Presents a bibliography of books, articles, review essays, and reviews on technical writing published in 1999. (SG)

Argues that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer provides a useful theoretical framework from which to discuss ethical issues in the technical communication classroom. Analyzes a previously published case study to demonstrate how hermeneutics can shed light on the ways that writers can be unconscious of ethical problems in their…

Discusses how not only do students of technical writing courses need to learn how to prepare documents for translation properly, but students of translation need to learn technical and academic writing. Gives the example of a course taught at the Technical University of Budapest, Hungary. (SG)

Notes that student writers gain greater insight into the importance of audience by analyzing business documents. Discusses how business writing teachers can help students understand the rhetorical refinements of writing to an audience. Presents an assignment designed to lead writers systematically through an analysis of two advertisements. (SG)

Evaluates Samuel Chandler Earle's 1911 presentation to the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education. Demonstrates Earle's role in the shift of technical writing courses that combined both the goals of an engineering curriculum with the real-world needs of the graduated engineer. Finds that Earle's "Tufts Experiment" provided…

Describes the responsibilities of corporations, managers, professionals, and educators in establishing a successful career path in technical communication. (SR)

Discusses the role of educators, practicing professionals, and students in an active and reciprocal partnership between educators and practicing professionals to serve the professional development of both groups and to improve student preparation for the workplace. (SR)

Discusses three challenges (dealing with program diversity, accommodating conflicting emphases, and precipitating positive change) in evaluating academic technical communication programs. Outlines an approach to program evaluation that redefines the stakeholders to include a wide range of partners in both workplace and academy, and that uses a…

Narrative research, a qualitative research approach, includes a broad range of accounts, from first-person narratives to studies that interpret the stories others tell about their lives. This paper explores the nature of narrative and knowledge building in educational research, the complexities of "good" storytelling, and moral issues…

Discusses Victor Page, one of the first people to make a living as a technical communicator. Focuses on his 33 automotive and aviation books, popular with the public and critics, which contained information on novel technology, profuse illustrations, and easy-to-access information. States that Page published quickly, had firsthand expertise, and…

Studies use of a restricted language, Simplified English (SE), to write procedural documents for specific audiences. Examines the effect of type (SE versus non-SE), passage (A versus B), and native language on the comprehensibility, identification of content location, and task completion of procedure documents for airplane maintenance. Suggests…

Considers how many students walk into the class with an array of technical communicating perspectives that open the door for practical experiences. Believes that a technical communicator employs the ethnographic process for the purpose of creating technical documents. Presents an ethnographic framed assignment that requires a collaboratively…

Focuses on technicalities of writing for publication based on data that assessed the degree of association between various evaluative components and acceptance or rejection of manuscripts during the review process by editors. Suggests knowledge of the common technical writing errors combined with self-control method of behavioral change will aid…

Examines the merit of portfolio evaluation to the establishment of an assessment-centered discourse community and to the creation of a task-oriented pedagogy in the new technical communication service course. Delineates reasons why assessment is important to technical writing. Describes a measurement process for technical writing and the…

Claims technical writing, which emerged during the Renaissance, gained credibility and prestige during the 1641-1700 period. Provides examples and outlines general characteristics of the technical writing of this period. Discusses writings in the major disciplines as well as influences on the development of technical writing. (NH)