2005 Survey of Australian Technical Communicators:
Responses to Education questions |
| Total Responses: |
|
103 |
| Survey End Date: |
|
15 October 2005 |
| (M): |
|
Mandatory question |
What is your highest level of education? (M)
| Answer |
Number |
% of Total |
| High school certificate or similar |
5 |
4.95% |
| TAFE (or similar) diploma/certificate |
21 |
20.79% |
| Bachelor's degree |
45 |
44.55% |
| Master's degree |
11 |
10.89% |
| PhD |
5 |
4.95% |
| Other... |
14 |
13.86% |
| Total |
101 |
100.00% |
(if "Other...", please specify)
| Answer |
Number |
| Graduate Diploma/Certificate |
8 |
| Master of Science in Statistics (M.Sc. Stats) |
1 |
| Honours and Graduate Certificate |
1 |
| Higher National Certificate (UK) |
1 |
| Bachelors degree and post-graduate diploma |
1 |
| Certificate in Writing, Editing and Publishing |
1 |
| Almost finished B Financial Administration and Grad Dip Mgt |
1 |
If you have a tertiary (university level) qualification, what field(s) is it in? (select all that apply)
| Answer |
Number |
% of Total |
% of Answered |
| Arts (English language major) |
10 |
9.90% |
12.82% |
| Arts (other major) |
16 |
15.84% |
20.51% |
| Commerce |
5 |
4.95% |
6.41% |
| Computer Science |
16 |
15.84% |
20.51% |
| Education |
8 |
7.92% |
10.26% |
| Engineering |
4 |
3.96% |
5.13% |
| Librarianship/Information Science |
4 |
3.96% |
5.13% |
| Management |
3 |
2.97% |
3.85% |
| Medicine, Pharmacy, Health Sciences |
1 |
0.99% |
1.28% |
| Technical Communication |
18 |
17.82% |
23.08% |
| Science (other majors) |
21 |
20.79% |
26.92% |
| Other... |
8 |
7.92% |
10.26% |
| Answered |
78 |
77.23% |
|
| Unanswered |
23 |
22.77% |
|
| Total |
101 |
100.00% |
|
(if "Other...", please specify)
| Answer |
Number |
| Mathematics |
2 |
| See above |
1 |
| Journalism |
1 |
| Industrial Design |
1 |
| I have more than one degree |
1 |
| Environmental science |
1 |
| English Literature and History |
1 |
| Economics |
1 |
| Dramatic Art Technical Production |
1 |
| Cognitive Science |
1 |
What training did you do to become a technical communicator? (select all that apply) (M)
| Answer |
Number |
% of Total |
| Self-taught (no mentoring) |
60 |
59.41% |
| On the job (informal mentoring) |
45 |
44.55% |
| On the job (formal mentoring/training) |
33 |
32.67% |
| Private tutoring/training |
3 |
2.97% |
| Conferences, seminars, workshops |
49 |
48.51% |
| Tertiary course |
22 |
21.78% |
| Internet course |
4 |
3.96% |
| Other... |
8 |
7.92% |
| Total |
101 |
100.00% |
|
(if "Other...", please specify)
| Answer |
Number |
| Technical Communication |
1 |
| Self taught, on the job |
1 |
| progression from editing and research roles, combined with an interest in technology |
1 |
| Peer reviewed documents from web sites |
1 |
| On the job, no mentoring formal or informal |
1 |
| Newbie |
1 |
| Information Mapping Training Course |
2 |
| Grad Cert - Technical Communication |
1 |
| books, listservs |
1 |
How do you keep up to date with changes in the technical communication field? (select all that apply) (M)
| Answer |
Number |
% of Total |
| Information
from professional associations (e.g. meetings, journals, discussion
lists, bulletin boards, websites, conferences, etc.) |
85 |
84.16% |
| Information from other tech comm sources (e.g. forums for software tools that you use, etc.) |
65 |
64.36% |
| Information from other fields of expertise/interest (e.g. engineering, programming, etc.) |
41 |
40.59% |
| I don't bother trying to keep up to date |
7 |
6.93% |
| Other... |
5 |
4.95% |
| Total |
101 |
100.00% |
(if "Other...", please specify)
| Answer |
Number |
| Research papers |
1 |
| read new books |
1 |
| Fellow Technical Communicators |
1 |
| books |
1 |
| Blogs, Internet surfing, Word of mouth |
1 |
| austechwriter digest users |
1 |
| attending courses |
1 |
Membership of professional associations related to technical communication (select all that apply) (M)
| Answer |
Number |
% of Total |
| Currently a member of STC |
24 |
23.76% |
| Currently a member of ASTC (NSW or Vic) |
44 |
43.56% |
| Previously a member of STC |
7 |
6.93% |
| Previously a member of ASTC (NSW or Vic) |
13 |
12.87% |
| Member of other related organisation (e.g. editors, publishers, journalists) |
19 |
18.81% |
| Not a member of any professional association |
23 |
22.77% |
| Other... |
5 |
4.95% |
| Total |
101 |
100.00% |
(if "Other...", please specify)
| Answer |
Number |
| TCANZ |
1 |
| Student member of ASTC NSW |
1 |
| SA Writer's Centre |
1 |
| Member of Australian Computer Society |
1 |
| International Association of Business Communicators |
1 |
| Corporate member of ASTC |
1 |
|
