Asserts that technical communication programs are particularly well positioned to adopt usability testing and research in their curricula because of inherent connections between usability and technical communication, such as their mutual emphases on audience analysis, technology, and information design. Describes approaches to implementation of…

Undertakes to build on a knowledge base and articulate issues involving ITexts (information technologies with texts at their core). Reviews existing foundations for a research program in IText and then scopes out issues for research over the next five to seven years. Directs particular attention to the evolving character of ITexts and to their…

Provides and defends four guidelines as a foundation to study ways to incorporate history into classroom lessons: maintain a continued research interest in teaching history; limit to technical rather than scientific discourse; focus on English-language texts; and focus on American texts, authors, and practices. Works within the guidelines to show…

Discussion of automatic abstracting of technical papers focuses on a knowledge-based method that uses two sets of rules. Topics discussed include anaphora; text structure and discourse; abstracting techniques, including the keyword method and the indicator phrase method; and tools for text skimming. (27 references) (LRW)

Offers advice for those anticipating a career in public relations on maximizing media attention to speeches given by the boss. Suggests ways of meeting the needs of reporters from daily newspapers and professional journals (e.g., give reporters a copy of the speech, write stories about the speech in broadcast and newspaper styles). (DMM)

Analyses concepts from speech act theory to clarify the most effective use of first and second person pronouns in two types of structures frequently found in professional communication: commissives and directives. (KEH)

Argues the need for additional experience in language for social action in contexts where English teachers can provide scaffolding, monitoring and intervention. Concludes that students must have experiences in real writing contexts that lead them to face the linguistic and other demands which will enable them to develop the competencies they need.…

Examines four different approaches to a communication case (the "Kleen Sweep" case), emphasizing that there can be several "right" answers to situational and communication problems. Urges instructors to explore strategies with students, and notes that the openendedness of communication cases is the pre-eminent rationale for…

Explores the problem of sexist language in written communication. Offers a definition of sexist language, and suggests possible solutions for eliminating sex bias in language. Urges technical writing instructors to address the issue in their classes, noting that sexist language can cause serious problems in efforts to communicate effectively. (MM)

Discusses the special training in report writing needed by students majoring in social work (practice in specific report structures, and in certain style matters, including objective word choice, excessive passive voice, and parallel structure in lists). (SR)

Examines the processes an engineer goes through as he/she writes a routine and a non-routine document--processes that are strongly affected by the degree to which his/her company has previously accepted the claims he/she makes as given or as knowledge. Discusses the collaborative nature of work in an organization. (MS)

Argues that career preparation courses often serve only the vocational, not the intellectual and emotional, student needs. Argues that business and technical writing instructors can develop students' thinking skills by teaching them to investigate the history and culture of their chosen careers. (MM)

Describes the use of cases in technical writing and ancient exercises of impersonation and "suasoria." Discusses similarities between the two, and argues that the historical tradition both validates and broadens the uses of this modern methodology. (RS)

Argues against using fiction in an introductory technical communication class. Discusses how the two genres are written and read for different purposes, require different methods of writing, and establish different kinds of relationships between the writer and the reader. (MG)

Describes an in-house writing workshop for mid-level managers, including course design, writing samples (original drafts and revisions), analyses of samples and revisions, and an analysis of a post-workshop survey. Argues that this approach should be used in college composition courses. (MM)