Tim Cawood

Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 32 minutes Rob Ashton and Andy White discuss the secret life of pronouns, proofreading tips and why the Freedom of Information Act may have taken all the excitement out of government communications. Further reading...

Whether you’re setting up a new business venture or trying to get the go-ahead for a project, there’s one essential document you need. Rob Ashton, Chief Executive of Emphasis, gives a step-by-step guide to writing a good business plan. Why you need one...

'That' and 'which' can sometimes be used interchangeably. But it’s not always correct to do so. The general rule is: use ‘that’ to define and use ‘which’ to inform or add information. Defining These are the spending cuts that the Board agreed. Here, the spending cuts...

New research from Kent University’s psychology department confirms what many of us already know from experience. Far from helping us become more efficient, the constant interruption of technology is weakening our ability to concentrate and slowing us down at...

Writing before high-pressure situations can raise your performance in them, according to new research. It may seem counter-intuitive, but taking a moment to focus on your fears by jotting them down can help you to rise to the challenge. And this can apply to anything...

Step away from the keyboard and pick up a pen. That’s the latest expert advice for anyone who wants to study and remember more effectively. We learn better when writing by hand than when we type, according to Anne Mangen, associate professor at the University of...

Finance is a murky place for many people. Money comes into the bank account and it goes out again. And the process in between is something of a mystery. But even if your clients are financially savvy, it can still be difficult to explain money matters. Accounting has...

Conducting endless research can make you depressed – and not just because you miss all your deadlines. According to psychologist Barry Schwartz, we often find it hard to make up our minds when faced with a surplus of possibilities. And this can make us...

If you need to update your HR policies because of the new Equality Act 2010, now could be a golden opportunity to make them a lot better. The Equality Act brings together legislation regarding discrimination and harassment into a single Act. Since it came into force...

You may recall that six million people have – through no fault of their own – paid the wrong amount of tax over the last few years, thanks to a blunder at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The story dominated the column inches last month, in part because of...

Ask most scientists, engineers and technologists why they got into the profession and they're unlikely to say it was because they love writing. But love it or hate it, writing is an essential part of a scientific career. Report writing skills are crucial to...

How do you avoid confusing your reader when you're writing for non-native English speakers? Expert business-writing trainer Janet Bateman explains: The single most important thing to think about Why you should avoid non-literal expressions Which words are easiest for...