Discusses gender-difference and gender-sameness theory in workplace communication. Presents an integrated paradigm of gender as only one of many contextually-based factors that characterize an organization's patterns. Critiques the gender-difference and gender-integrated paradigms with five criteria for theory effectiveness and provides an example…

Traces the term "logos" from the ninth to the fourth century B.C. to distinguish between its general meaning and its technical definition within classical rhetoric. Shows that Aristotle's "pistis" of "logos" refers, not to an appeal to logic, but to the argument or speech itself, which reinstates all three proofs of persuasion as legitimate,…

Reviews economic, sociopolitical, and ideological factors that characterize the modern professions and argues that the technical communication field, at best, only partially meets the criteria. Argues that prospects for professional status might be improved by developing a critical consciousness of the processes of professionalization and…

Suggests that effective communication between technical and nontechnical people is difficult because technical communication lacks a personal dimension: technical people give up their identity to be considered competent. Argues that a different approach to communication education for scientists, engineers, and technologists is required to equip…

Investigates how the purpose of three types of business and technical documents (instructions, annual reports, and sales promotional letters) affects the syntactical and rhetorical choices authors make in writing these documents. Outlines partial syntactical and rhetorical "fingerprints" of these documents to offer students norms they can go by in…

Finds that textbook prefaces are used by authors both to help the audience use the book and to convince them of its value, which accounts for relevant features of prefaces: the frequent use of textual metadiscourse and the pervasive presence of evaluation. Discusses evaluative criteria used in prefaces and how they are related to the audience's…

Outlines the processes behind four master tropes (metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony) and demonstrates instances where these tropes occur in the expression of scientific concepts. Shows that rhetorical and literary tropes are necessary components to a linguistic understanding of complex scientific concepts; that such tropes are, in fact,…

Highlights the Islamic influence in Arab business strategies; magnifies the dynamics in the two-way communication process between an Arab speaker and English speaker; demonstrates fundamental differences between English and Arabic; and presents effective strategies for the technical communicator to use when pursuing business with an Arab country,…

Finds significant relationships between computer anxiety and computer/word processing, between computer anxiety and computer electronic discussion group, and between computer anxiety and online computer service among 130 students from a variety of undergraduate rhetoric classes at a large midwestern university. Finds also significant differences…

Analyzes the ethical perspectives of four technical communication textbooks. Argues that the textbooks engage in moralism and in ethics-related activities that deduce moral judgments. Suggests that at least two of the textbooks introduce ideas that are either inconsistent with traditional ethical theories or are subject to previous objections. (RS)

Suggests that academics from professional communication programs can and should use their programs' connections with the workplace to influence practices in the field. Suggests ways to create more bi-directional educational exchanges. (RS)

Demonstrates the advantage of students creating their own Web pages to enhance their awareness of the importance of rhetorical organization. Discusses linking functions, the importance of effective page design, and the kinds of structures and relationships existing within and between information. Compares hypertext writing to regular writing. (CR)

Investigates the process by which individuals at German universities make decisions about opening and reading versus deleting electronic mail. Assesses attitudes toward electronic mail surveys. Indicates that individuals delete mail when the subject line does not interest them or when they do not recognize the name of the sender. Finds favorable…

Argues that examining leaders and leadership techniques is a valid subject for technical and professional writing and communication classes. Describes an assignment for studying leadership and provides related instructional materials. (CR)

Focuses on the nominal expressions in the discourse on management. Finds that these nominals recursively delete not only agent roles but also those of experiencer, object, and goal, and at the same time conflate the interests of researchers and managers. Suggests that management nominals are a particularly intense expression of modernity itself.…