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The role of communication in exploration geochemistry
Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 19 ( 1 9 8 3 ) 1--5
1
Elsevier Science P u b l i s h e r s B.V., A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
Presidential Address THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN EXPLORATION GEOCHEMISTRY
K E N N E T H A. L O V S T R O M *
President, Association of Exploration Geochemists
I would like to take the o p p o r t u n i t y of this outgoing presidential address to briefly touch upon a subject most people either take for granted or fear with a passion. Communications, specifically technical communications -the verbal or written exchange of information. By virtue of our very existence we communicate constantly. However, technical communications require a specialized skill, instinctive to few, developed by some and ignored by others. My objective is to outline several important areas of technical communications which for m a n y reasons, and by many people, may be taken for granted. I propose that my comments be taken as food for t h o u g h t rather than hostile criticism for I will be the first to admit, that my communication skills need polishing. The first section of m y address will deal with the written, spoken and visual word. I then wish to make some comments regarding internal and external communications by the mining industry. The fact t h a t our technological society has produced a communication dilemma needs little elaboration. Most of us are painfully aware of it and seek answers to specific questions and problems that we encounter day to day. One whole area of problems and questions is involved in what is termed technical communications. As scientists and engineers we can very well appreciate the enormous role technical communications plays in our everyday activities. This includes such tasks as selling a proposal or service to management, preparing and presenting a technical paper; m o n t h l y reporting of progress or communicating technical information to the non-technician, better known as public relations. Obvious to these tasks are two major aspects of technical communications, writing and speaking, that play a role in the success or failure of our everday professional activities. First, a brief word about technical writing. It isn't that some scientists and engineers can't write -- they just prefer to carry on a peaceful coexistence with the English language. On the whole scientific articles are better written than those of many other professions. Proper instruction and
* P r e s e n t address: A m a x E x p l o r a t i o n Inc., 1 2 6 2 0 W. C e d a r Drive, L a k e w o o d , CO 8 0 2 2 8 , U.S.A.
0375-6742/83/$03.00
© 1 9 8 3 Elsevier S c i e n c e P u b l i s h e r s B.V.
sufficient motivation play an important role in effective writing. However, some writers must face the fact that open hostility towards writing may damage a project or career. The ability to coexist with what may be looked upon as a necessary evil will go a long way. Report writing as y e t cannot be relegated to a computer; it still is an integral part of the human factor in every technical investigation. To the outsider, it seems perhaps odd that some scientists, trained in an orderly approach to problem solving, should have trouble with writing. There are probably numerous reasons for such difficulty. One such reason is that m a n y seldom plan a writing assignment with the same care that is p u t into planning the technical end of a project. A writing assignment is a practical problem in communications. It makes no sense to handle all of the writing tasks in one gigantic effort at the end. Many tasks can be accomplished more efficiently during the project, when information is fresh and motivation is high. The general organization and format of a report can be determined while keeping in mind the identity of the audience and its needs. When identifying an audience, terminology is an i m p o r t a n t consideration. To tell a technical writer though to avoid technical terms would seem like heresy of a sort. In our September, 1981 Newsletter, Ian Thomson very aptly points out t h a t exploration geochemistry has developed its own jargon of scientific and pseudoscientific terms. Many terms have been incorporated from other scientific disciplines to cope with situations unique to exploration geochemistry. However, if an effort is made to avoid total use of jargon, only the essential words will be used and the writer will make certain that these terms are clearly understood. The writing of a technical report most often is followed.by oral presentation of that material. Whether it be to an audience of one or an audience of hundreds. Writing and speaking are n o t the same. Technical presentations, or relating technical information to an audience, is perhaps one of the most difficult communicating skills to master. Most often our formal educational experiences fail to provide adequate training in the principles of audience communications. The presentation of a thesis project or assistant teaching provide some students with basic communication skills. However, bad habits may be developed and go uncorrected. University undergraduate and graduate programs might well consider the requirement of a technical speaking class to begin early the development of public speaking skills. Most of us acquire and develop public speaking skills during our professional careers. However, how m a n y times have y o u listened to a technical presentation and wondered what the speaker was trying to get across? The success of any oral presentation is dependent upon the listener being introduced to the subject and brought along, step by step, with the speaker's argument. It is helpful to remember that a reader may scan a paper and then go back for details -- a listener cannot.
I'd like to turn now to a frequent problem with technical presentations -visual aids. Improper use of visual aids has long been a pet peeve of mine and I'm sure to m a n y in this audience. The proper use of visual aids in a technical presentation can serve a number of functions. These might include to: increase interest, generate and hold attention or clarify an idea. Since the visual impact is more effective than the oral one the 35 m m slide is frequently used in technical presentations. However, if a picture is worth a thousand words, y e t no one is physically able to see it, think of what is lost. All too often poorly prepared or complicated slides lose captive audiences and distract from the oral presentation. Many presenters try to make their slides do what properly belongs in printed material. Slides of numerous multi-element data or detailed geologic maps are of little value as a visual aid to a large audience. A far more effective slide would be a summary of a data set or a generalized geologic map utilizing two or three eye pleasing colors. Whenever possible, speakers should carefully consider the design and use of visual aids. Many companies, universities or governmental agencies provide services for their design and preparation. Considerable time and m o n e y is spent in conducting research and writing a report. A proportionate effort should be spent in the preparation of visual aids. To some the foregoing may have been subjects of auxiliary interest, perhaps n o t w o r t h y of a presidential address. To others I may have brought to life a hibernating concern. My purpose was to bring into focus communicating skills which, when utilized properly, can serve to improve a public relations problem within our industry. The mineral industry reflects the increasing rate of change of the world in which we live and faces considerable uncertainty. Few industries are more vital to the increasing world population and its demand for metals. The closing of the gap between scientific discovery, technological creation and commercial gain may well accelerate in the decades ahead. But is the world's population ready? Is the mining industries public image high enough to assure adequate exploration and production in the future? In general I believe the answer is no. There appears t o d a y to be a sobering lack of general mining awareness by the public. Few people realize t h a t w i t h o u t the world's resources and the ability to mine and process them, we could have n o t achieved the standard of living of the 80's. In addition, maintaining national securities and independence would be indeed difficult w i t h o u t production of basic raw materials. This story needs to be told to the public. But is it adequately being told? Government regulations and public opinions have created m a n y stumbling blocks to the mineral industries efforts to meet world demands. Many surveys have been taken to discern the public's attitude towards mining. A typical response might be " M y lifestyle is unaffected or only slightly affected by mining p r o d u c t i o n . " J o h n Q. Public might well answer that
mining did n o t affect his lifestyle. "I have a w o o d s t o v e " he would respond. apparently oblivious to the composition of the stove itself. The maintenance of our natural environment, wilderness areas and pristine shorelines, must be in balance with our need to develop vital naturai resources. Little emphasis has been placed upon the fact that the mining industry opened up much of the previously unexplored regions of the world. With effective public relations programs, the mining industry could point out to the public that there is room for both mining and for the e n j o y m e n t of an area's beauty, with a bit of compromise on each side. As I mentioned earlier, communicating technical information to the nontechnical must be an important aspect of our scientific responsibility. Today's mining industry faces unprecedented public questioning on matters previously considered unimportant. The days are long gone when scientific research, development and applications were carried o u t in the "Black Box Environment". In today's mining environment it is more important than ever to convince people of the truth and wisdom of what we say. We have many stories to tell and we must learn h o w to tell them. H o w then might the exploration geochemist or geologist help achieve this communications goal? Looking towards the future we can start n o w by properly educating our youth. Presentations to primary and secondary science classes in our schools will help carry industries' message to the public. Educating secondary school teachers, such as the Colorado Mining Association's special summer course or the CIM's Speakers Bureau serve the purpose of providing teachers with a working knowledge of the mining industry and its importance to world economy. The education of citizens who live and work within active exploration and mining communities is rapidly becoming an integral part of c o m p a n y projects. Many forums exist where technical information can be effectively transferred to the public. Within the realm of government policy and regulatory agencies, active communication must be a high priority objective. To achieve this objective, dialogue from the mineral industry must be completely open and allow for inherent public and political reaction. Mining project costs, therefore, should include adequate funds for communications with employees, local communities and regulatory agencies. Industry lobbying groups such as the Mining Association of Canada or the American Mining Congress should receive wholehearted support from the industry in general and specific input from its scientists. With this concerted effort we can begin to change the fact that more than 200 years of modern mining development has taken place with little realization by the public that the mining industry contributes much to each of us each day. I have to this point dealt with external communications and the mining industry. Let's now, for a moment, consider internal communications. Within our complex industry secrecy and competition sometimes dictates policy which can limit discussion and collaboration. Considerable overlap exists between the role of universities, governments
and industry in the search for and development of our natural resources. Historically, universities concerned themselves with training and research, while governments conducted regional surveys. Theoretically, industry incorporated research and regional data to develop workable programs. Today, however, there is considerable repetition of effort, much of which goes unnoticed. To take this dilemma one step further, consider perhaps the duplication of effort within a university, a government agency or an exploration and mining company. Communication is ultimately considered by m a n y as a one-on-one proposition. With this h u m a n element playing such an important role, it may explain some of the shortfalls in internal communications. We as scientists must be more straightforward and open in our professional relationships with our colleagues t h r o u g h o u t the mineral industry. The realm of technical communications plays an enormous role in the everyday activities of our profession. Begrudgingly by some and enthusiastically by others we a t t e m p t to get the " w o r d " out, whether it be the written, spoken or visual word. Many pitfalls c o n f r o n t this a t t e m p t but must be overcome. Our charge as scientists must be a conscious, concentrated effort to continually improve our technical communications.
1
Elsevier Science P u b l i s h e r s B.V., A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
Presidential Address THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN EXPLORATION GEOCHEMISTRY
K E N N E T H A. L O V S T R O M *
President, Association of Exploration Geochemists
I would like to take the o p p o r t u n i t y of this outgoing presidential address to briefly touch upon a subject most people either take for granted or fear with a passion. Communications, specifically technical communications -the verbal or written exchange of information. By virtue of our very existence we communicate constantly. However, technical communications require a specialized skill, instinctive to few, developed by some and ignored by others. My objective is to outline several important areas of technical communications which for m a n y reasons, and by many people, may be taken for granted. I propose that my comments be taken as food for t h o u g h t rather than hostile criticism for I will be the first to admit, that my communication skills need polishing. The first section of m y address will deal with the written, spoken and visual word. I then wish to make some comments regarding internal and external communications by the mining industry. The fact t h a t our technological society has produced a communication dilemma needs little elaboration. Most of us are painfully aware of it and seek answers to specific questions and problems that we encounter day to day. One whole area of problems and questions is involved in what is termed technical communications. As scientists and engineers we can very well appreciate the enormous role technical communications plays in our everyday activities. This includes such tasks as selling a proposal or service to management, preparing and presenting a technical paper; m o n t h l y reporting of progress or communicating technical information to the non-technician, better known as public relations. Obvious to these tasks are two major aspects of technical communications, writing and speaking, that play a role in the success or failure of our everday professional activities. First, a brief word about technical writing. It isn't that some scientists and engineers can't write -- they just prefer to carry on a peaceful coexistence with the English language. On the whole scientific articles are better written than those of many other professions. Proper instruction and
* P r e s e n t address: A m a x E x p l o r a t i o n Inc., 1 2 6 2 0 W. C e d a r Drive, L a k e w o o d , CO 8 0 2 2 8 , U.S.A.
0375-6742/83/$03.00
© 1 9 8 3 Elsevier S c i e n c e P u b l i s h e r s B.V.
sufficient motivation play an important role in effective writing. However, some writers must face the fact that open hostility towards writing may damage a project or career. The ability to coexist with what may be looked upon as a necessary evil will go a long way. Report writing as y e t cannot be relegated to a computer; it still is an integral part of the human factor in every technical investigation. To the outsider, it seems perhaps odd that some scientists, trained in an orderly approach to problem solving, should have trouble with writing. There are probably numerous reasons for such difficulty. One such reason is that m a n y seldom plan a writing assignment with the same care that is p u t into planning the technical end of a project. A writing assignment is a practical problem in communications. It makes no sense to handle all of the writing tasks in one gigantic effort at the end. Many tasks can be accomplished more efficiently during the project, when information is fresh and motivation is high. The general organization and format of a report can be determined while keeping in mind the identity of the audience and its needs. When identifying an audience, terminology is an i m p o r t a n t consideration. To tell a technical writer though to avoid technical terms would seem like heresy of a sort. In our September, 1981 Newsletter, Ian Thomson very aptly points out t h a t exploration geochemistry has developed its own jargon of scientific and pseudoscientific terms. Many terms have been incorporated from other scientific disciplines to cope with situations unique to exploration geochemistry. However, if an effort is made to avoid total use of jargon, only the essential words will be used and the writer will make certain that these terms are clearly understood. The writing of a technical report most often is followed.by oral presentation of that material. Whether it be to an audience of one or an audience of hundreds. Writing and speaking are n o t the same. Technical presentations, or relating technical information to an audience, is perhaps one of the most difficult communicating skills to master. Most often our formal educational experiences fail to provide adequate training in the principles of audience communications. The presentation of a thesis project or assistant teaching provide some students with basic communication skills. However, bad habits may be developed and go uncorrected. University undergraduate and graduate programs might well consider the requirement of a technical speaking class to begin early the development of public speaking skills. Most of us acquire and develop public speaking skills during our professional careers. However, how m a n y times have y o u listened to a technical presentation and wondered what the speaker was trying to get across? The success of any oral presentation is dependent upon the listener being introduced to the subject and brought along, step by step, with the speaker's argument. It is helpful to remember that a reader may scan a paper and then go back for details -- a listener cannot.
I'd like to turn now to a frequent problem with technical presentations -visual aids. Improper use of visual aids has long been a pet peeve of mine and I'm sure to m a n y in this audience. The proper use of visual aids in a technical presentation can serve a number of functions. These might include to: increase interest, generate and hold attention or clarify an idea. Since the visual impact is more effective than the oral one the 35 m m slide is frequently used in technical presentations. However, if a picture is worth a thousand words, y e t no one is physically able to see it, think of what is lost. All too often poorly prepared or complicated slides lose captive audiences and distract from the oral presentation. Many presenters try to make their slides do what properly belongs in printed material. Slides of numerous multi-element data or detailed geologic maps are of little value as a visual aid to a large audience. A far more effective slide would be a summary of a data set or a generalized geologic map utilizing two or three eye pleasing colors. Whenever possible, speakers should carefully consider the design and use of visual aids. Many companies, universities or governmental agencies provide services for their design and preparation. Considerable time and m o n e y is spent in conducting research and writing a report. A proportionate effort should be spent in the preparation of visual aids. To some the foregoing may have been subjects of auxiliary interest, perhaps n o t w o r t h y of a presidential address. To others I may have brought to life a hibernating concern. My purpose was to bring into focus communicating skills which, when utilized properly, can serve to improve a public relations problem within our industry. The mineral industry reflects the increasing rate of change of the world in which we live and faces considerable uncertainty. Few industries are more vital to the increasing world population and its demand for metals. The closing of the gap between scientific discovery, technological creation and commercial gain may well accelerate in the decades ahead. But is the world's population ready? Is the mining industries public image high enough to assure adequate exploration and production in the future? In general I believe the answer is no. There appears t o d a y to be a sobering lack of general mining awareness by the public. Few people realize t h a t w i t h o u t the world's resources and the ability to mine and process them, we could have n o t achieved the standard of living of the 80's. In addition, maintaining national securities and independence would be indeed difficult w i t h o u t production of basic raw materials. This story needs to be told to the public. But is it adequately being told? Government regulations and public opinions have created m a n y stumbling blocks to the mineral industries efforts to meet world demands. Many surveys have been taken to discern the public's attitude towards mining. A typical response might be " M y lifestyle is unaffected or only slightly affected by mining p r o d u c t i o n . " J o h n Q. Public might well answer that
mining did n o t affect his lifestyle. "I have a w o o d s t o v e " he would respond. apparently oblivious to the composition of the stove itself. The maintenance of our natural environment, wilderness areas and pristine shorelines, must be in balance with our need to develop vital naturai resources. Little emphasis has been placed upon the fact that the mining industry opened up much of the previously unexplored regions of the world. With effective public relations programs, the mining industry could point out to the public that there is room for both mining and for the e n j o y m e n t of an area's beauty, with a bit of compromise on each side. As I mentioned earlier, communicating technical information to the nontechnical must be an important aspect of our scientific responsibility. Today's mining industry faces unprecedented public questioning on matters previously considered unimportant. The days are long gone when scientific research, development and applications were carried o u t in the "Black Box Environment". In today's mining environment it is more important than ever to convince people of the truth and wisdom of what we say. We have many stories to tell and we must learn h o w to tell them. H o w then might the exploration geochemist or geologist help achieve this communications goal? Looking towards the future we can start n o w by properly educating our youth. Presentations to primary and secondary science classes in our schools will help carry industries' message to the public. Educating secondary school teachers, such as the Colorado Mining Association's special summer course or the CIM's Speakers Bureau serve the purpose of providing teachers with a working knowledge of the mining industry and its importance to world economy. The education of citizens who live and work within active exploration and mining communities is rapidly becoming an integral part of c o m p a n y projects. Many forums exist where technical information can be effectively transferred to the public. Within the realm of government policy and regulatory agencies, active communication must be a high priority objective. To achieve this objective, dialogue from the mineral industry must be completely open and allow for inherent public and political reaction. Mining project costs, therefore, should include adequate funds for communications with employees, local communities and regulatory agencies. Industry lobbying groups such as the Mining Association of Canada or the American Mining Congress should receive wholehearted support from the industry in general and specific input from its scientists. With this concerted effort we can begin to change the fact that more than 200 years of modern mining development has taken place with little realization by the public that the mining industry contributes much to each of us each day. I have to this point dealt with external communications and the mining industry. Let's now, for a moment, consider internal communications. Within our complex industry secrecy and competition sometimes dictates policy which can limit discussion and collaboration. Considerable overlap exists between the role of universities, governments
and industry in the search for and development of our natural resources. Historically, universities concerned themselves with training and research, while governments conducted regional surveys. Theoretically, industry incorporated research and regional data to develop workable programs. Today, however, there is considerable repetition of effort, much of which goes unnoticed. To take this dilemma one step further, consider perhaps the duplication of effort within a university, a government agency or an exploration and mining company. Communication is ultimately considered by m a n y as a one-on-one proposition. With this h u m a n element playing such an important role, it may explain some of the shortfalls in internal communications. We as scientists must be more straightforward and open in our professional relationships with our colleagues t h r o u g h o u t the mineral industry. The realm of technical communications plays an enormous role in the everyday activities of our profession. Begrudgingly by some and enthusiastically by others we a t t e m p t to get the " w o r d " out, whether it be the written, spoken or visual word. Many pitfalls c o n f r o n t this a t t e m p t but must be overcome. Our charge as scientists must be a conscious, concentrated effort to continually improve our technical communications.