Re. Merits of using a tech. editor

Subject: Re. Merits of using a tech. editor
From: Geoff Hart <geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 1995 09:28:19 LCL

Paul Baur asked for justification for adding a technical
editor to his group of writers (since they already have a
peer review system in place). A few thoughts based on my
own role as editor:

- Peer review is rarely satisfactory among colleagues.
There is an almost overwhelming pressure to be diplomatic
and "let things slide", even when strong words might be
called for, because you've got to work with the author
after the review and the same author may take the
opportunity to savage your own work later. Editors stand
apart from the writing group, no matter how amicable or
social or how hard we try to integrate, because we aren't
competing with the writers for recognition or advancement,
and this gives us (deservedly) more of a reputation for
neutrality.

- Some types of writers, oddly enough, just aren't very
good at writing. That's not an insult... some companies
employ trained, skilled writers to work for their
engineers; others just hand the engineers a word processor.
Again, no class warfare intended here: over the past 10
years, I've noted that most research/design/techie types
were hired first for their technical skills, and only
secondly for their writing skills. If they can't write i
the first place, how well can they critique someone else's
writing? Writing, as we all know, takes considerable time,
and even skilled engineer-writers won't produce good work
if their priority is to do good engineering first and fit
the writing into gaps. For this type of writer, good peer
reviews aren't possible because of time constraints. A good
editor has both the skill and the time to edit; writers may
have neither.

-

--Geoff Hart @8^{)}
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

Disclaimer: If I didn't commit it in print in one of our
reports, it don't represent FERIC's opinion.


Previous by Author: Re. Eric's response to my posting on students
Next by Author: Re. Merits of an editor
Previous by Thread: Re. Eric's response to my posting on students
Next by Thread: Re. Merits of an editor


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads