In science disciplines, students need sufficient and well-designed support to successfully gain writing competence along the different stages of their writing development. This study examines effective inquiry-based writing pedagogies and the contextualization of scientific writing instruction for supporting student writers in the scientific…

This article details how we integrate Jody Shipka's approach to creativity and rhetorical awareness into a Professional Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology major at the University of South Florida. We situate Shipka's pedagogy alongside postpedagogy, differentiating the latter from postcomposition. In short, we argue that postpedagogy echoes…

Demonstrates how the tragedy of the 1986 space shuttle "Challenger" provides an example of how communication through memos and letters concerning O-ring problems went awry. Presents some methods by which the technical writing teacher might incorporate this material into their writing curricula. (HB)

Investigates how college students in an upper-division professional writing course respond to user input at the draft stage of writing computer documentation. Finds that writers perceive user input in different ways and suggests that draft-stage user testing produces better documentation. (PRA)

Proposes that technical writing teachers have a special responsibility to use their subject matter to advance the critical reasoning processes required in the composing process, the disciplines, and the professions. Suggests 10 critical thinking skills to encourage in technical writing courses. (MS)

Claims that rhetorical voice is strategically vital for persuasion but that it is rarely discussed in business communication textbooks. Identifies aspects of the rhetorical situation that shape voice. Presents a heuristic that writers can use to construct their personae. (HB)

Explores the benefits of a hermeneutic orientation to technical writing instruction. Examines the historical and philosophical sources that have influenced technical writing pedagogy, and describes the usefulness of hermeneutic inquiry and its potential for technical writing teachers. (SG)

Maintains that criteria development--the process of creating standards against which to measure options--is not an objective process, but a subjective one in which criteria need to be revised in light of available options. Revises E. Banset and G. Parsons' problem-solving heuristic to more accurately reflect this subjectivity. (SR)

Explores how word processing affects thinking and writing. Examines two myths surrounding word processors and invention in technical writing. Describes how word processing can enhance invention through collaborative writing, templates, and on-screen outlining. (MM)

Technical writing instructors lack a framework for evaluating pedagogical materials. One framework for classification divides the pedagogical materials into three groups: those locating their heuristics in form, context, and method. Formal pedagogies (the modes, sentence generation) can produce generic writing, separated from audience, purpose,…

In order to make information about technical writing more available, the South Central Modern Language Association (SCMLA) has collected the papers not subject to copyright restrictions that were presented at the technical writing section of its 1987 meeting. The essays cover a wide range of topics in technical writing pedagogy and research. The…

Discusses a means of differentiating pedagogical materials on the basis of heuristics and theory. Discusses and evaluates three pedagogies that locate their heuristics in (1) form, (2) context, and (3) method, and suggests that materials combining pedagogies are the most adaptable. (FL)

For the teaching of business report writing, ethical reasoning can be used as a heuristic for thinking that will encourage a more effective communication pattern for business students. Writing processes can be applied to thinking processes to help students approach theoretical concepts, make decisions, and write more effective business reports. A…

Discusses the problems of deciding whether to use, not use, or revise noun compounds. Presents guidelines that ask writers to weigh the familiarity, efficiency, and stylistic efficacy of the compound against alternatives for particular audiences. (MS)