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RE: Tech writing class (Intellectual Foundations) LONG
Subject:RE: Tech writing class (Intellectual Foundations) LONG From:"Swallow, William" <WSwallow -at- courion -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 25 May 2001 12:02:18 -0400
:: This thread has addressed some interesting topics, but I
:: would like to 'wax
:: philosophical', so be warned.
Warning acknowledged. ;)
:: Is not college a time for studying and discussing the intellectual
:: foundations and new ideas of a field?
:: Rather than getting job training, perhaps students of Technical
:: Communication should consider questions like:
Yes, it is. But, consider the following completely far-fetched analogy:
You are drafted into the military. You spend 8 weeks learning the
differences between firearms, applications of various combat strategies, and
the psychological and sociological impact of war. You know, the intellectual
foundations. Then, you are put on a plane and dropped by parachute into
enemy territory armed with a rifle you've never actually held. You see other
troops dropping in with you, but they spent the last 8 weeks digging fox
holes, practicing at the rifle range, and sparring in hand-to-hand combat.
They focused on the practical foundations. As you land, the firefight
begins. Who's ass is grass? Your troop's or the other troop's?
College is indeed a time to reflect on the big picture, but that knowledge
is rendered useless if the writer cannot apply that knowledge at a practical
level. You need both, and you need to understand how the corporeal meets the
ethereal.
*****************
BILL SWALLOW
Technical Writer
C O U R I O N C O R P O R A T I O N
1881 Worcester Road
Framingham, Mass. 01701
T E L * 508-879-8400 x316
F A X * 508-879-8500
www.courion.com
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