AP asks Ann to evaluate online training program Forget everything you think or know about Obamacare. Does it represent the country's worst slide into socialism since our founding fathers tweedled their fifes and thumped their drums in 1776? Or does it offer a much-needed basket of rainbows and kittens to all Americans? Those questions are the least of our … [Read more...] about Is Obamacare readable?
Tight writing
Drop the buzzwords
Write hype-free news release heads instead On my desk is a New Yorker cartoon where a CEO is talking to his PR executive. He says: “Here it is, the plain, unvarnished truth. Varnish it.” Well, I’m advising you to skip the varnish, especially in release headlines. Four problems with hype Why skip the varnish? Reporters hate it. Bloggers and journalists want us to … [Read more...] about Drop the buzzwords
We are the world
And we're not very literate, according to an OECD study A "severe literacy deficit" haunts the world's most developed countries. Between one-quarter and three-quarters of the world's adults don't have a "suitable minimum skill level" for coping with the demands of modern life and work. That's according to the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), a large-scale … [Read more...] about We are the world
Strength in numbers
STORYtoolz's facts & figures make copy more readable Plug in a chunk of copy, and STORYtoolz’s Readability Statistics will run it through seven readability indexes. The free online readability calculator also delivers a wealth of other readability information — 34 pieces of data in all, from your longest sentence length to the number of “to be” verbs. From words per … [Read more...] about Strength in numbers
6 words about writing
Readers offer super-short tips Last month, in honor of Students First's six-word essay contest to best describe what it means to be a great teacher, we asked readers to send us their writing tips in six words. Here are the best of the bunch. “Dump. Cut. Cut. Cut. Cut. Enjoy.” — Ned Mann, Media Relations professional at Chubb Executive Risk Inc. “Long, dangly … [Read more...] about 6 words about writing