opinion, point of view & bias

The 2012 Writer-In-Resident, Maggie Koerth-Baker held a workshop for writing majors.  She told us understanding a scientific journal is difficult for most people.  To make these journals easier to understand, she edits the articles into layman’s terms.

This workshop gave us first-hand experience in taking the important points of a journal and making it easier to comprehend.  Those attending the workshop rewrote a journal into a blog entry format.  Koerth­-Baker had worthy tips on blog writing and how blogging can lead to employment as a writer.

Koerth-Baker also listed important blog writing tips and facts.

  1. Blogs are people’s opinion.  They are all bias.
  2. Use loose, easy to understand vocabulary.
  3. Give your Point of View.  That’s what your blog is for.
  4. Write in short paragraphs.  This keeps readers attention.
  5. Summarize your angle.  Review and restate your opinion.
  6. Use a passive voice.  It sounds better.
  7. Avoid jargon.  If readers don’t understand what you write, they won’t understand your opinion.

Koerth-Baker has the amazing ability to take scientific mumbo-jumbo and write it as an understandable magazine article.  She makes it look easy, but after participating in the workshop, I realize this type of professional writing is difficult and can be very dry.  Koerth-Baker was able to make this workshop fun and interesting.

Spartan article  ~P.

Maggie Koerth-Baker at YCP

Attention Professional Writing Majors

The 2012 Writer-In-Resident is Maggie Koerth-Baker.  Koerth-Baker is the science editor of BoingBoing.net, a science and technology based blogsite.  Her work has been published in print and online by National Geographic, Discover, Reader’s Digest and Scientific American.  Her book, Before the Lights Go Out: Conquering the Energy Crisis Before It Conquers Us, is now available at Amazon.com.

There are two events scheduled during Koerth-Baker’s visit.  On Thursday March 29, at 7:30 PM in the DeMeester Recital Hall (in Wolf Hall) there will be a public reading and a question and answer session.  Her book will also be available for purchase and signing following the session.

The second event is the annual Writer’s Workshop with the Writer-in-Resident.  Eighteen participants will be accepted for the workshop on Saturday, March 31, from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM, breakfast and lunch are included.  To register for this workshop with Koerth-Baker, see Ms. Deb Staley in Humanities room 161.  A deposit of $10 is required, but will be reimbursed when you attend the workshop.