Food for thought

[kiltedwolfman]

It occurs to me that there are a lot of times that views are epressed an oppinions offered by people we frequently look to as experts in their fields. Be it the wearing of the kilt, or the mowing of the lawn when we need advice ( or sometimes when we don't ) it comes from someone who we either believe to be an expert in the area we are curious about, or that through often eloquent speech leads us to believe they are. Here is a link to an interesting article on the topic and one that got me to thinking about just what is it we look for when looking for an expert? What do we need as qualifiers to a persons expertise? And under what criteria do we lend our trust in these people?

http://digital.timescolonist.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Personally if I am looking for advice in a particular field I want to see some kind of credential and a good amount of experience in that field before I seriously consider their information. If I'm searching for an expert skill set then I want to see some kind of portfolio showing that the persons work is of the quality I'm looking for and that through such I feel I can trust thier ability to lend good solid advice.

So what is it do the rest of you think is important when going after expert advice? What do you look for to lend credibility to the person issuing that advice?

Cheers

[CMcG]

In the academic world, a person considered an expert would usually have earned a doctorate from an established university and publish in peer reviewed journals. To receive a PhD they have to perform original research that gets vetted by people who already have a doctorate to ensure that it meets the standards of their discipline. Journal articles are reviewed anonymously by researchers/professors in the same field to ensure that they are up to snuff, original, and showing expertise in the topic area.

On Xmarks, it is a rather different story.

Some people demonstrate their expertise by sharing photos of themselves or of other kilt wearers. Other people prefer to use a 1000 words in place of a picture.

Not everybody chooses to divulge their off-line identity, so sometimes we only know of their expertise through their active, sustained presence on the forum. Some members give their real names and are also active in the area of Highland attire outside of Xmarks: retailers, kilt-makers, authors, etc.

We are also lucky to have a few people who have deep family traditions of kilt-wearing, whether they live in Scotland or abroad, so they bring not only their own opinions, but also the experience of previous generations. We are lucky to have people who have been wearing the kilt their whole lives despite not having a family kilt tradition and even people who wear the kilt so often -- despite starting to wear the kilt later in life, that they have developed a lot of experience in a short amount of time.

Apparently on a forum like Xmarks, expertise can be defined a bit more broadly than in the academic world

[denmcdough]

In the academic world, a person considered an expert would usually have earned a doctorate from an established university and publish in peer reviewed journals. To receive a PhD they have to perform original research that gets vetted by people who already have a doctorate to ensure that it meets the standards of their discipline. Journal articles are reviewed anonymously by researchers/professors in the same field to ensure that they are up to snuff, original, and showing expertise in the topic area.

On Xmarks, it is a rather different story.

Some people demonstrate their expertise by sharing photos of themselves or of other kilt wearers. Other people prefer to use a 1000 words in place of a picture.

Not everybody chooses to divulge their off-line identity, so sometimes we only know of their expertise through their active, sustained presence on the forum. Some members give their real names and are also active in the area of Highland attire outside of Xmarks: retailers, kilt-makers, authors, etc.

We are also lucky to have a few people who have deep family traditions of kilt-wearing, whether they live in Scotland or abroad, so they bring not only their own opinions, but also the experience of previous generations. We are lucky to have people who have been wearing the kilt their whole lives despite not having a family kilt tradition and even people who wear the kilt so often -- despite starting to wear the kilt later in life, that they have developed a lot of experience in a short amount of time.

Apparently on a forum like Xmarks, expertise can be defined a bit more broadly than in the academic world

***!

Just remember that, on the internet, anyone can be a poser! As for Xmaks, well, there are people 'in the know' and others who just talk a good story. So, with only moderate amount of control on this forum, one can say whatever they want as far as credentials go. Just be careful out there.

[Tobus]

In the academic world, a person considered an expert would usually have earned a doctorate from an established university and publish in peer reviewed journals. To receive a PhD they have to perform original research that gets vetted by people who already have a doctorate to ensure that it meets the standards of their discipline. Journal articles are reviewed anonymously by researchers/professors in the same field to ensure that they are up to snuff, original, and showing expertise in the topic area.

Yep, in most technical or professional fields, it's pretty easy to distinguish the experts from the know-nothings, as the system is generally set up for this purpose. In my field of engineering, the law generally restricts the practice to those who have earned a professional engineering (PE) license. It varies from state to state, but usually requires a degree in engineering, passing a Fundamentals of Engineering exam, 4 years of practical experience working under a licensed engineer, and passing a Principles & Practices exam before one can be licensed to practice engineering. The examinations are set by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), and the licenses are granted by each state's engineering board. And to prove that you are a competent engineer, you affix your professional seal to any document you produce. I'm a licensed engineer in 7 states, and so any time I perform a design in one of those states, I stamp my drawings and calculations with my PE stamp, which is automatically accepted by anyone in the industry as having been completed by a person who is an 'expert' at it.

Maybe the kilt world needs something like this.

[kiltedwolfman]

We are also lucky to have a few people who have deep family traditions of kilt-wearing, whether they live in Scotland or abroad, so they bring not only their own opinions, but also the experience of previous generations. We are lucky to have people who have been wearing the kilt their whole lives despite not having a family kilt tradition and even people who wear the kilt so often -- despite starting to wear the kilt later in life, that they have developed a lot of experience in a short amount of time.

I would agree only slightly to this as having deep or long running traditions would IMO make one an expert only in their tradition and not the subject as a whole. My Great Grandfather came from a long line of Blacksmiths and was considered and expert smith by just about anyone around the province at the time. However his was only one style of smithing in many, so while he may have been an expert in his method he may very well have known only enough of anothers method to be considered a novice. Being top dog in your tradition only makes you an expert in your tradition and arguably not the entire subject.

[tundramanq]

I look for recent practical experiance, knowledge and workmanship. I try to learn something of the field myself in order to seperate the talkers from the doers. Degrees and formal education is a start but does not prove the ability to apply said knowledge to problem solving and creativity. There are just too many experts who are ex-pert. A Phd is a degree in philosophy - aka bullsh*ting.
It was a real eye opener when I had to show a state licensed, Union electician how to reverse the rotation on a 3 phase motor - Aarg!

[CMcG]

Just remember that, on the internet, anyone can be a poser! As for Xmaks, well, there are people 'in the know' and others who just talk a good story. So, with only moderate amount of control on this forum, one can say whatever they want as far as credentials go. Just be careful out there.

Yes, it is always a good idea to take people with a grain of salt... people who come off authoritatively, but are lacking in real expertise, tend over time to reveal their blustering for what it is.

I would agree only slightly to this as having deep or long running traditions would IMO make one an expert only in their tradition and not the subject as a whole. My Great Grandfather came from a long line of Blacksmiths and was considered and expert smith by just about anyone around the province at the time. However his was only one style of smithing in many, so while he may have been an expert in his method he may very well have known only enough of anothers method to be considered a novice. Being top dog in your tradition only makes you an expert in your tradition and arguably not the entire subject.

That is true and I think this is why on Xmarks it is so important to post in the right sub-forum when they are looking to find an expert opinion. Someone might be an expert on THCD but have next to no knowledge on contemporary kilts or vice versa. Neither one of them might be an expert on historical kilts, while a re-enactor or history buff might only have a passing knowledge about bagpiper's uniforms. Etc. Etc. It would be pretty tough to be an expert on the entire subject of kilts, broadly considered

[Bugbear]

Yes, it is always a good idea to take people with a grain of salt... people who come off authoritatively, but are lacking in real expertise, tend over time to reveal their blustering for what it is.



That is true and I think this is why on Xmarks it is so important to post in the right sub-forum when they are looking to find an expert opinion. Someone might be an expert on THCD but have next to no knowledge on contemporary kilts or vice versa. Neither one of them might be an expert on historical kilts, while a re-enactor or history buff might only have a passing knowledge about bagpiper's uniforms. Etc. Etc. It would be pretty tough to be an expert on the entire subject of kilts, broadly considered

I found out the hard and painful way, here on the forum, the experts do not always agree with each other. It's not much fun, as a non-expert, getting stuck in the middle of the disagreements.

[CMcG]

I found out the hard and painful way, here on the forum, the experts do not always agree with each other. It's not much fun, as a non-expert, getting stuck in the middle of the disagreements.

That is a very confusing situation, eh? On the other hand, a hearty disagreement forces people to explain and justify their positions, which can help everyone on Xmarks to further their understanding.

[ForresterModern]

Being an "expert" in something is a fairly nebulous thing to try to put criterion to. I know lots of people who have a lot of education and degrees and other letters after their names who are definitely not experts. It used to be in the medical field that an expert was one who worked at a major academic institution, did clinical as well as laboratory research, published articles, etc... But in my experience that is often NOT the guy/gal you want performing your operation, as laboratory experience does not directly translate into clinical talent. Nowadays the "experts" we seek in medicine are often tucked away in their own little private practice world doing the work and getting paid, albeit well and in an exceptionally efficient fashion, and they are located by word of mouth from those who are also talented in the field but less so than the true "expert". An old joke about medical school and the profession in general: What do you call the guy who graduates at the top of his medical school class ? Valedictorian. What do you call the guy who graduates last in his medical school class? Doctor.

I have testified numerous times as an expert witness in child abuse cases that go to court, despite the fact that my credentials are all experiential rather than academic (I have read all the journal articles and books but written none, however I have thousands of cases of experience, probably more individually than the most famous authors in the field, and lecture regulalry on the subject). Prosecutors used to seek me out as an expert not just because of my knowledge but my ability to explain that information to the judge/jury in an understandable fashion, something I know many of my colleagues cannot successfully do. So who is the expert? The experienced, the academic, the well-written, the educator?

The biggest factor in defining an expert IMHO is that of trust, just exactly how much do you trust the person you are considering an expert to know, be able to do, explain, etc... things in the area of their "expertise"? Your level of trust in them is what determines their level of expertise for your purposes, be that based on credentials, recommendations of others, publications, education experience, field experience, review of their work product, personal interviews or long term relationship with them, etc.... But trust is based on knowledge of any or all these things, and knowledge is the true key----the more you know of this person's background, experience, education, etc...., the more likely you are to be able to make an accurate judgement of their "expertise" in your eyes. This is definitely not a situation where ignorance is bliss.