Single sourcing through a content management system (CMS) is altering technical communication practices in many organizations, including institutions of higher education. Open source software (OSS) solutions are currently among the most popular content management platforms adopted by colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. The…

Teachers often test course materials by using them in class. Usability testing provides an alternative: teachers receive student feedback and revise materials "before" teaching a class. Case studies based on interviews and observations with two teaching assistants who usability tested materials before teaching introductory technical writing…

Content analysis is a powerful empirical method for analyzing text, a method that technical communicators can use on the job and in their research. Content analysis can expose hidden connections among concepts, reveal relationships among ideas that initially seem unconnected, and inform the decision-making processes associated with many technical…

One goal of college technical writing courses is to prepare students for real-world writing situations. Business writing textbooks function similarly, using guidelines, sample assignments, and model documents to help students develop rhetorical strategies to use in the workplace. Students attend class, or read and perform exercises in a textbook,…

Offers a case study examining what happened when a production worker tried to improve manufacturing documentation, and how her success depended upon both her craft knowledge and the rhetorical skills she attributes to a Writing Across the Curriculum program she experienced in college. (SR)

Argues that Truman Capote's nonfiction novel "In Cold Blood" serves as a case study of a psychopath through its close examination of the entire constellation of antisocial personality traits of the murderer, Richard Hickock. Suggests this best-seller conforms to established medical authority while maintaining its popular appeal. (NH)

States that participants in a qualitative case study of nonacademic R&D authors thought their reports were more informative than persuasive. Describes how three definitions of "persuasion" emerged. Concludes that most of the participants felt they owed a greater debt to their subject matter rather than the audience; some participants argued that…

Examines the controversy surrounding a 1983 government research report that found that male commanding officers in the United States Navy customarily wrote differently in fitness reports about women than in fitness reports about men. Critiques the writing of several groups, including male and female commanding officers, male newspaper editors, and…

Describes a study in which two groups of students read the same case study presented either in paper form or on a computer using visuals and decision paths. Concludes that the students using the computer version performed somewhat better at choosing the correct final memo paragraph but that neither the computer nor the traditional method was…

Uses a particular case study to demonstrate the usefulness of the case method of teaching within the context of technical writing and business communication courses. (SR)

Describes how professional writers from Bell Northern Research, enrolled in a professional writing program, designed a quick reference guide for in-house use, and then provided a theoretical framework to ground and explain their visual design choices. Offers the instructor's theoretical reflections on how visual design can motivate readers to read…

Describes a basic unit on ethics for technical communicators and offers suggestions on how to go about teaching the unit. Includes a brief definition of ethics, an explanation of the employee's three basic obligations, ways to analyze common dilemmas in technical communication, the role of the code of conduct, and a case study. (SR)

Applies rhetorical theory to newsletters produced by two political-activist organizations. Illustrates applications of schema theory, social construction, and theories about audience to newsletters with sample passages. (KEH)

Reviews a debate among Roman rhetoricians over declamation, an early case study method. Appraises contemporary concerns about the value of case study as a stimulant to problem-solving skills, its ability to imitate realistic circumstances of business and technical writing, and its emphasis on persona and audience along with its deemphasis of the…

Describes the design and evaluation of a formal writing assessment program within a technical writing course. Attempts to evaluate student writing at the conclusion of such a course. Addresses fundamental issues of sound assessment, including reliability and validity. Presents assessment guidelines for technical writing teachers. (HB)