Would you pass a graphic design certification test?
Certification is currently a topic of debate among graphic designers in the United States and has been for over a decade. Proponents feel it will create value for graphic designers and a minimum standard of professionalism. Their hope is that it will prevent graphic design from becoming a commodity. Opponents feel it's a waste of time and a form of elitism that could create unnecessary boundaries for talented designers.Let's suppose for a moment that proponents of graphic design certification win their argument and the U.S. follows in the footsteps of other countries like Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Denmark. Although design certification models differ between these countries, most require graduation from either a two-year or four-year school and most require a minimum level of experience working in the industry. Some require an exam.The examination board for R.G.D. (Registered Graphic Designers) gives graphic designers in Ontario a written test consisting of approximately 180 multiple choice questions. The test takes approximately 3.5 hours. Following are some sample questions. How well do you think you would do?1) Dimensional software creates objects that are:a. in raster formatb. in RAW formatc. in vector formatd. in CMYK format2) This form of research is built around numbers, logic and objective data:a. formative researchb. exploratory researchc. quantitative researchd. qualitative research3) Which magazine designer was responsible for the influential look of Harper’s Bazaar from 1934-1958?a. Lester Beallb. Alexy Brodovitchc. J. Müller-Brockmannd. Herbert Matter4) Stochastic printing consists of:a. a random pattern of dots varied by frequencyb. a regular pattern of dots varied by frequencyc. a random pattern of dots varied by amplituded. a regular pattern of dots varied by amplitudeSources:http://designcertification.org/http://rgdexamboard.com/the-test/Answers: 1.c, 2.c, 3. b, 4. a
How much do students know about ethics?
In the Spring of 2010 I conducted a survey among undergraduate graphic design students to find out how much they know about ethical issues in graphic design. The results showed that there are many issues they know little or nothing about. Questions concerning licensing fonts, reading terms and conditions for EULAs (End User License Agreements), and correct image use all showed that a high number of students are unsure and unclear about these issues. Of all the respondents, 59% of the students answered “sometimes” when asked if they only use properly licensed fonts and 16% said that they didn’t know what this meant. When asked if they read the legal copy on EULAs, 54% answered “sometimes.” When asked if it’s ok to use images that they find on Google, 23% answered with “I don’t know.” Nearly half of them didn’t know what working on speculation means. Students were confused about issues of sustainability and social responsibility as well.Download a pdf with the all the survey results: emkane_survey_resultsHow much do you think graphic designer students know about ethics?