Discussion of supportive text in hypermedia programs focuses on the motivational aspects of supportive text for young users. An example using the historical novel "Johnny Tremain," by Esther Forbes, is used to show how motivationally supportive text can encourage associative learning and show cross-disciplinary linkages of ideas and…

Examines the means by which women convey their authority in scholarly publications. Analyzes a sample of women's scholarship in technical communication journals. Considers whether traditional writing features conflict with traits associated with "women's ways" of knowing. Suggests areas for future research. (HB)

Described are student/consultant reports, turned in as homework, that reflected their abilities to distinguish useful from irrelevant information, solve the underlying calculus extremum problem, and reconcile the individual mathematical solutions with the ethical considerations surrounding the moral dilemma of the hypothetical consulting client.…

Describes a business communication classroom project designed to provide students with a framework for making ethical decisions and then to apply effective writing skills to communicate these decisions to someone inside or outside the organization. (SR)

A six-week course in scientific writing and publishing at the University of Florida College of Medicine covered prose, syntax, and writing style, construction of scientific papers, and the submission and review process. An advanced course is now offered due to heavy demand. Materials include scientific writing texts, comprehensive syllabi, and…

Analyzed personal pronoun use in 36 scientific journal articles, focusing on how use of personal pronouns may reveal writers' perceptions of their own role in research and their relationship with expected readers and the scientific/academic community. Use of first-personal plural pronouns was most common, with a number of semantic references and…

A random survey (with 25 followup interviews) asked 150 California high-school teachers to describe differences in their classrooms since students began using the Internet. Students are excited about using computers and actively engaged in finding and discussing information and writing reports. Teachers serve as motivators and learning guides.…

Describes a problem-based course structure (that focuses on problem solving, critical thinking, and team skills) for an upper-level business writing course that allows both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Native English-speaking students the opportunity to improve communication abilities in cross-cultural work groups. Discusses cooperative…

A law professor advises students on how to write effective publishable articles, beginning with choice of a claim and continuing with organizing the article; writing and rewriting, coherence, cohesion, and perspective; converting practical work (such as law firm memos) into student articles; publishing; and publicizing the article. (MSE)

Discusses the productivity and work days of white collar workers. Topics include productivity improvement; task analysis; the amount of time spent reading, and how to reduce it by improving writing skills; time spent in meetings; empowered time management; and sustaining a climate for change. (LRW)

The growth of international online access has given rise to a new production method--international outsourcing--that has important implications for technical communication practices. Successful interactions within international outsourcing require individuals to understand how cultural factors could affect online interactions. Today's technical…

While research in international technical communication has flourished during the last 10 years, there has been little published on technical communication programs outside the United States. This article addresses this need by describing 12 representative academic technical communication programs in Germany, including Germany's first master's…

The marginalization of business writing as a discipline has been traced to a lack of research and to the fact that many in the field teach in business departments that do not value the work of scholars in English studies. One way out of this position may be an act of disciplinary border crossing--aligning the field of business writing with…

Building upon a related 2005 panel presentation at the 25th annual Lilly Conference on College Teaching, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, the authors, several tenure-track assistant professors and tenured associate professors who have participated in a Research and Teaching Faculty Learning Community at Bowling Green State University, share their…

This article examines the experiences of advanced students and of graduates in a nontraditional MA in professional writing program to discover how faculty may assure student success in professional writing occupations. The study investigates the knowledge domains and habits of mind that foster student success in writing. The research is the…