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Subject:Re: Help - my consultants cannot write! From:Al Martine <almartine -at- inktopia -dot- net> To:Techwr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:19:12 -0500
Hi Andrew,
Depending on your consultants aptitude \ motivation for improving their communication skills, the book The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto is pretty good for helping someone clean up their organization of writing and also creating more fully fleshed out arguments within their writing or presentations.
The only real challenge with the book is that it is terribly dry. Toast without butter dry, but if used along with some assignment then it is easier to digest and use.
al
On Oct 11, 2011, at 3:13 PM, Michael West wrote:
> To the extent that teachers teach children how to think (and communicate
> clearly) rather than what to think, there is reason for optimism. But to me,
> that extent appears to be diminishing.
>
>
>
> I'm sure there are many reasons why this appears to be the case.
>
>
>
> --
>
> Mike West
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Kat Kuvinka [mailto:katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com]
> Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2011 6:14 AM
> To: ruthsessions03051 -at- yahoo -dot- com; mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com; mike -dot- west -at- bigpond -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Help - my consultants cannot write!
>
>
>
>
> No, I'm pretty sure it was a discussion about education in general and how
> maybe teachers are to busy being PC to teach children to write clearly.
>
> _____
>
> Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:56:49 -0700
> From: ruthsessions03051 -at- yahoo -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Help - my consultants cannot write!
> To: mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net; katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com
> CC: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com; mike -dot- west -at- bigpond -dot- com
>
> This is not bashing. It is discussing a serious issue about educating people
> who want to enter our field.
>
>
>
> Indeed, some people think that "anyone can write," but if you are hiring
> writers, you soon learn that is not the case...
>
>
>
> I believe that tech writing programs tend to assume the person applying can
> write and spend most of their time teaching technical information.
>
>
>
> Sadly, most people I've interviewed who had technical writing certificates
> from such programs could not answer even the simplest technical questions.
>
>
>
> The programs can benefit people who make the effort, but apparently people
> who don't make the effort and get little out of the program still manage to
> pass the courses and get the certificate. That fact diminishes the meaning
> of the certificate...
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Ruth Sessions
>
> 603/886-7355
>
> 603/809-3054
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: "mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net" <mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net>
> To: Kat Kuvinka <katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com>
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com; mike west <mike -dot- west -at- bigpond -dot- com>
> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 10:51 AM
> Subject: Re: Help - my consultants cannot write!
>
>
>
> Doesn't sound like teacher-bashing to me.
>
>
>
> I've been dismayed, more than once, by candidates for tech writing positions
> who can't write -- and who come proudly bearing enthusiastic recommendations
> from teachers in prestigious tech-writing programs.
>
>
>
> Don't know what those teachers were teaching: but it wasn't how to write.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>
> From: "Kat Kuvinka" <katkuvinka -at- hotmail -dot- com>
> To: "mike west" <mike -dot- west -at- bigpond -dot- com>, "eddy skau" <eddy -dot- skau -at- gmail -dot- com>
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 7:21:42 AM
> Subject: RE: Help - my consultants cannot write!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> This should not be a forum for your political views and teacher-bashing.
>
> Kathee
>
>>
>> As for what you call the "wiring" of the brain, I know nothing about that,
>
>> but I do know that the overarching purpose of formal education is to teach
>
>> people how to think clearly and express themselves clearly. At least it
> used
>> to be - God knows what they think they're doing nowadays. My personal
> view
>> that is that many teachers are not all that capable of thinking clearly;
>> they are too loaded up with dubious ideological baggage and political
>> correctness. (Disclaimer: I'm married to a teacher who is a notable
>> exception to this generality.)
>>
>> --
>>
>> Mike West
>>>
>>>
>
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