Technical Communication Quarterly Jul 2004

Is Professional Writing Relevant? A Model for Action Research

Dave Clark

Abstract

Abstract This article argues that engaged "action research" can help professional writing researchers both develop new and interesting collaborative models and help our profession develop a greater relevance to those not reading our journals and attending our conferences. I outline one particular, localized approach in the hope that our troubles, struggles, and failures at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee can help others to develop their own programs and can further our discussion of community engagement.

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
2004-07-01
DOI
10.1207/s15427625tcq1303_5
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
collaborative writing professional writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (24)

  1. Grant (2022)
    Collaborative Tactics for Equitable Community Partnerships Toward Social Justic…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Agboka et al. (2022)
    Curricular Efforts in Technical Communication After the Social Justice Turn
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Edenfield et al. (2021)
    Unlikely allies in preventing sexual misconduct: Student led prevention efforts…
    Communication Design Quarterly
  4. Swacha (2021)
    Living Visual-voice as a Community-based Social Justice Research Method in Tech…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Phelps (2021)
    The Transformative Paradigm: Equipping Technical Communication Researchers for …
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 24 →
  1. Matheson et al. (2020)
    Engaging US Students in Culturally Aware Content Creation and Interactive Techn…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Dayley (2020)
    Student Perceptions of Diversity in Technical and Professional Communication Ac…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Edenfield (2019)
    Research in Cooperatives: Developing a Politically Conscious Research Methodology
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Edenfield et al. (2019)
    Always Already Geopolitical: Trans Health Care and Global Tactical Technical Co…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Swacha (2018)
    “Bridging the Gap between Food Pantries and the Kitchen Table”: Teaching Embodi…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  6. Andersen et al. (2015)
    The Current State of Component Content Management: An Integrative Literature Review
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  7. Walton et al. (2015)
    Values and Validity: Navigating Messiness in a Community-Based Research Project…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Agboka (2014)
    Decolonial Methodologies: Social Justice Perspectives in Intercultural Technica…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  9. Andersen (2014)
    Rhetorical Work in the Age of Content Management: Implications for the Field of…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  10. Agboka (2013)
    Participatory Localization: A Social Justice Approach to Navigating Unenfranchi…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  11. Cuppan et al. (2012)
    Missed Opportunities in the Review and Revision of Clinical Study Reports
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  12. Andersen (2011)
    Component Content Management: Shaping the Discourse through Innovation Diffusio…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  13. Haselkorn et al. (2009)
    The Role of Information and Communication in the Context of Humanitarian Service
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  14. Rice (2009)
    Devising Collective Knowledges for the Technical Writing Classroom: A Course-Ba…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  15. Spilka (2009)
    Practitioner Research Instruction: A Neglected Curricular Area in Technical Com…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  16. Blythe et al. (2008)
    Action Research and Wicked Environmental Problems: Exploring Appropriate Roles …
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  17. Turnley (2007)
    Integrating Critical Approaches to Technology and Service-Learning Projects
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  18. Turnley (2007)
    Integrating Critical Approaches to Technology and Service-Learning Projects
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  19. Mara (2006)
    PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES: Using Charettes to Perform Civic Engagement in Technica…
    Technical Communication Quarterly

References (28)

  1. Blyler Nancy Roundy (1995)
    TCQ 4.3 (
  2. (1998)
    TCQ
  3. Charney Davida (1996)
    CCC 47.4 (
  4. Communication Assessment: Wisconsin State Association of Colored Women's Clubs. Milwaukee: University of Wisc…
  5. "Cultures and Communities." University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee <http://www.uwm.edu/ MilwaukeeIdea/CC/main.htm>…
Show all 28 →
  1. Cushman, Ellen. The Struggle and the Tools: Oral and Literate Strategies in an Inner City Community. Albany: …
  2. (2002)
    CCC 54.1 (
  3. Dicks Stan (2002)
    Reshaping Technical Communication. Ed. Barbara Mirel and Rachel Spilka. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
  4. Doheny-Farina, Stephen. Keynote Address. 2000 Association of Teachers of Technical Writing Conference. Minnea…
  5. -. The Wired Neighborhood. New Haven: Yale UP, 1996.
  6. Faber, Brenton. Community Action and Organizational Change. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2002.
  7. (1999)
    TCQ 8.2 (
  8. Grabill Jeffrey T (2000)
    TCQ 9.1 (
  9. Henry, Jim. Writing Workplace Cultures: An Archaeology of Professional Writing. Carbondale: Southern Illinois…
  10. Herndl Carl (1993)
    CCC
  11. Herzberg Bruce (1997)
    Ed. Linda Adler-Kassner, Robert Crooks, and Ann Watters. Urbana: NCTE
  12. Hessler Brooke (2000)
    Language and Learning Across the Disciplines. 4.3 (
  13. Katz Steven B (1992)
    CE 54.3 (
  14. Kirsch, Gesa. Ethical Dilemmas in Feminist Research: The Politics of Location, Interpretation, and Publicatio…
  15. "A Legacy of Strength." Women of Vision Young Adult Club <http://www.expert.cc.purdue.edu/!wov/ NACWCHistory.…
  16. Longo Bernadette (1998)
    TCQ 7.1 (
  17. Porter James E (2000)
    CCC 51.4 (
  18. Sullivan Patricia (1993)
    JBTC 7.4 (
  19. Sullivan, Patricia, and James E. Porter. Opening Spaces: Writing Technologies and Critical Research Practices…
  20. Smart, Graham. "Technical Communication: A Discipline in Need of More Empirical Inquiry." Proceedings of the2…
  21. Winsor, Dorothy. Writing Power: Communication in an Engineering Center. Albany: State U of New York P, 2003.
  22. "Writing Workplace Cultures." Southern Illinois University Press <http://www.siu.edu/~siupress/titles/00title…
  23. Zachry, Mark. "The Reach of Research in Our Field." Online posting. 23 Apr. 2003. ATTW listserv.
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 29 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Journal of Business and Technical Communication Mar 2026
    Intercultural Communication in Technical and Professional Communication Classrooms: UNITE Strategies to Support Instructors’ Implementation of Intercultural Communication Collaborations ↗
    Saveena (Chakrika) Veeramoothoo; Brandi Fuglsby
    collaborative writing professional writing
  2. Written Communication Mar 2026
    Faculty and Administrator Perceptions of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Writing: Practices, Challenges, and Support Structures ↗
    Stephen Carradini; Ed Nagelhout
    collaborative writing professional writing labor and working conditions qualitative research
  3. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Mar 2026
    Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Study of Students’ and LSPs’ Perceptions of Translation Internships ↗
    Shuang Liu
    collaborative writing assessment professional writing empirical research
  4. Journal of Writing Research Feb 2026
    Can ChatGPT do the same? ChatGPT and professional editors compared ↗
    Daniël Janssen; Henri Raven; Lisanne Van Weelden; Yohannes Den Hertog
    writing pedagogy argument collaborative writing professional writing quantitative research artificial intelligence
  5. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments Jan 2026
    A Murder Most Technical: Gamification, AI, and Rhetorical Genre Studies in the Technical Writing Classroom ↗
    Justin Cook
    genre theory writing pedagogy service learning teacher development argument collaborative writing technical communication professional writing