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SENSE 2020 Conference goes online!

NEW SENSE2020 Goes Online

At the end of March, we had to announce the cancellation of our 2020 Jubilee Conference in Maastricht to comply with government measures on covid-19. To make something positive from all the doom and gloom, we are pleased to announce that the conference will now take place online in the afternoons of 3, 4 and 5 June 2020. For this online format, we have reduced and simplified the prices of conference and workshop tickets. How's that for good news?

The pre-conference workshops we had planned in Maastricht will now take place as a series throughout May and June, so you can attend as many as you wish. You can register for a workshop or for the conference up to 16:00 on the day before it starts. Once we have received your payment, you will be sent the access codes required to attend.

Please see the programme page for details and go to the SENSE Events calendar to register for what promises to be a unique and exciting event!

Paul Beverley workshop now incorporated into 2020 Conference programme
On 16 May, Paul Beverley will kick off the 2020 Conference workshop series with his highly anticipated workshop on macros for MS Word. If you are starting with zero knowledge of macros, the training will lead you through from square one. But for those of you who have already been using some macros, there will be plenty of scope for learning new tips and tricks. As there are well over 700 macros available (!), there is always something new to help you boost your effectiveness as a writer, an editor or a translator. So whether you are a 'macro newby' or a seasoned and serious devotee, there’s bound to be something new for you to take away from the day’s sessions

Paul Beverley has been creating macros for use by editors and proofreaders for over 13 years. The macros (over 700 of them) are freely available via his website and are used in more than 40 countries. Despite being of pensionable age, he enjoys editing far too much to stop altogether, so he occasionally edits technical books and theses. He has also produced more than 100 training videos, so that you can see the macros in action on his YouTube channel.

How it all began: looking back on the first days of SENSE

jackie joy

In the late 1980s I was working in the editorial office of an international geophysical journal and had joined the European Association of Science Editors (EASE). The first EASE meeting I attended was a ‘wow’ moment – gosh, there were other people struggling to make sense of scientific manuscripts written by non-native speakers! Back in the Netherlands, I started seeking out other editors. In 1989 Joy Burrough published a letter in the EASE journal about Dunglish and had contact with another editor, Victoria Thatcher. I wrote to Joy and this led to the first tea party where 10 editors met, held in Wageningen in July 1989. This was followed by a more serious meeting in Zeist in November where we decided to set up an official society. The embryonic SENSE soon expanded by word-of-mouth, and through the membership lists of EASE and WERK (Wetenschappelijk redacteurenkring, long defunct).

SENSE’s network proved its usefulness early on, as we spent hours on the phone trying to check terminology with each other (no e-mail or internet then, just paper dictionaries, a fax and a dial-up modem for transferring very small text files to translation agencies). How technology has totally changed our profession since 1990 could be the topic of a historical essay.

When I first wrote to Joy by snail mail in the spring of 1989 I had little idea of what would grow from our desire to talk to other editors and discuss the problems we were encountering. Early committees overcame limited financial resources and the problems of dealing with big egos (people who take initiative and set up a society are generally not the timid type). I’m hugely proud to see SENSE reach its 20th anniversary as an active society with 375 members covering such a wide variety of subjects and expertise. The boost from the e-mail forum has long ensured that some form of the society will continue to exist, whatever the ups and downs various committees may face.

This article was originally published in eSense 20 (September 2010, available to SENSE members only). The SENSE Historical Archives contain a newsletter published in 1995, in which fellow founding members Jackie Senior and Joy Burrough-Boenisch have compiled the timeline in more detail. The society’s ‘history’ can also be traced through the following publications:

  • Burrough-Boenisch, J. 1990. ‘Back to English’. TWIOSCOOP (Tijdschrift voor Technische en Wetenschappelijke Informatie-overdracht), jaargang 8, nummer 2.
  • Burrough-Boenisch, J. 1990. ‘The Society of English-Native-Speaking Editors’. TWIOSCOOP, jaargang 8, nummer 4.
  • McNab, S. 1990. ‘Editing of science papers written in English by Dutch graduate students’. NRC Handelsblad, 16 January. (Based on Sheila’s article in European Science Editing no. 315, September 1988.) [Editor's note: Though this did not mention SENSE, the ensuing correspondence published in the NRC Handelsblad on 13 February 1990 included a letter reporting the setting up of SENSE.]
  • Senior, J. 1990. ‘English-native-speaking editors in the Netherlands’. TWIOSCOOP, jaargang 8, nummer 2.
  • European Science Editing No. 39, January 1990. [Editor's note: Report on Pangbourne workshop.]
  • European Science Editing No. 42, January 1991. [Editor's note: News section report on SENSE.]

6 April: Eastern SIG Editing Slam

EasternSIG screenshot

We must take our silver linings as they come. Did you think you’d get a report for an Eastern SIG editing slam from one of your Aussie members who is now back in Australia? Neither did she. But thanks to our new circumstances, about 16 of us were able to meet over Zoom on 6 April with people in the Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland, Germany and Spain.

The setup was that Sally Hill and Daphne Lees had both edited the discussion section of a journal article. Attendees had been sent the section in Word – so we could make our own edits – as well as the PDF of the full article, so we could read the discussion in context.

During the session, Sally shared her screen to show us three pieces of text: the original, her tracked edits and Daphne’s tracked edits. We then discussed how their edits differed, and what further changes we had made.

Apart from the mechanics, a key theme came out of the (very gentle) slam: for an audience of of peers, familiarity with the topic is important. With Daphne having more experience in this field than Sally, she was able to avoid some of queries because she knew a) what the author meant, and b) how to fix any errors. Sally had raised this as a point right at the start, saying that the first thing you need to ask yourself when editing in these specialist fields is ‘Do I understand enough to do this job?’

After we had been through the text, Sally showed us a summary of the types of changes. Most editors will find the mechanical ones and address them in fairly similar ways; these include corrections to prepositions, articles, modal verbs, subject-verb agreement, plurals, punctuation, tenses and style issues. However, there was more variety between Sally and Daphne – and across the bigger group – when it came to redundancy, wordiness, word choice and word order.

There were also some nuances that came from being aware of the cultural background of the author, such as knowing that patients in Chinese hospitals are often cared for by their families. This kind of knowledge can be developed through your relationship with your client. Another good tip was to begin that relationship by sending a small section of edited text, so that your client knows how you work and what kind of edits they can expect.

The session was diligently prepared and masterfully delivered, ending with a whisper about a possible rematch with another two slammers and a third moderator. When we get back to our (new) normal, your Aussie correspondent for one will be hoping for continued international interaction of this quality.

SIGs in the spotlight: SENSE Ed

SENSE Ed meeting

In this new blog series, we will highlight the different Special Interest Groups (SIGs) SENSE has to offer. SIG meetings are open to all members, and guests are welcome to attend one or two meetings before deciding whether they would like to join SENSE. For upcoming SIG meetings, check the SENSE Events calendar. Contact the SIG convener for more information or to suggest a meeting topic. If you would like to start a new SIG, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. our SIG and Social Events Coordinator. In this edition, we talk to SENSE Ed convener David Barick.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I’ve been a member of SENSE since 2012, which was when I set up my language business. Although I also work as a translator, most of my time is devoted to English teaching. I specialize in academic English, although I’ve taught conversational and business English as well.

What is SENSE Ed and who is it for?
SENSE Ed is a sounding board and information source for people with any sort of involvement in English-language education. As I mentioned above, I’m active in several different areas of education. Some people who attend our meetings have a similar activity pattern, while others devote themselves to only one of those areas. It doesn’t matter as there’s room enough for everybody, and I try to alternate the themes of our meetings so that each field gets attention in turn.

How did SENSE Ed get started?
I don’t know the exact year, but it was shortly after I joined SENSE that Iris Maher took the initiative to set up this group. I had already had some mentoring talks with her, so when she told me about her intention of starting this group and invited me to come and give it a try, I was happy to join. After a few years, Iris asked me to replace her as convener.

How often does SENSE Ed meet up?
We meet twice a year, on Saturday afternoons.

How many people generally attend SENSE Ed meetings?
Anywhere from seven to ten.

When and where will the next SENSE Ed meeting be?
We meet in Utrecht – as you know, exact venues are in a bit of doubt at the moment there. I expect the next meeting will be held in late May or early June barring unforeseen circumstances, if you know what I mean.

Interested in joining the next SENSE Ed meeting? Keep an eye on the Events page!

Utrecht SIG March meeting

buurtcentrum OASE

The Utrecht SIG met on the evening of Wednesday 11 March, in a new location. If you have been following this you will know that the Park Plaza has turned out to be unsuitable, and other central spots are too expensive for meetings that are free to members. Convener Maartje Gorte had found a surprisingly accessible if not central spot, buurtcentrum Oase, right across from Utrecht Zuilen station. Four of us joined Maartje in a clean and quiet meeting room (only now and then, when a door was opened, did we hear the distant strains of Bollywood karaoke from the main hall downstairs). Since there was no text to work on this time, we were free to discuss whatever was on our minds.

Inevitably this included coronavirus, but also a few things like the new mandatory disability insurance for ZZP’ers. Opinions differed on this one; some of us resented it, some of us welcomed it. A couple had looked into insurance before and found it simply too expensive, especially given it usually does not pay out for a year or longer after you have to stop working. One member had applied for it some time ago, but their application was rejected for reasons that made absolutely no sense. The rates under the mandatory system are more reasonable than before. In any case, it is not expected to take effect until 2024.

We also discussed the overuse and near-meaninglessness of the word duurzaam (‘sustainable’ but these days it’s used to mean the same thing as ‘environmentally friendly’). Other subjects included resources for sustainability, a new member’s activity leading night-time city walks in that very area, and John Linnegar’s grammar workshop the weekend before. Finally, we packed up the snacks we had brought to share, and walked the 80 metres or so to catch our trains at Zuilen.

The next meeting, provisionally scheduled for 13 May, will be live online. Check the Events page for details.

 

Meet our new EC members!

new EC 2020

Left to right: Anne Oosthuizen, Matthew Curlewis, Margreet de Roo.

At the AGM on 28 March, the Society voted in three new members for the SENSE Executive Committee. But who are they and what makes them tick? SENSE Chair Mike Gould provides some more information about each of them.

SIG and Social Events Coordinator: Anne Oosthuizen
Anne, who’s Dutch, was born and raised on the outskirts of Amsterdam Zuidoost. After she finished secondary school, she first spent ten months as an au pair in London. Back in Amsterdam, she did two years of teacher training (TEFL) before taking her education to an academic level. She spent the final year of her BA programme in English in New Zealand, writing a thesis on translation. This is also where she met her partner, Jack. Back in the Netherlands, she worked in door-to-door sales and did charity work, before starting an MA in Translation Studies. That year, Jack moved here from the UK, and they have been living together ever since. She graduated six months ago (cum laude) and has since been working part-time at at fellow SENSE member Ellen Singer’s translation agency AzTech Solutions. When not at the office, Anne is establishing herself as a freelance translator and editor, focusing on the creative and academic sectors. She regularly works for Dave Thomas’ company NST Science (EN-EN revision) and has done translations for cultural festivals, such as the Amsterdam Light Festival, and a book translation (How to Go Meat-Free/100% Vleesvrij by Stepfanie Romine). Her super-special niche, which she has still to find her way into professionally, is song translation.

CPD coordinator: Matthew Curlewis
Our new Continuing Professional Development Coordinator, Matthew, is an Australian. He’s thrilled to have this opportunity to help create workshops and events for SENSE that he will endeavour to make practical and useful at a minimum – while also striving towards making them inspiring, challenging and rewarding as a maximum. ‘Training and re-training’ are pretty much integral to who Matthew is. He moved from New York City to Amsterdam in 2003 to attend the Binger Filmlab and make a career transition from website producer to professional writer. Since then he’s worked as a journalist, screenwriter and copywriter and founded the writers’ workshop Amsterdam Writers. Before moving to New York, he also enjoyed successful mini-careers as a restaurateur, a contemporary dance publicist/manager in Sydney, Australia, and as a dancer and performance artist in Tokyo, Japan, as well as at numerous arts festivals in Europe, Australia and North America.

Secretary: Margreet de Roo
Our new Secretary, Margreet de Roo, is Dutch. She studied German at Groningen University and then worked as a teacher at a secondary school. In 2003, she moved to Nairobi, Kenya, with her husband, who works for the Christian charity Mission Aviation Fellowship as a programmer. During her nine years there, their two daughters were born – now 15 and 13. In 2012, her family moved to Zwolle when she chose a new career: editing and translating. She got some training and set up her business, Maneno tekstredactie, in 2013. Maneno is Swahili for words or text. Since then she has been working as an independent editor of Dutch texts and an English-to-Dutch translator. She enjoys the freedom and flexibility of being a freelancer and working from home suits her very well. As a non-native speaker of English, Margreet wasn’t sure SENSE was the right organization for her at first. However, attending a SIG meeting at the end of 2018 convinced her that it was. She sees the value of a professional organization that combines informal contact with professional development. And the role of Secretary seems to be the perfect fit for Margreet. She says: ‘it will allow me to give back to SENSE in a way that matches my interests and talents.’

22 January SIG Far North meeting recap

SIG Far North 22 Jan

After a year’s hiatus, SIG Far North finally convened on 22 January, with 6 SENSE members meeting at 20:00 at Café De Graanrepubliek in Groningen. As has been the tradition for our SIG, those who wished to meet up for dinner before the event did so at Traiterie De Olijfboom.

The January meeting was a chance to re-connect after a long time apart, and it was a pleasure to welcome two members back into the fold after several years away. Keeping it informal did not mean, however, that the conversation was not language-focussed. One of the subjects was the ongoing struggle between professional translators and the Ministry of Justice and Security, an issue previously highlighed on the SENSE blog. We discussed the talks that were given at METM2019, as well as the SENSE conference in Maastricht, where one SIG member was scheduled to give a presentation. (Sadly, the conference has been cancelled because of the coronavirus.) Two other members gave spirited testimonials on the benefits of PerfectIt proofreading software.

We also discovered that one of us may have coined the phrase ‘From Bench to Bedside’ in a text she wrote back in 2009, and we recounted how much this expression has now become part of the medical lexicon, especially in the context of precision medicine. Discussion also touched on everyone’s work and home lives, and the challenges we all face in getting enough work, but not too much (and the struggle to take that one necessary holiday).

We ended the evening talking about bilingual children, then drifting into a discussion of how sign language is a model for linguists and to recent examples of where we had seen sign language used in public forums.

It was good to meet again, and we look forward to more SIG Far North events in the future.

20 February SenseMed meeting recap

Canva Pile of Books

I’m happy to announce that we held the first (modern-day) SenseMed-sponsored meeting on 20 February in Utrecht. The topic, entitled ‘Editing Medical/Biomedical Texts: Proofreading or Heavy Lifting?’ was a round-table discussion of the many challenges (and rewards!) that editors face when editing medical and biomedical texts. A total of 20 members and non-members from a variety of backgrounds came to Utrecht and shared their own experiences. We discussed common mistakes (eg, ‘cases’ vs ‘patients’, ‘prevalence’ vs ‘incidence’), how to deal with the medical  profession’s fondness (obsession…?) for over-using , and then edited examples of text, figures and tables from authors of various nationalities including Dutch, Chinese and Israeli.

Particularly interesting was the realization that just like with translators, two different editors rarely make the same changes and suggestions. Some editors take a heavy-handed approach, also giving feedback on the science itself (eg, suggesting a helpful control or alternative way to interpret the data). Some editors focus solely on the language (‘Is this sentence grammatically correct? Then no need to change anything’), and of course many fall somewhere in the middle. We also talked about the client’s needs and expectations, and how to ensure that our role as editor meets (or hopefully exceeds) those expectations. The meeting was followed by drinks and dinner. Given the clear success of this meeting, our plan is to make this a regular event, so watch your inbox and this space for news regarding the next SenseMed gathering!

SIGs in the spotlight: UniSIG

UniSIG meeting Ludo Waltman

In this new blog series, we will highlight the different Special Interest Groups (SIGs) SENSE has to offer. SIG meetings are open to all members, and guests are welcome to attend one or two meetings before deciding whether they would like to join SENSE. For upcoming SIG meetings, check the SENSE Events calendar. Contact the SIG convener for more information or to suggest a meeting topic. If you would like to start a new SIG, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. our SIG and Social Events Coordinator. In this edition, we talk to UniSIG convener Joy Burrough-Boenisch.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I am one of the founding members of SENSE: the tea party at which a group of about ten discussed the idea of starting an organization for English-native-speaking editors was held at my house in Wageningen. I’ve been editing the English of Dutch scientists ever since the late 1970s.

What is UniSIG and who is it for?
UniSIG is for SENSE members with clients in academia.

How did UniSIG get started?
It has grown from the group that drew up SENSE’s guidelines for proofreading student texts, which was set up after former SENSE member Camilla Brokking-Maltas expressed surprise that whereas all Australian universities had such guidelines in place, there weren’t any guidelines in the Netherlands. Initially, Camilla and I were co-conveners but after Camilla resigned from SENSE to pursue another career, I stayed on as convener.

How often does UniSIG meet up?
UniSIG meetings are held three to four times a year.

How many people generally attend UniSIG meetings?
From the outset, they have attracted double-digit audiences. No less than 25 members attended the first meeting in June 2016 and registrations for the meeting held this year on 31 January at one stage exceeded 45! Big turnouts happen not only because so many SENSE members edit, translate or teach for universities and their staff or students but also because we have had excellent speakers (often recruited from the SENSE membership). Another factor could be the growing general awareness of the ethics and challenges of editing for Dutch university clients, as the rise of essay mills has hit the headlines in the UK and the Netherlands and the editing of non-native-English researchers and students is now a hot topic in the applied linguistics world (one of the leading researchers in the field, Nigel Harwood, has twice spoken at SENSE events). And as meetings are held on a Friday, maybe the post-meeting drinks-cum-networking in the bar and the opportunity to meet to eat before or after are irresistible.

When and where will the next UniSIG meeting be?
Unfortunately, planning  a suitable venue for an audience of between 15 and 25 when registrations fluctuate right up to the day of the meeting has become a headache, especially as the cost of hiring venues for more than 10 people are high and have to be paid by SENSE regardless of whether everyone who’s registered turns up. So, for the upcoming meeting on 17 April in Utrecht, we’re reluctantly requiring a registration fee of €10, which will cover at least part of the fee the venue charges per person. SENSE will continue to pick up the tab for the (not inconsiderable) room hire charge. What you’ll get for your money is an excellent is enough to tempt anyone – at a professional, easily accessible venue, plenty of convivial and knowledgeable fellow attendees, plus tea and coffee. A great way to finish the week and start the weekend! 

Interested in joining the UniSIG meeting on 17 April in Utrecht? Click here to register! 

MiRoR conference recap

miror conf medium

Methods in Research on Research (MiRoR) is a project sponsored by Marie Curie Actions, a body funded by the European Union. MiRoR’s specific aims are to reduce waste and increase research value in clinical research. SENSE members who attended the METM19 conference last September in Split may have attended presentations by researchers working for MiRoR.

On 25 November last year, I had the pleasure of attending a one-day conference that marked the conclusion of this project. It was titled ‘Meta-research on transforming clinical research’ and was held in the very grand surroundings of the National Academy of Medicine in Paris. All 15 MiRoR fellows were on hand with poster presentations of their individual projects.

The keynote speaker was John Ioannidis, who is known as ‘the father of meta-science’. His 2005 article ‘Why most published research findings are false’ is one of the most often downloaded and cited scientific papers of all time. He and the other speakers in the first half of the program focused primarily on setting up and planning research in ways that can prevent waste. These presentations were illuminating, but didn’t relate directly to language quality in research articles.

The second half of the program, however, was very relevant for those working with academic and scientific English. It was devoted mostly to avoiding waste by writing articles in a more effective and transparent way. Topics investigated by some of the MiRoR fellows included encouraging the use of reporting guidelines, and reducing the number of exaggerated and/or poorly worded claims in research articles. We learned that a number of mechanical methods are now being created to achieve these aims. For example, Halil Kilicoglu of the University of Illinois gave a fascinating presentation on how text mining can be used to determine the use of reporting guidelines in a scientific article.

All in all, it was a great day that provided an opportunity to rub shoulders with some very distinguished academics and researchers. Extensive documentation on MiRoR is available via the website. For the full conference program, click here. Individual presentations can be found here.

Subcategories

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  • July 2025
    • My TEFL journey: Getting certified and teaching in the Netherlands
  • June 2025
    • Award-winning David McKay on his path to literary translation
    • Diversifying: Tips to overcome challenging times
  • May 2025
    • SENSE Special Interest Groups ‒ Meet the Amsterdam SIG
    • ChatGPT as the student’s best frenemy: a framework for educators to encourage positive AI use
  • April 2025
    • Meet Annabelle Saucet
    • Is ChatGPT my new BFF?
  • March 2025
    • What’s a scientific writer?
    • There’s something about Matthew! The puzzling preponderance of Passions
    • The ever-evolving face of journalism
  • February 2025
    • Proofreading and editing ‒ Where do we draw the line?
    • Short story: Black as coffee
  • January 2025
    • How to pass the DipTrans
    • Short story: Prickly pyracantha – and egos
    • Presenting at ATA65 in Portland
  • December 2024
    • A critical role for author voice in scientific writing
    • A look into SENSE’s treasury
    • Four things I learnt from the EASE School for Manuscript Editors and Academic Authors
  • November 2024
    • What is a write-along?
    • Stephen Machon on ‘Making footnotes and bibliographies plain’
    • The mysterious art of copywriting
  • October 2024
    • Meet Mahala Mathiassen
    • Translator Paula Truyens on her nomadic life
    • SENSE Special Interest Groups ‒ Meet the Starters SIG
  • September 2024
    • Rachel Porter on the SENSE Summer Social 2024
    • Inclusive language: race and ethnicity
  • August 2024
    • Interview: Simone van de Wijdeven on peer coaching
    • The art of subtitling
  • July 2024
    • Meet Tyler Langendorfer
    • A SENSE member’s insights into the 2024 Annual General Meeting
  • June 2024
    • There’s a new conference in town… an unconference
    • Inclusive language: the singular ‘they’
  • May 2024
    • Generative AI cannot be an author but... can it be a reviewer?
    • SENSE Special Interest Groups ‒ Meet UniSIG
    • The human touch: The added value of language professionals
  • April 2024
    • Tutoring in the UK – challenges and rewards
    • Technical writing – a report from the coalface
  • March 2024
    • Draftsmith – a suite of AI tools for editors and writers from the makers of PerfectIt
    • SENSE Special Interest Groups ‒ Meet the SIG SenseMed
  • February 2024
    • The plagiarism allegations against ex-Harvard president explained
    • The relationship between yoga and work
  • January 2024
    • DeepL and machine translation
    • Microcopy: snippets of text have a huge impact
    • On business websites: Promotion, privacy and padlocks
  • December 2023
    • SENSE ‒ A name and a meaning
    • SENSE demographics 2023
  • November 2023
    • Meet Heather Sills
    • SENSE Professional Development Day 2023
    • Conservation volunteering – Where work and leisure pursuits meet
  • October 2023
    • Southern SIG – Favourite reads of 2023
    • Teamwork says ‘goodbye’
  • September 2023
    • Extraordinary Susan Massotty
    • SENSE Summer Social 2023
  • August 2023
    • Meet Dara Colwell
    • Rachel Pierce on ChatGPT: ‘Caveats, best practices and use cases for language professionals’
    • My first year as Chair
  • July 2023
    • Writing a guide for the CIEP
  • June 2023
    • Michael Dallas and his exceptional Van Dale supplement
    • The challenges of international editing
  • May 2023
    • The WBTR and SENSE
    • In conversation with Sarah Foster
    • Academic copy-editing and writing in Ukraine: From censorship to enlightenment
  • April 2023
    • Making optimal use of MS Word
    • Up close and personal: My first in-person Annual General Meeting
  • March 2023
    • UniSIG report: 10 February 2023 – Dealing with Chinese and Southeast Asian clients in academia
  • December 2022
    • Three questions for Maha El-Metwally
    • SENSE Ed Report: 9 December 2022 – Teaching Writing to Chinese Students
    • Four things I learnt about SENSE as a new member
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    • Southern SIG Report: Lunch recap
    • Editing and proofreading – how to get it right
    • Training SIG report: first meeting
    • UniSIG Report: Artificial Intelligence with Writefull
  • November 2022
    • Utrecht SIG Report (9 November 2022): How do we translate?
    • Three questions for Susie Jackson
  • October 2022
    • Let’s talk about Simplified English
  • September 2022
    • SENSE Summer Social, 20 August 2022
  • August 2022
    • Paul Rees Osborn: engaging storyteller
    • What’s going on among Dutch translators and interpreters?
  • July 2022
    • Utrecht SIG Report: 13 July 2022
    • Tips and tricks for developing a marketing mindset
    • UniSIG Report: 1 July 2022
  • June 2022
    • Zuid-Holland SIG Report: 31 May 2022 in Rotterdam
    • SENSEMed Report: June 2022 workshop in Utrecht
  • April 2022
    • Overcoming impostor syndrome
  • March 2022
    • Dutch translation of All God’s Dangers
    • UniSIG Report: Editing for researchers in Germany and the Czech Republic
  • December 2021
    • UniSIG report: Student, proofreader and lecturer perspectives on proofreading practices
    • UniSIG report: From telling to showing – editing personal grant applications
    • Southern SIG report: on using MS Word shortcuts to boost productivity
  • November 2021
    • Five things I learned from my editing courses
  • October 2021
    • [PDD 2021 session recap] Intercultural business communication
    • 8 October UniSIG meeting report: Prof Nigel Harwood on proofreading students' texts
    • [PDD 2021 session recap] Spanish wine and translation: what could they possibly have in common?
    • How to quote for jobs: part 3
  • September 2021
    • [PDD 2021 session recap] The freedom of freelancing
    • How to quote for jobs: part 2
    • Sizzling Summer Series recap: Terminology Extraction and Management
    • SENSE Summer Social: The wordsmith challenge!
    • Sizzling Summer Series recap: applying Plain Language for accessible, user-friendly texts
  • August 2021
    • How to quote for jobs: part 1
    • Sizzling Summer Series recap: Excel tips for self-employed language professionals
    • Sizzling Summer Series recap: Macros by the tourist route
    • Editing made easier: PerfectIt teams up with CMOS
  • July 2021
    • Utrecht SIG report: book swap and pancakes at Theehuis Rhijnauwen
    • Sign up for the SENSE Professional Development Days!
    • UniSIG report: Academic writing support at the University of Twente
    • Sizzling Summer Series recap: formatting with Word Styles
    • Summer tips from the Southern SIG
  • June 2021
    • Sizzling Summer Workshops recap: search engine optimization (SEO) for translators
    • Tech SIG: converting PDFs to editable files
    • Translating museum catalogues: there's an art to it!
    • Five good practices for revising translations
  • May 2021
    • Starter’s SIG: Making LinkedIn work for you
    • Introverts with superpowers: discovering natural productivity
    • How to handle rapidly changing terminology when editing scientific texts: SenseMed meets online
  • April 2021
    • How to be a monolingual Anglosplaining jerk
    • SIG report: The Southern SIG on the Ides of March
    • A Starter’s Guide to Machine Translation Post-Editing: What to consider when considering post-editing?
    • From freelance language consultant to in-house scientific writer
    • Tech SIG report: Steven Segaert on GDPR
  • March 2021
    • Julie Uusinarkaus on revising translations: let it (mostly) be
    • Tech tips: moving to a new computer
    • CPD tips and tricks for editors
    • Let's get started: how-to guide for new SENSE members
  • February 2021
    • UniSIG meeting report: Lisa Muszynski on the University of Helsinki’s Language Services
    • Starters SIG on resolutions for 2021
    • SENSE New Year’s Borrel 2021
    • Busting the myths of financial translation
  • January 2021
    • Hazel Baker on academic editing in Australia
    • REFOCUS - REBOUND – REPEAT – RECAP
    • Starters SIG: personal branding with Sarah Notley
    • Recap: Brian Mossop’s Best Practices for Revising Translations workshop
  • December 2020
    • Plain Language style and the 'gamut of choices'
    • Recap: UniSIG meeting 6 November
    • Professional development and networking at the CIEP conference
    • 24 November: Southern SIG returned!
    • Recap: Language interference workshop by Joy Burrough-Boenisch
  • November 2020
    • HUMANKIND - an interview with translator Erica Moore (part 2)
    • HUMANKIND - an interview with translator Erica Moore (part 1)
    • Starters SIG: tips and strategies to find clients
    • Review: Stretch & Tone workshop series a roaring success
  • October 2020
    • SIGs in the spotlight: TechSIG
    • A popular scientific writing course moves online
    • Co-working: does it make SENSE?
    • Recap: the thinking behind the words
    • SENSE Virtual Quiz Night - from a newbie perspective
    • Applying adjectives with aplomb
  • September 2020
    • Blogging for clients
    • SIG Far North on Zoom
    • Jubilee Workshop series: Writers' Stretch & Tone
    • SIGs in the spotlight: Starters SIG
  • August 2020
    • SIGs in the spotlight: Eastern SIG
    • How mentoring helped me kickstart my translation career
    • End of an (editing) era
    • Interpreting in times of coronavirus
  • July 2020
    • Recap: UniSIG end-of-term meeting
    • SIGs in the Spotlight: Copywriting SIG
    • How volunteering for SENSE helped me land my current job
    • Editing in the era of Covid-19: How I take care of my mental and physical health
    • On the importance of back-ups
  • June 2020
    • Making SENSE
    • SIGs in the spotlight: Zuid-Holland SIG
    • Heavy lifting at the Utrecht SIG meeting
    • The Ghost Economy
  • May 2020
    • My experience with the SENSE teachers’ meeting on Zoom
    • Lockdown with kids - part 2
    • Dr. Strange Times (or how I learned to stop worrying and love ‘the Zoom’)
    • Lockdown with kids - part 1
    • How it all began: looking back on the first days of SENSE
    • SENSE 2020 Conference goes online!
    • SIGs in the Spotlight: FINLEGSIG
  • April 2020
    • 6 April: Eastern SIG Editing Slam
    • Utrecht SIG March meeting
    • SIGs in the spotlight: SENSE Ed
    • Meet our new EC members!
    • 22 January SIG Far North meeting recap
  • March 2020
    • 20 February SenseMed meeting recap
    • SIGs in the spotlight: UniSIG
    • UniSIG meeting recap: The English language challenge in academic publishing
    • MiRoR conference recap
  • February 2020
    • SIGS in the spotlight: Utrecht SIG
    • 2020 Conference preview: introducing the SENSE presenters
    • The Write Stuff recap: making translations sing
    • We tolk, you listen
  • January 2020
    • SIGs in the spotlight: SenseMed
    • 2020 Conference: location, location, location...
    • 28 March 2020: SENSE Annual General Meeting at Kargadoor Utrecht
    • Academic writing with UniSIG and Ed SIG
  • December 2019
    • Celebrating 5 years of NEaT
    • AAME Seminar: Dutch taxes explained
    • Renew your membership for 2020!
    • Six questions for... Ros Schwartz
    • Your editorial armoury
  • November 2019
    • FINLEGSIG meeting on 14 November
    • Tales from DRONGO language festival
    • Takeaways from the VZV fall symposium
    • 2019 Annual Dinner: all aboard!
    • Takeaways from PZO: Zelfstandig 3.0
  • October 2019
    • Reminder: submit your proposal for the 2020 Conference!
    • Upcoming CPD events
    • Reflections on METM19
    • 2019 Professional Development Day Recap
    • Eastern SIG Autumn borrel
    • 11 October: Free Lecture in Amersfoort
  • September 2019
    • SfEP 2019: Comedy, conversation, celebration
    • UniSIG report: season kick-off
  • August 2019
    • 21 September: Professional Development Day!
  • July 2019
    • Summer Social 2019
    • FINLEGSIG report: tax for translators
    • Eastern SIG editing slam
  • June 2019
    • PerfectIt 4: highly satisfying to use
    • Save the literary translator!
    • Utrecht SIG: translate what it says?
  • May 2019
    • SENSE Jubilee 2020: Get Ready!
    • PZO: Did you know?
  • April 2019
    • UniSIG report: Do online editing services have a place in your client portfolio?
    • Editing tips from The Subversive Copy Editor
    • Eastern SIG informal meeting 12 April 2019
    • Utrecht SIG report 13 March
    • Eastern SIG meeting 28 February: Breggsit
  • January 2019
    • Book review: Health-related scientific articles in the 21st century: Give readers nuggets!
    • SENSE Utrecht translation SIG meeting 9 January
    • A funny thing happened on the way to the UniSIG meeting...
    • UniSIG: a lively encore for Maria, to a full house
    • Eastern SIG borrel
    • Contrasting learning methods: SENSE Ed SIG
    • Business goals for 2019
  • December 2018
    • 2018 in review: the year in numbers for SENSE
    • Utrecht Translation SIG: dealing with challenging clients
    • Freestyling at the SENSE UniSIG meeting
  • November 2018
    • What can we learn from our mystery shopper experiments
    • MET 2018 conference: SENSE impressions
    • Time management tips for language practitioners
    • PerfectIt workshop review
  • October 2018
    • SfEP Course Review: Copy-editing Headway
  • September 2018
    • Sound, camera, action!
  • August 2018
    • The n-word raises its ugly head again
  • July 2018
    • Blog posts people will want to read
    • Jackie Senior retires
    • SENSE 2018: MET member impressions
    • SENSE 2018: delegate impressions
  • June 2018
    • The future of editing, translating and interpreting
    • SENSE 2018: gushing enthusiasm
    • SENSE 2018: clarity vs. gobbledygook
    • PerfectIt Cloud review
    • Workshop review: writing readable blogs
  • May 2018
    • SENSE 2018: meet the presenters
    • Light, medium and heavy editing workshop
    • Medical writing workshop
    • Unpaywall: free scholarly articles
  • April 2018
    • GDPR for freelancers
    • Data Privacy workshop review
    • New EC: recipe for a team
    • Blog workshop: find your hook
    • Building an editing business
  • May 2017
    • GUEST BLOG – Not English, not Dutch, but a language apart
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