(no subject)

[ewt]

What makes someone an expert on something? What distinguishes an expert from an amateur? I'm not just talking about careers here, but areas of interest as well. When is knowledge the only indicator of expertise, and when to skill and good judgement come in?

[Poll #838240]

Comments

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

I answered 'I am engaged in full-time informal study of my area of expertise' because I don't think working in the field can be regarded as formal study. 'I am actively working, rather than studying, full time in one or more of my fields of expertise' would be a better answer for me.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

*nod* fair enough. I guess what I was looking for is an estimate of the time spent improving the skill or expertise rather than time spent using it wihout improving it. For many skillsets it's very difficult to differentiate between the two, as practise will bring refinement and improvement.

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

For many skillsets it's very difficult to differentiate between the two, as practise will bring refinement and improvement.

Indeed - that's definitely true for me and why I plumped for the radio button I did :-)

Hmmm - I'm now wondering if its possible to use a skill set without getting better at it... I guess some things there is an inevitable decline - footballers don't last into their 40s after all...

[caradea.livejournal.com]

I don't like saying i'm an expert because there's too much stuff out there I don't know.
I'm quite versed in hamster care and knowledgable about common illnesses/diseases/treatments for them but I have no formal training for this so I feel almost illegal in saying that I'm an expert on that.
I'm good at breadmaking by hand and have many hours of handson experience and worked hard to get good at it but there's still many others out there with better knowledge and skills in that area.

I'm quite good at speaking common sense too. Sometimes good at crochet and sewing.

The hamster care stuff is an insane amount of time every week because I run a hamster forum and I'm a member of several other forums where we all discuss important topics daily. I've seen huge developments of trains of thoughts on various subjects and there's always something new out there even on something as inane as keeping hamsters as pets. The breadmaking is a few hours a few times a week, probably in the 8-12hours range as some things are complex and take up most of the day. Crochet and sewing are playing a very minor role at the moment but used to be several hours a day of crocheting, usually freehand/no pattern making up things.

[yady.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the inconsistent seeming answers...

[kake]

I'm now wondering if its possible to use a skill set without getting better at it...

It is, absolutely. It's a common joke among programmers that some people don't have 20 years of experience, they just have one year of experience repeated 20 times.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

I used to spend at least 20 hours a week on it, but that was back when I was still relatively new to it, and also when I was able to spend longer at the computer.

[rzigweid.livejournal.com]

I, like others, don't like answering the 'expert' question. It's a hard one to answer. Many people who would answer yes to this in specific areas, definitely are not. Many are. The cockiness that many show makes it hard to say who is and who isn't.

I also agree with caradea, that there are so much in most areas that are not known, that it's hard to say that one is an expert. Instead, I think when evaluating this, one has to look at their peer group. Who is sought for answers to questions? Who is turning out new research? Who is doing the interesting things in the area? Who speaks in the area with authority? Generally the answers to these questions are at least some of the experts in a field.

[yellowrocket.livejournal.com]

'The cockiness that many show makes it hard to say who is and who isn't.'

Absolutely - I know only too many people who claim expert status on loads of stuff and in fact have very little knowledge.

I tend not to claim expertise in anything much because there's bound to be someone along in a bit who knows more than me, thus making me look like a complete amateur!
Spares the whole, 'You're not really very expert after all, are you?!' thing.

[pplfichi.livejournal.com]

It looks like I'm certainly not alone in feeling uncomfortable about being an "expert" in anything. The first question talks about being a specialist in something rather then an expert - it's easy to be a specialist in something just by specialising in it or doing it a lot, but to be an expert you really need to know your subject and have experience in it to a high standard.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

I treat "expert" in this context as meaning "knows more about a certain area than the average typical person might be expected to know and can talk knowledgeably on the subject". For instance, I know far too much for comfort about how the mental health system works and about all the various antidepressants and psychopharmacology in general, but I'm not a psychiatrist. I'm a very well-read patient who's had over 15 years' experience of the mental health system in this country. That grants a certain level of expertise, even though I don't have any formal qualifications in that area.

[vampwillow]

Whilst I am undoubtedly an "expert" on some esoteric areas I haev always aimed (30+years) to be a "Generalist" which, whilst it seems a dirty word in many english-speaking countries, really shouldn't be. I am really good at taking ideas from one field and applying them to another, or of linking theories or practices which 'specialists' sometimes ignore because it is 'outside [their] field'.

[yellowrocket.livejournal.com]

And a very useful skill it is too :-)

[pfy.livejournal.com]

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -- R. A. Heinlein

I'm working on it, slowly. I think I'll save dying gallantly until last, though.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

*nog*

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I didn't fill out the poll, because I couldn't figure out any way to do so.

First, I can think of myself as more expert than someone else in something, but the idea of rating myself as having an objective level of expertise that makes me "an expert" -- I understand the idea, but I have no idea how to measure myself. I guess, if I found someone who was considered an expert in something, and I found that I was better than that person was in that thing, then I must therefore also be an expert. But I have trouble seeing that in absolute terms, not in comparison with someone else.

There are things which other people think I'm expert at -- bartending, rhetoric, reading people's emotions -- but I don't know how good I am at any of them. I'm pretty good, sure, but expert? I dunno.

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

I would define an expert as satifying the following criteria:

• Knows the subject in depth and in detail, confidently and fluently as a skilled practitioner; and, further, has achieved a level of insight and knowledge of the minute and the obscure that places him in the top 5% of practitioners;
• Other practitioners acknowledge this and seek his or her advice;
• Contributes to discussions by the top experts in his field - we're talking about the Mark Russinovitch or Brian Kernighan of your chosen field, here, people;
• Has made at least some small but original contribution to his that is used by others.

My Origami has become lamentably rusty - although there are probably less than 100 people worldwide who can do two of the folds I have re-mastered - and my MS-Access ubergeekery relates to obsolete software.

There is one other accepted criterion for 'expert' status: published author on the subject. On that basis, I'm not an expert in any of these things!

And yes, I do set the bar rather high: and no, your plumber isn't an expert, he's a skilled and knowledgeable craftsman with the expected competence in his trade. Would a court of law call him as an expert witness? Probably not: they'd call an experienced craftsman who has worked at ground level, at supervisory level, and then as a teacher of others - and even then, they'd look for someone who'd been consulted on or contributed to the accepted teaching texts and safety standards. 'Expert' means more than being good at it and knowing more than I do.

[rzigweid.livejournal.com]

I really cannot find fault in your criteria, with exception of maybe the 5% rule. I also think that this criteria is possibly variable based upon the field. For instance, even a pioneer in a brand new field, might not be considered an expert because of the vast amount of knowledge that remains unknown.

Teaching (both ability and willingness) is another criteria I should think would contribute. It doesn't put someone into the category of expert, but I think not teaching should probably exclude them, even if it is just to one or two other people. Hording knowledge is..bad IMHO.

[polychromatic22.livejournal.com]

Like everyone else, saying that I am an expert in my areas of interest feels... argh.
I read somewhere along the lines of 4-7 books a week, and have for the past 5 years (before that read about 1 or so books a week). In addition, I work in a bookstore. I have a fairly wide knowledge of books. My areas of true expertise on books is somewhat limited, though. Modern lit, pop lit, humor, horror, fantasy, metaphysical. Limited understanding of sci-fi, classic lit, aa lit and studies, business, childrens, young adult and self help. My knowledge of romance, ethnic studies, transportation, media, testing reference and assorted reference, is fairly limited, with an above average knowledge. I do know how to get the information and can get it quickly. I have a far above average understanding of the book industry from the retailing side.
I have spent the last 18 years studying esoteric religions and spiritual practices with a focus on the occult/mysticysm as it pertains to indigenous cultures (or, in the case of judaism, simply the underlying mysticysm of the applied religion). About 30-50% of my learning is informal, with 50-70% being formal study with a teacher or teachers.

There are *many* people with a better understanding of my areas of interest, but I am far above average when it comes to the hobbyist and a goodly percentage of those who consider these their areas of interest.

In general, I tend to be a hobbyist in *many* areas. Cooking, philosophy, psychology, music (listening to, not making), art history, social dynamics, gardening, and many many many more areas. I tend to follow whatever sparks my fancy, and lots sparks my fancy. I'm a crow, I am. New knowledge is shiny.

I am far more likely to call myself a Jill-of-All-Trades than an expert in any one field.

[poggle.livejournal.com]

unfortunately I am a Jack of all trades and a master of none, (as the saying goes) so found it hard to answer your questions. :-(

I have been a stay at home mum for the last 14 years so feel I am not really an expert at anything.

[403.livejournal.com]

I'm an expert-in-training, but not one yet.

[403.livejournal.com]

I'd consider you an expert in child-care - more so than virtually all of the people working in a 'day care' setting, not to mention schools. You've spent 14 years at it, after all.