Why Certification by the STC Won’t Work

The virtues of certification cannot be ignored, but they are outweighed by the drawbacks: There’s no evidence that employers will value certification; it can be highly subjective; and it requires ongoing renewal, even for experienced practitioners, to avoid diluting its value. The more important task must be to demonstrate our value to employers. Only once they understand our value will certification provide a means to assure employers that they can expect to receive that value.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2008). Articles>Certification>TC>Professionalism

Typography 101B: The Role of White Space in Making Words Readable    

Hart continues his dissection of typography in this second installment, in which he discusses the important of spacing for the readability of words and sentences.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2008). Articles>Typography>Usability

The Limitations of Mental Models    

As human beings, we create conceptual models that enable us to understand the complex world around us. Hart believes that information designers should understand mental models as a tool for creating the best possible communications.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2009). Articles>Communication>Usability>Cognitive Psychology

Editorial Ethics: The Role of the Editor Before Peer Review

Editors who work with authors before a manuscript is sent for review face certain challenges. Since we’re often the first to see a manuscript, we sometimes encounter problems we must help solve before they come back to bite the author. These problems fall into a variety of categories, of which I see three repeatedly in my work. In this article, I’ll discuss the nature of these problems, provide examples from my own career as a science editor, and suggest how similar problems might arise in other types of editing.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Corrigo (2008). Articles>Editing>Scientific Communication>Ethics

When Statecraft Fails: Tips on Surviving the Great Game    

Following up on his article in the September/October issue, Hart explores how to avoid “rats” in office politics and offers advice on combating coworkers who might not have your best interests in mind.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2009). Careers>Collaboration>Workplace

Demonstrating the Value of Editing 

Like all other technical communicators, we editors must sometimes struggle to prove our worth to employers. We know our value, and the more clueful of our authors understand, but sometimes it takes a bit more work to convince senior managers that we serve a useful purpose. Managers generally require specific examples, usually supported by hard numbers. In this article, I’ve provided a few random facts and figures that I’ve accumulated over the years that you can share with management.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Corrigo (2007). Articles>Editing>Technical Editing