RE: Is tech writing a profession? Are we professionals?

["Kathy Underwood" <Kathy -dot- Underwood -at- sas -dot- com>]

I've got to say, guys, that this discussion is making me somewhat sad. First, I don't think it's productive to engage in self-flagellation over whether or not we're professionals. And, second, to have this kind of argument reveals what I believe are some false assumptions about the nature of "the professional."

Several years ago when the STC board was having one of its perennial discussions about enhancing our professional status, Bill Stolgitis, our former STC exec. officer, told us an interesting little bit of history about the American Medical Association. Around 1850 the AMA made a very conscious decision and a conscious effort to elevate the status of its members--who at that time were considered something along the lines of barbers with bigger razors. The AMA had and continues to have lots of PR and lots of educational programs to ensure its status in the minds of the public. Obviously the AMA has succeeded in its goal. And along the way the body of knowledge that allows doctors to call themselves professional has grown enormously.

Tech writing in the 20th century had a similar arc of development, starting (some argue--it's not a firm date) around 1950. Our body of knowledge has increased dramatically. There was a time when I found some of the articles in our professional journals a little embarrassing. Now the level of scholarship is quite respectable--and the number of sound journals is proliferating. If you're so motivated you can gain a BA, BS, MA, MS, and a PhD in the field--from an ever-increasing number of tech comm departments across the country and overseas. Our profession has a huge body of knowledge and a growing number of subspecialties. We don't have certifications yet, but I believe that's likely to come in the future as our academic programs continue to develop. 

So if you're a technical communicator, I don't think you need feel hesitant to call yourself a professional.


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-178785 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:bounce-techwr-l-178785 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Barb Einarsen
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 2:43 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Is tech writing a profession? Are we professionals?


Phillip St. James asked:
Does top management see us as professionals?  Are programmer/analysts professionals?

I say:
Well, Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants and so forth are Capitol-P-Professionals. Programmer/Analysts, Writers, Executives and so forth are not Capitol-P-Professionals (although one expects them to act in a lower-case-p-professional manner).

Rule of Thumb: Professionals can sign your passport.

Barb



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