Discusses six common characteristics and three controversial issues of feminist theory. Traces their impact on the redefinition of technical communication in terms of the myth of scientific objectivity, the new interest in ethnographic studies of workplace communication, and the recent focus on collaborative writing. (SR)

Maintains that an understanding of software development models gives insight into the problems of writers and the teaching of technical communication. Focuses on analogies between the two processes and domains, and suggests concrete ways for writers to proceed beyond analysis. (SR)

Describes an assignment for a business writing course which helps students learn to focus on the reader in persuasive writing. (SR)

Reporting occupies a central place in institutional research but is ongoing and never completed. With automation and data management, the proportion of time spent on either routine or ad hoc reporting should decline. This function need not draw unnecessarily from resources for more interesting work. (MSE)

Describes a practical classroom application of contextual factors, ease-of-use factors, and document design criteria. Offers an assignment which introduces students to the relationship between research and its implementation in document development. (PRA)

Analyzes Herbert C. Hoover's translation of the "De Re Metallica" in the context of the 1922 Mine Strikes. Claims Hoover's interest in Agricola's "intellectual achievements" may have been more than technical. Demonstrates how technical documents reflect political ideologies. (NH)

Discusses a process to guide technical writers engaged in writing a script for a video production on a technical subject. Offers an example of the development of such a script from a video demonstrating a surgical procedure. (SR)

Studies empirically the effects of individualizing form letters by computer on the recipient readers. Suggests that the individualizing of such letters improves compliance over conventional form letters. Offers advice to writers embarking on the development of such an individualized form letter system. (HB)

Examines how power can be a primary determinant of how communication acts are structured. Considers how power affects business memos written by managers to subordinates. Outlines three rhetorical strategies reflecting power in managerial communications. (HB)

Analyzes the metaphorical nature of scientific research papers. Reviews 89 journal articles from the top 400 most-cited documents for the period 1945-88. Show how these articles demonstrate metaphorical constructions in a variety of forms. Provides numerous examples for each mode of metaphor. (HB)

Reviews moments in the history of human factors that are especially relevant to the field of technical communications. Discusses human factors research that is applicable to technical communications. Focuses on qualitative usability research, minimalism, and human activity interface design. (HB)

Demonstrates several different ways to visually display patterns of data. Discusses how the different graphics highlight different information in the data. (SR)

Presents a matrix for writing business memos and describes how it helps students organize memos that are logically complete, internally consistent, and coherent. (SR)

Describes an exercise to help students understand the difference between expressive and neutral text. Examines issues of translation (the author's style, mixed levels of expression from the colloquial to the professional, different norms in the source and target languages) as a means of doing so. (SR)

Introduces this special issue, arguing that because communication practices are changing radically (because of the global transition from a primarily industrial to a knowledge economy) writing requirements for business students must be reexamined so that they reflect what business professionals should know and do in a knowledge economy. (SR)