BONUS: Is Bigfoot Real? An Exercise in Critical Thinking
About this episode
Welcome to episode 139 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!
Today’s episode reviews a new article from show producer Robbins entitled "Is Bigfoot Real? An Exercise in Critical Thinking."
Hosts Daphne and Fred unpack the informative article to better understand the dynamics of critical thinking within the world of documentation and technical writing.
Although the article begins by discussing the topic of Bigfoot, Robbins quickly reveals that the true purpose is to instruct technical writers and IT professionals on the vital importance of employing critical thinking and demanding empirical evidence rather than relying on opinions or emotional beliefs.
Robbins structures his argument with several lessons that differentiate between fact and opinion, stressing that scientific proof, such as a body, bones, or DNA, is necessary to validate a claim like Bigfoot's existence, as noted by figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Furthermore, he highlights the correlation between Bigfoot sightings and black bear populations as well as the lack of recent, clear video evidence, concluding that for professionals, objectivity and logic must supersede groupthink and bias.
_________________________
I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt
>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/mry5px72
>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp
>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7
>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw
>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v
>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb
>> Join the Technical Writing Success group on LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/mr28u7td
>> Subscribe to the weekly Tech Writing Success newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc7dbfy3
>> Subscribe to the AI for Technical Writers podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mppehxtn
Get every episode summarized
Each time Technical Writing Success publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Technical Writing Success
A Fond Farewell—and Where to Find Us Next
Technical Writing Success
Context Engineering: The AI Skill That Outlasts Any Job Title
Technical Writing Success
Does llms.txt Actually Work? An Honest Look for Technical Writers
Technical Writing Success
What Technical Writers Should Automate First (A Practical Playbook)
Technical Writing Success