beginners' sereis which is mentioned below
"Introducing - from Marx to Freud, from Einstein to Postmodernism, Icon’s brilliantly written and illustrated guides provide witty and accessible introductions to the key figures and issues that have shaped the world in which we live."
Very similar to but seemingly different from the 'for beginners' sereis which is mentioned below
Clear English Standard - the logo
This blog hasn't passed the test but if it had it would have a seal like this.
This blog hasn't passed the test but if it had it would have a seal like this.
Clear English Standard - accreditation criteria
'The writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding the document at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.'
So plain language is not an absolute: what is plain to scientists may be obscure to lay people. It is inevitable that some documents use technical language but, where possible, they should give explanations. We can accredit a difficult text if we feel it could not be put more simply without verbosity or loss of meaning. Hence we do not expect all documents to be equally plain to everybody, though they should always be appropriate to the intended audience.
'The writing and setting out of essential information in a way that gives a co-operative, motivated person a good chance of understanding the document at first reading, and in the same sense that the writer meant it to be understood.'
So plain language is not an absolute: what is plain to scientists may be obscure to lay people. It is inevitable that some documents use technical language but, where possible, they should give explanations. We can accredit a difficult text if we feel it could not be put more simply without verbosity or loss of meaning. Hence we do not expect all documents to be equally plain to everybody, though they should always be appropriate to the intended audience.
Saturday, December 07, 2002
Text, Tables and Graphics
"It's advisable to use sentences for relations between 2 or 3 data at most. The use of tables is recommended between 3 and 20 data and graphics from 20 on. You will get the most of graphics the larger the amount of data."
"It's advisable to use sentences for relations between 2 or 3 data at most. The use of tables is recommended between 3 and 20 data and graphics from 20 on. You will get the most of graphics the larger the amount of data."
A Unified Field Theory of Design
On second thoughts - the writing is not too jargony. The picture maps the 'field'
On second thoughts - the writing is not too jargony. The picture maps the 'field'
A Unified Field Theory of Design
A simple idea getting increasingly jargonised - the need for plain language does not seem to be built into the paradigm
A simple idea getting increasingly jargonised - the need for plain language does not seem to be built into the paradigm
STC Information Design SIG | Some definitions of "Information Design"
eg "Information design requires that we understand the meaning and purpose of information, its visible and subtle effects, its social and cultural role. Informatics is the academic discipline which studies information with a view towards designing it."
eg "Information design requires that we understand the meaning and purpose of information, its visible and subtle effects, its social and cultural role. Informatics is the academic discipline which studies information with a view towards designing it."
STC Information Design SIG | ID Resources
A really awkward name but a handy list of resources on what looks to be a new field of expertise - "Information Design"
A really awkward name but a handy list of resources on what looks to be a new field of expertise - "Information Design"
Friday, December 06, 2002
Find a Professional Writer: What to Pay a Writer
I suppose you get what you pay for (give or take some spin).
I suppose you get what you pay for (give or take some spin).
Impact Information: Your One-Stop Source for Plain Language Services
The main man from this web site makes some useful comments in the Yahoo group to which I put a link a few days ago.
The main man from this web site makes some useful comments in the Yahoo group to which I put a link a few days ago.
Wednesday, December 04, 2002
They Said It
"Excessive wealth, like power, tends to corrupt. Even if the rich are not 'idle rich,' even when they work harder than anyone else, they work differently, apply different standards, and are set apart from common humanity. They corrupt themselves by practicing greed, and they corrupt the rest of society by provoking envy." – E. F. Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful, 1973
A handy set of quotations
"Excessive wealth, like power, tends to corrupt. Even if the rich are not 'idle rich,' even when they work harder than anyone else, they work differently, apply different standards, and are set apart from common humanity. They corrupt themselves by practicing greed, and they corrupt the rest of society by provoking envy." – E. F. Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful, 1973
A handy set of quotations
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Well - Chapter 3: Pack the Essentials
"I set before you, ladies and gentlemen, two pieces of writing. They walk alike, they talk alike, but they're not at all alike. Why not? Because one is much better than the other one. Decide which one you like better and why."
"I set before you, ladies and gentlemen, two pieces of writing. They walk alike, they talk alike, but they're not at all alike. Why not? Because one is much better than the other one. Decide which one you like better and why."
The Complete Idiot's Guides
"Like most of our visitors, you're smart, curious, at ease with yourself, and interested in learning. Learning is what idiotsguides.com is all about. It's a relaxed, casual-dress-only learning place, where you can explore hundreds of topics that interest you-from investing to home repair, hobbies, health, and everything in between."
"Like most of our visitors, you're smart, curious, at ease with yourself, and interested in learning. Learning is what idiotsguides.com is all about. It's a relaxed, casual-dress-only learning place, where you can explore hundreds of topics that interest you-from investing to home repair, hobbies, health, and everything in between."
Tuesday, December 03, 2002
Link to Asiapac in Singapore
"Our winning formula - offering distilled wisdom, culled from our Asian heritage, to the modern readers. And we do it in a way that is attractive and irresistible, using powerful text, effective pictures and appealing cartoons. In this manner, we have established ourselves as a global publisher."
No bullshit - the books are unbelievably ... words fail me.
"Our winning formula - offering distilled wisdom, culled from our Asian heritage, to the modern readers. And we do it in a way that is attractive and irresistible, using powerful text, effective pictures and appealing cartoons. In this manner, we have established ourselves as a global publisher."
No bullshit - the books are unbelievably ... words fail me.
Writers and Readers Publishing
"For twenty-five years we have been offering inquisitive readers accessible, intelligent introductions to major thinkers and ideas of our time." - and they do a brilliant (illustrated) job of it.
"For twenty-five years we have been offering inquisitive readers accessible, intelligent introductions to major thinkers and ideas of our time." - and they do a brilliant (illustrated) job of it.
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