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That there is always something to be learned is hopefully an understanding one would have before entering a PhD program or becoming a tech writer.
From: Gene Kim-Eng [mailto:techwr -at- genek -dot- com]
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 10:56 AM
To: Porrello, Leonard
Cc: Charlotte Claussen; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: PhD in Technical Writing?; RE: TECHWR-L Digest, Vol 71, Issue 16
Funny, I would have thought that the first lesson someone would carry away from all the years and effort it takes to earn a PhD is that there is always something new to be learned.
Gene Kim-Eng
On Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 10:08 AM, Porrello, Leonard <lporrello -at- illumina -dot- com<mailto:lporrello -at- illumina -dot- com>> wrote:
I would again assert that a PhD is in and of itself a disadvantage for a technical writer who is not in academia. First, a PhD doesn't necessarily translate into practical ability in the workplace. For example, specialized research in the area of, say, screen capture use and usability isn't going to make me a better technical writer than someone off the streets who reads and applies my research. In other words, in terms of being able to do technical writing, a PhD adds nothing.
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