Tag Archives: clarity

The mess of thinking

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Robert Basil

Inaccurate interpretations of a particular data-point can nonetheless provide metaphors that describe a lot.

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The root of beauty …

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Robert Basil

… is boldness, wrote Pasternak. “That is what’s brought us to one another.” Apropos: After Wolfgang Pauli had given a colloquium on some ideas related to particle physics, Pauli said to Neils Bohr: “You will probably think that what I … Continue reading →

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Writing in the Sciences

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Robert Basil

“The more that you take care with your writing, the more you might explore uncertainties in your thinking,” suggests Stanford University Environmental Earth System Science Professor Julie Kennedy in this excellent Writing Matters video. Kennedy helpfully stresses the primacy of … Continue reading →

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Having a strong accent can work in your favour …

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Robert Basil

… writes MIT cognitive science professor Edward Gibson in Aeon: Suppose you are at a cocktail party, and your conversation partner – someone with power in your field – wants to know your view about a potentially scandalous issue at your … Continue reading →

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Update needed

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Robert Basil

I had long been puzzled by how many people don’t get the saying “That’s the exception that proves the rule.” This morning it occurred to me that the opacity is not in the minds of my friends but in the phrase’s … Continue reading →

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Practice

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Robert Basil

As a teacher and as an editor, my counsel to students and writers often seems too obvious even to say. For instance: “You can’t complete a large project in a short time. Proceed bit by bit” (or “bird by bird“). … Continue reading →

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No Word

Posted on November 14, 2015 by Robert Basil

A friend in the media emailed me this morning: “Everyone keeps talking about hostages having been taken in Paris. Doesn’t the word ‘hostage’ imply a demand on the part of the terrorists? They made no demands; they intended all along … Continue reading →

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New Sophos series: “What is …?”

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Robert Basil

Sophos, the esteemed network-security company, is starting a new series on its always erudite blog. It is called “What Is …,” and it promises to turn “technical jargon into plain English.” The inaugural post, written by Paul Ducklin, is called … Continue reading →

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The “trick to ambiguity”

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Robert Basil

From the great Language Log: Most of the ambiguity contained in normal language use is passed over without any awareness on the audience’s part of the potential for double meanings. If one of the two intended meanings in an ad … Continue reading →

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Displaying complex research findings graphically (and simply) …

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Robert Basil

… is a big theme in all of my communications and marketing classes. I am quite enjoying the blog published by Darkhouse Analytics, which explores this theme obsessively. Click on the image below to see how to make the perfect … Continue reading →

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