Notes from 53rd International STC Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada, May 7-10, 2006

Three Profiles of Contemporary Editing

Session Description: Three veteran technical editors discussed their widely varying fields: forensic psychiatry; computer science; and hardcore physical, chemical, and ecological sciences. Topics included requirements, tips, rewards, challenges, and major issues.

Technical Editing in the Computer Industry

Avon J. Murphy

Murphy is an independent contractor (Murphy Editing and Writing Services) and a long-time STC leader. For many years, he has coordinated the extensive Book Review section of STC's quarterly journal, Technical Communication.

• Murphy's editing has focused on software documentation.
• History of software editing dates to the 1960s, often tied to the national laboratories, where computers first took root.
• Murphy belonged to the high school slide rule club!
• Key dates: Apple, 1991; Microsoft, 1995; Sun, 1996. Dates the companies released their internal style guides to the public.
• From there, we have advanced to cell phone maps like "BrewPub Finder."
• Key traits of a software editor are core skills, programming ability, flexibility, acceptance of change (dynamic, ever-evolving environment).
• Getting hired requires customer focus, technical orientation, programming language (VB or C#), and programmer documentation deliverables.
• The future for software professionals is bright: software engineers average $80K, tech writers $63K, and tech editors $61K.
• Print editors will be at lower end of payscale; Microsoft Office editors, second; programmer and SDK editors, first – with about $20K separating the three.
• Software editors are more highly compensated if they also know code and can work as an integral part of the software development team.

Editing in Forensic Psychiatry

Ann S. Jennings

Jennings is director of professional writing programs at the University of Houston-Downtown.

• Presenter has worked 1-on-1 with a forensic psychiatrist. Together, they have worked 60 cases, averaging about 1 per month.
• This is a subset of medical editing.
• Medical editing occurs in medical publications (JAMA), med schools, hospitals, medical research centers, drug companies, and freelance opportunities.
• Sources: American Medical Writers Association (www.amwa.org) AMWA "job market" report, AMWA certification as a medical writer, BELS certification as a medical editor. BELS = Board of Editors in the Life Sciences. Certification is done through a testing program similar to the CPA (very difficult test; also requires a sponsor).
• Medical editing. Beginners proofread, check facts, and maintain editing guides. More experienced editors edit peer-reviewed journal articles, abstracts, study reports, slide shows, and content for symposia and advisory board meetings. Expert editors edit regulatory submissions, clinical protocols, and informed consent forms.
• Forensic psychiatric editing is a highly specialized sub-field. Jennings edits reports, prepares slide shows, and conducts research. She also acts as a consultant and advisor – finding holes in logic and information and helping to tell a story. She also attends trials – lagniappe!
• Criminal trials include pre-trial, trial, post-trial, and death row appeals. Actual data is protected by law and confidentiality.
• Civil trials include medical malpractice.
• Harris County, TX, is the "death capital" of the world: most capital sentences handed down.
• Pre-trial includes competency to stand trial. Verbal fluency and coherence were used to establish competency.
• Post-trial includes punishment phase: used unusual background of criminal to soften sentence.
• Death row appeals include dramatic emotional applications of writing.
• Medical malpractice includes documentation of things such as high suicide precautions (defending hospital).
• PowerPoint presentations are becoming an integral part of trials. In Harris County, each juror has an individual monitor to view evidence presented audiovisually.

Scientific Editing

Frederick M. O’Hara, Jr.

O'Hara, a long-time STC leader and Fellow, is a consultant in technical communication, based in Oak Ridge, TN.

• Editorial responsibilities include imposing technical style, ensuring accuracy, enforcing literary standards, reviewing graphics, and overseeing the production process.
• Presenter began his career editing technical reports at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including authors from heritage Martin Marietta.
• Newsletter editor's responsibilities included determining the editorial purpose of the sponsor, determining the information needs of the audience, identifying prospective content, developing content (text and artwork), and overseeing production.
• Book editor's responsibilities include determining scope, content, and contributors; writing a proposal to the publisher; extracting manuscripts; applying literary standards; imposing coherence and organization to the text and graphics; imposing consistent technical style; overseeing the review process; and preparing the manuscript according to the publisher's specifications.
• Catalog editor's responsibilities include compiling information, designing organization and presentation, enforcing uniformity, and ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Workshop editor's responsibilities include understanding the subject matter, organization, purpose, procedures, expectations, and personalities of the meeting and its participants; collecting ALL information; summarizing the meeting's developments; and preparing the report with the appropriate rhetoric and for the appropriate audience.
• Federal Advisory Committee Act requires open meetings with minutes to be taken and made public. This has been a boon to workshop editors.
• Overall benefits and rewards of editing:
   
• Getting paid for something you like to do
• Being involved in all kinds of interesting subjects
• Hobnobbing with experts in their field from all over the world (including getting "trapped" in the Doubletree Hotel for 3 days during a 30-inch blizzard in Washington, D.C. with experts in natural resources from all over the world)