The one I give students when I teach them is: Never underestimate intelligence. ALWAYS underestimate vocabulary.
People can and do want to learn about super complex topics, we just need to not lose them on the way!
This week, graduate students in my course are learning how to write about science for the non-expert public.
For those of you who do this professionally, what tips would you offer?
And it's hard! one of the hardest things I've ever had to write was "short technical paper at 6th grade reading level for release to the public". I communicate at that level really well face-to-face, especially if I'm allowed to be informal, but it was hard to turn off the Engineer Brain in writing.
