Re: A Test to Select Competent technical Writers

Subject: Re: A Test to Select Competent technical Writers
From: MONETTE DENISE P 678-3843 MACA <dmonette -at- ARL -dot- MIL>
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 08:58:14 -0700

At a previous job, the woman that was put in charge of our department
decided to devise a test to give applicants. (Our department hired tech
writer/editors to rewrite and edit scientific and engineering test
reports, test plans, papers, presentations, manuals, etc.) The test was
about two paragraphs taken from one of the reports. The applicants were
supposed to edit the paragraphs given about 15 minutes. The editors on
staff had a problem with this test for many reasons:

1) We (3 editors and the woman in charge) took the test, and we all
came up with different versions of the paragraphs.

2) As experienced editors, we were given similar assignments (abstracts
for technical papers that we were seeing for the first time), and we were
given at least two hours to do an initial edit.

3) Interviews for new editors (not to mention experienced ones can be
stressful) can be intimidating enough. Some people may not perform well
under this type of pressure.

My views on the subject are that a test has to be very well designed to
be effective. I personally do not test well. I am glad I didn't have
to take a test, and I have proven that I am good at what I do. The
person who hired me dwelt more on my other communication skills, like
getting along with the authors and other editors. I spent a full day
interviewing for my job. Spending time with a person, listening to how
they communicate verbally, and paying attention to the way they handle
day-to-day encounters seems to me to be a good way of determining what a
person would be like on the job.

As far as editing or writing skills are concerned, I think you can ask a
person enough questions about their writing sample to know if they worked
on them or not. You can call previous employers to determine if the
person was actually employed there. You can obtain tanscripts to
determine that the person has a degree.

There are ways to determine that writers are capable without having to
administer tests.

* Denise Monette Technical Writer/Editor dmonette -at- arl -dot- army -dot- mil*


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