RE: Handling List Requests (was Case Study)

Subject: RE: Handling List Requests (was Case Study)
From: eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 11:10:03 -0400




>>But surely the poster in question is a technical communication student and
>>is therefore supposed to be learning how to analyse an audience and express
>>themselves clearly to that audience.

As SMEs and mentors to such a student don't we as list/community members owe the
student some allowance for error and guidance so that they can learn? Shouldn't
we also owe such consideration to even the seasoned list participants
considering the outside pressures and stresses of which we are unaware?

>>If technical writers are not expected to take blame for the incorrect
>>interpretation that their core audience puts on their words, then woe betide
>>us both as an occupation and as members of the wider community.

Which could perhaps be said of the more senior members of the list. But to wish
to place blame on new list participants or even worse new list participants AND
students in our field I find unprofessional and anti-social.

>>(Misinterpretation by people outside your code audience, of course, is
>>another matter. It would be foolish to pretend that any communication can be
>>made universally free from all possibility of misinterpretation.)

But therein lies a conundrum. On-list you may have both members of you target
audience (those with the knowledge to help with you question) and those that
aren't (people who don't have knowledge of the subject).

Eric L. Dunn

PS: Of course I could occasionally do with a good dose of my own medicine. :-P



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