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RE: Academic Research in TechComm (Was RE: Criticizing Writers - What Would You Have Done?)
Subject:RE: Academic Research in TechComm (Was RE: Criticizing Writers - What Would You Have Done?) From:Beth Agnew <Beth -dot- Agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 31 Mar 2005 00:16:35 -0500
Corporations are always happy to have concrete data that establish value of
anything in which they invest resources. As an academic exercise evaluating
what technical writers contribute to the bottom line, assuming such a study
could be properly designed and carried out, would indeed be worthwhile doing
even if the only response to it was "Hmm, interesting.".
I think that the profession is so broad and variegated that the only way we
can affect job security or advancement is by personal performance.
Individual effort in one's own organization may provide opportunities that
would not exist in a different organization or for techwriters whose talents
are different. Each one of us ultimately proves our value to our superiors
or we end up out of the organization.
Beth Agnew
Professor, Technical Communication
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
416-491-5050 x3133
-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Margulis [mailto:margulisd -at- comcast -dot- net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 7:34 PM
To: Beth Agnew
Cc: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Academic Research in TechComm (Was RE: Criticizing Writers
- What Would You Have Done?)
Beth Agnew wrote:
> There's always someone working on something, but I'm not aware of anything
> currently that proves our value. It would definitely be worthwhile
pursuing.
>
...
But I think "proving our value" is a waste of time, because
it isn't going to affect job security or advancement one way or another.
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