--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had been writing for about twelve…" description: "\"I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty well how you could find things out, but I had never been trained in an academic way how to go ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/633/david-mccullough-1091_academic_i-had-been-writing-for-about-twelve-year_3205747.png" --- # I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty… ![“I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty well how you could find things out, but I had never been trained in an academic way how to go about the research.” quote by David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/633/david-mccullough-1091_academic_i-had-been-writing-for-about-twelve-year_3205747.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/633/david-mccullough-1091_academic_i-had-been-writing-for-about-twelve-year_3205747.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/633/david-mccullough-1091_academic_i-had-been-writing-for-about-twelve-year_3205747.png) > “I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty well how you could find things out, but I had never been trained in an academic way how to go about the research.” [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He highlights practical experience over formal training in research. **In simple terms:** Experience beats formal training. Key Takeaway Value practical learning. Themes experience self‑education research Mood reflective pragmatic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - self‑directed study - career development Key Concepts informal learning methodology Questions to Reflect On - How can informal learning be validated? - What formal skills complement experience? A Different Perspective Lack of formal training can limit credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academic/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a trained academic. Neither am I a veteran social worker. 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