Upcoming Events

Rédaction claire en français : comment composer avec le conservatisme linguistique?

May 16, 2022, 12:00 PM ET (Zoom)

Presenter: Isabelle Ladouceur-Séguin

Let’s face it: the French written standard is still largely stuck in the past. More precisely, in the 18th century! So where does this attachment to old French come from? Are French speakers the world champions of linguistic conservatism? And what impact might this have on the accessibility of written content?

Isabelle Ladouceur-Séguin, a linguist by training and a scientific popularizer, will present the history of standard French and debunk the myths associated with it. She will then suggest ways to adapt our written language to the readers of the 21st century.

To register, visit our Eventbrite page.

Before and After: A Plain Language Makeover for Your Tables, Charts, and Graphs

Monday, June 13 (TBD) Zoom

Presenter: Michelle Boulton

Well-dressed tables, charts, and graphs can be wonderful storytellers. Watch as ugly, ineffective illustrations are transformed into stylish raconteurs that draw attention to key points and convey information much more effectively than narrative text. Michelle will show you some easy techniques that will help you make over your tables, charts, and graphs so that you can send them out looking like real showstoppers.

Learning outcomes:

  • Recognize when to use tables, charts, and graphs.
  • Learn how to organize information and get rid of clutter.
  • Learn how to focus information to meet the needs of your audience.
  • Learn how to use layout to draw attention to the key points.

Michelle Boulton is a clear communication strategist and coordinator of Plain Canada Clair.

Also in this issue:

Welcome!

This edition of the newsletter introduces the first of a series on how to accurately estimate your fee on a project.

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