"It's not easy to write simple and clear documents"

Today's episode of NPR's "Morning Edition" featured a story on the Center for Plain Language and its awards for the most convoluted writing in business and government documents. The online version of the story includes links to and critiques of the award "winners." More importantly, the story ends with one of the contest judges, cartoonist David Malki, speaking to the increasingly important role that professional writers will play in improving the quality of communication between government agencies and businesses and their publics: "It's not easy to write simple and clear documents, especially if they tackle complicated subjects. However, there are a lot of freelance writers who need some work, and they could easily be hired." WVU's Professional Writing and Editing program, of course, prepares both undergraduate and M.A.-level students for just this type of work.

From Colson Hall to the Capitol Rotunda

Ms. Joanna Thompson, a senior Criminology and Investigations major and Professional Writing & Editing minor, will represent the WVU English Department at the seventh annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol event on Thursday, January 28. The URDC event will take place in the State Capitol Rotunda in Charleston, where undergraduate students from across West Virginia will deliver poster presentations on their research projects. The URDC event aims to help members of the State Legislature and Executive Branch understand the importance of funding undergraduate research programs by giving them the opportunity to talk directly with the students whom these programs impact.

Joanna will be presenting the results of a ethnographic research project she completed in English 301: Writing Theory and Practice, a required course in the PWE minor. Joanna's ethnographic study explores how a deputy sheriff uses writing to support her work in investigating criminal complaints, maintaining case files, and managing the local police force.

To learn more about the Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol event, and to see pictures of undergraduate researchers from previous exhibits, please visit the URDC homepage.