Linda Lambert
Linda Lambert graduated with a BS in Technical Communication (with High Honors) from New Mexico Tech in 2008. Her advisor for this thesis was Dr. Julie Ford. Linda currently works as a technical writer for research and development laboratory.
Contents
Abstract and Introduction
Purpose and Approach
What is "Socialization"?
Review of Literature
Necessity vs. Sufficiency
The Path to Success
Conclusion
References
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Purpose and Approach
Purpose
The purpose of this thesis is to explore previous treatments of the socialization process, to identify gaps in the coverage, and to recommend further study or action.
The unifying question of this work is: What advance preparation might a student in TC pursue in order to streamline, expedite, or otherwise accelerate the individual’s transition from student to productive valued member (even if newly hired) of an employer’s product realization team? Several subordinate questions constitute the underpinning of this inquiry:
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How does academia attempt to prepare the student for the workplace?
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How does industry perceive formal academic preparation as meeting industry needs?
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What additional opportunities might the student identify during formal preparation, such as course work not specifically required for a formal degree?
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What past and present work-life experiences might a student acquire and leverage, not only to get a (nominally) TC job, but also to keep the job and demonstrate the new hire’s ability to add value beyond the initial and immediate requirements of a job?
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What are some strategies for evolving a job into a career?
Approach
I started the study with a review of the literature, with an emphasis on peer-reviewed journal articles, to collect relevant findings on the process of socialization of the Technical Communication professional into the workplace. The literature study suggested and enabled several logical follow-on activities, specifically:
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A summary of pertinent findings of the collected works. I noted which steps in the socialization process each work researched, observed, and reported in sufficient detail to allow comparison and synthesis with other works.
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Identification of steps in the socialization process that are considered by multiple authors as essential. Analysis of these works invited comparison of their treatment of themes emphasized in academically-oriented papers with those in management-oriented papers. In addition, identifying themes emphasized by technical communicators but not management (and vice versa).
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Comparison of the socialization process as documented in the literature with personal experience in the workplace. I identified themes (if any) that neither academics nor management nor practicing technical communicators have addressed, and may need further study.
Finally, I offer some additional lessons learned from work experience, and recommend topics having potential payoffs. These include (a) formal studies by TC professionals; (b) additional preparation of TC students through a suitably amended curriculum; and/or (c) further discussion in forums such as seminars, workshops, etc.
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