Degree Snobs

[Sophia Goan <sophia -dot- goan -at- HEIMDALL -dot- SDRC -dot- COM>]

You know, I've really reached the point where I am tired of hearing
technical writers bash degrees. Who cares whether or not someone has a
degree, but obviously it is a real touchy subject with all of the
technical writers who don't have a degree. Now let me put this into
prespective. The majority of this list serve seems to be composed of
tech writers who have been in the field for at least five years. What
was your job before that? Did you go straight into tech writing after
high school? Because if you did, you must have been a very good writer
who knew all about technical communication. Do you have a degree in
something else?


As you all know, technical communication is still one of the newer
professions. One of the oldest technical communication programs is only
13 -14 years old.  And why don't we also look at the number of "good"
technical communication programs. Heck, just look at the number of
programs itself. There just aren't that many.  ME. Well I don't have my
degreee yet....and I was a good writer 2 years ago. Today my writing has
improved 200% and I can see that I am a better writer. What did I learn
in grad school? I'll be the first to admit that hey it was a joke. But
when I sit and think about it, I learned something. I really
did....experience just doesn't cut it as an explanation of my
improvement.

Frankly, I am really disappointed. I was always under the impression
that people with higher education were respected. I have spent a lot of
time, energy and effort into earning a degree. I don't need to listen to
a whole heard of individuals go on about how worthless my degree is.
Because with your attitudes, I wouldn't want to work with you or for
you. Good god, you people discriminate against education.

I am aware of the educational limitations in the field, and therefore,
would never tell an experienced writer that he should go back to school
to learn his/her profession better.  BUT I also expect that writer to be
open minded enought to realize there is now more than one way of
learning technical communication.

So why don't some of you stop and think about what you have been saying.

--

Sophia Goan
.............................
Not that I want to be a god or a hero.  Just to change into a tree, grow
for ages, not hurt anyone. -Czeslaw Milosz

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