TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Quoting Salary schedule from STC From:Mark Forseth <markf -at- MERGE -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 10 Jun 1998 12:33:47 -0500
While the STC survey may offer some degree of insight, if the survey were a
research project, its methodology would certainly come under fire. Because
the survey inquired of the actual persons in the tech-comm field who earn
the alleged income of interest, the respondents conceiveably embellish in
order to inflate the numbers to their own advantage. This potential for
embellishment is called a research artifact; an alternative answer for a
study's outcome. But STC does refer to the information as a >>survey<< and
not a >>study<<.
What we really need is an independent study that polls at least 2K HR
departments, accountants, and people who otherwise hire and/or pay
technical communicators. Assuming this group under-embellishes, we can
safely assume that the real figures lie (no pun intended) somewhere between
the two extremes.
In my ten years as a tech writer, I've never met anyone who earns as much
as the STC survey medians indicate (for the respective qualifications).
Then again, I'm in the Midwest.
