Written Communication Oct 2016

Composing Networks: Writing Practices on Mobile Devices

Jason Swarts North Carolina State University

Abstract

This article is an investigation of composing practices through which people create networks with mobile phones. By looking through the lens of actor-network theory, the author portrays the networking activity of mobile phone users as translation, what Latour describes as an infralanguage to which different disciplinary perspectives can be appended. Given how much mobile phone use is information-based, the author describes how five people composed on mobile phones to create coordinated networks of professional and domestic activity. To arrive at this discussion, the author first considers the objectives of mobile networking, which include creating a sense of place and coordination within that space. The author then describes the findings of a case study of mobile phone users who build translational networks. The discussion focuses on the participants’ composing practices.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2016-10-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088316666807
CompPile
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
qualitative research place and space
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (9)

  1. Caravella et al. (2026)
    Accessibility in virtual reality: A multimodal user experience framework for co…
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  2. Shivener et al. (2025)
    Writing in Virtual Reality: Understanding Invention, Collaboration, and Frictio…
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  4. Spinuzzi (2023)
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  5. Schneier (2023)
    Modeling Mobile Writing: Applying Sociocognitive Models of Writing to Mobile Contexts
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  1. Nissi et al. (2022)
    Digital Documenting Practices: Collaborative Writing in Workplace Training
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  2. Pihlaja et al. (2020)
    Navigating Messy Research Methods and Mentoring Practices at a Bilingual Resear…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Pihlaja (2020)
    Inventing Others in Digital Written Communication: Intercultural Encounters on …
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  4. Spinuzzi et al. (2018)
    Articulating Problems and Markets: A Translation Analysis of Entrepreneurs’ Eme…
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