more on certification (from CE-L) (long)

[Becca Price <rp51 -at- CHRYSLER -dot- COM>]

The copyediting list (CE-L) is also having a discussion about
certification, but from
an entirely different angle... people are asking how they can get
certified.  Just FYI,
and because I found it interesting, I have copied below one of the
relevant posts.

please note the reason given for certification: the difficulty for
editors to prove their
ability.  I don't think this reason applies to tech writers, but that's
me.  YMMV.

-becca

---------
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 14:15:59 -0400
From: "Norman Grossblatt"<NGrossbl -at- nas -dot- edu>
To: Copyediting-L -at- cornell -dot- edu
Subject: About the "ELS" certificate
Message-ID: <852564BA -dot- 0056AD74 -dot- 00 -at- smtpmta -dot- nas -dot- edu>

   In the wake of Elaine Firestone's announcement of her certification
by
   the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS), several
subscribers to
   Copyediting-L have asked about certification, "ELS", and related
   subjects. Editors who are interested in an editing credential might
want
   to know about the BELS program.

   To quote from the introductory BELS brochure: "Potential employers
and
   clients of manuscript editors usually have no objective way to assess
   the proficiency of the editors. For their part, editors are
frustrated
   by the difficulty of demonstrating their ability. That is why both
   employers and editors so often resort to personal references or ad
hoc
   tests, not always with satisfactory results. The need for an
objective
   test of editorial skill has long been recognized."

   BELS has developed two editorial credentials. To evaluate
proficiency in
   editing in the life sciences according to internationally recognized
   standards, it administers two examinations--
   for certification and for diplomate status--that focus on the
principles
   and practices of scientific editing in English.

   To be eligible for the certification examination, an editor must
have a
   bachelor's degree, or equivalent, from an accredited academic
   institution and at least 2 years of experience as a manuscript
editor in
   the life sciences. The examination is given several times a year,
   usually in places and at times that coincide with national and
   international meetings of professional organizations that editors are
   likely to belong to, such as the Council of Biology Editors, the
   American Medical Writers Association, the Society for Scholarly
   Publishing, and the European Association of Science Editors. Fees for
   taking the 3-hour, multiple-choice certification examination total
$125
   (US)--a nonrefundable application fee of $25 plus a registration fee
of
   $100. On passing the certification examination, an editor is
permitted
   to use the designation "ELS" (for "Editor in the Life Sciences")
after
   his or her name.

   To be eligible for diplomate status, a candidate must have been
   certified by BELS for at least 2 years and have at least 6 years of
   relevant experience. The diplomate procedure includes submission and
   review of a portfolio of edited material and a half-day written
   examination that includes editing. Fees for portfolio review and the
   diplomate examination total $200. Achieving diplomate status permits
an
   editor to use the designation "ELS(D)" (for "Diplomate Editor in the
   Life Sciences").

   BELS was incorporated in 1991 and now has over 200 members in the
United
   States, Canada, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria,
   Hungary, Finland, and Australia.

   Important journals and publishers in the life sciences have begun to
ask
   for or express a preference for BELS certification in their
job-opening
   notices.

   For more information and to receive an application form, write to

    Board of Editors in the Life Sciences, Inc.
    P.O. Box 824
    Highlands, North Carolina 28741-0824

   Norman Grossblatt, ELS(D)
   ngrossbl -at- nas -dot- edu

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