re: Research Request

["Christensen, Kent" <lkchris -at- sandia -dot- gov>]

re:  I don't think I've ever seen a constructive reference to political
correctness
 
Clearly my reference to political correctness was right on, as the poster is
willing to dismiss a reference without having read it.  The intellectual vs
social assumption is incorrect and the book is well researched and
documented.  The book in fact discusses at length this political correctness
vs documentation conflict, and in my view the politically correct heads will
stop hurting when they are no longer beat against this wall.
 
The point is I suggest when there is a relationship between a scientist
(whether male or female) and a technical writer (whether male or female) in
the USA culture, most often the scientist is "doctor" and the technical
writer is "nurse."  The scientist is dictator and the technical writer takes
dictation (that was fun).  Most of the time in these relationships I believe
the "burden of proof" lies with the technical writer, and the more the
writer can aggressively demonstrate his/her competence--especially at
graphics, and these days at making web pages--the better the relationship
will be.  I'd also suggest that when there is conflict, the solution will
seldom be to tell the scientist to be nice to the writer--rather, the search
will begin for a more "competent" writer.
 
The book provides good insight as regards differences in development of
scientists and writers of either sex.  I think it's fundamental to the
proposed research.