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ADDRESSING YOUR AUDIENCE

1.5

Avoid jargon and «academese»

Avoid using too much jargon and «academese». Don’t assume that learners have the same knowledge that you do.

Occasionally, it is of course necessary to use technical or academic terms; in that case, explain what the terms mean – even if that makes a sentence longer (or creates more than one sentence). The more concrete you can be in your explanation, the better. For example, instead of saying:

  • «Sceletium tortuosum alleviates pain and reduces stress.»

say:

  • «Sceletium tortuosum, a South African succulent plant, alleviates pain and reduces stress.»

or even:

  • «Sceletium tortuosum is a South African succulent plant. It is also known as kanna, which loosely translates as ‘something to chew on’. The plant alleviates pain and reduces stress.»

Avoid