Technical Communication Quarterly Mar 1999

Technical communication from 1950–1998: Where are we now?

Katherine Staples Austin Community College

Abstract

The changes in technical communication education between 1950 and 1998 have led to disciplinary maturity: the development of academic programs and of a body of innovative research. This disciplinary maturity parallels the professional identity and growth of numbers of technical communication practitioners. As a thriving multidiscipline with many direct research and pedagogical connections to the workplace, technical communication can uniquely influence workforce values, providing a new, evolving disciplinary model for higher education. However, technical communication's disciplinary maturity also means a movement away from practice and from the service course, the foundations of technical communication as a discipline and the sources of its workplace influence.

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
1999-03-01
DOI
10.1080/10572259909364656
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
writing pedagogy technical communication
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (12)

  1. Clem et al. (2022)
    Unjust Revisions: A Social Justice Framework for Technical Editing
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Stevens (2022)
    “I Don't Have a Gun Stop Shooting”: Rhetorical Analysis of Law Enforcement Use …
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. Itchuaqiyaq et al. (2021)
    Reviewer as Activist: Understanding Academic Review through Conocimiento
    Rhetoric Review
  4. Dubinsky et al. (2021)
    The Disappearance of Business Communication From Professional Communication Pro…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. Read et al. (2018)
    Hidden in plain sight: findings from a survey on the multi-major professional w…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 12 →
  1. Moran et al. (2011)
    A Bibliography of Works Published in the History of Professional Communication …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Catanio et al. (2010)
    The Effects of Integrating On-Going Training for Technical Documentation Teams
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Moore (2008)
    Cruel Theory? The Struggle for Prestige and its Consequences in Academic Techni…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. (2007)
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication: Looking to the Past to Discove…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  5. Malone (2007)
    Historical Studies of Technical Communication in the United States and England:…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  6. Amant (2003)
    Expanding Internships to Enhance Academic-Industry Relations: A Perspective in …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  7. Faber (2002)
    Professional Identities: What Is Professional about Professional Communication?
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

References (31) · 1 in this index

  1. Adams Katherine H. (1993)
    A History of Professional Writing Programs in American Colleges: Years of Acceptance, Gro…
  2. Anderson Paul (1983)
    New Essays in Scientific and Technical Communication: Research, Theory Practice
  3. Boyer Ernest L. (1990)
    Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professorate
  4. Connors (1982)
    The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Cunningham Donald (1982)
    Technical Writing Teacher
Show all 31 →
  1. Cunningham Donald (1975)
    The Teaching of Technical Writing
  2. Fearing Bertie E. (1995)
    Technical Writing: Theory and Practice
  3. Harris John (1985)
    Technical Writing Teacher
  4. Houp Kenneth W. (1968)
    Reporting Technical Information
  5. Kiester Edwin (1994)
    Smithsonian
  6. Kynell Teresa (1996)
    Writing in a Milieu of Utility: The Move to Technical Communication in American Engineeri…
  7. Lay Mary M. (1995)
    Technical Communication
  8. Mandel Siegfried (1962)
    Proposal and Inquiry Writing: Analysis, Techniques Practice
  9. Mehlenbacher Brad (1993)
    Proceedings: The Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication 20th Annu…
  10. Miller Carolyn (1989)
    Technical Writing: Theory and Practice
  11. Mills Gordon H. (1954)
    Technical Writing
  12. Meyer Paul R. (1997)
    Foundations for Teaching Technical Communication: Theory, Practice, and Program Design
  13. Odell Lee (1985)
    Writing in Nonacademic Settings
  14. Pearsall Thomas E. (1969)
    Audience Analysis for Technical Writing
  15. _____ (1975)
    Teaching Technical Writing: Methods for College English Teachers
  16. Pickett Nell Ann (1994)
    Two‐Year College English: Essays for a New Century
  17. Redish Janice (1995)
    Technical Communication
  18. (1992)
    Profile 92: STC Special Report
  19. _____ (1996)
    Technical Communicator Salary Survey
  20. _____ (1997)
    Technical Communication
  21. Souther James W. (1957)
    Technical Report Writing
  22. _____ (1989)
    Technical Writing: Theory and Practice
  23. Sparrow W. Keats (1983)
    Technical and Business Communication in Two‐Year Programs
  24. Staples Katherine (1997)
    Foundations for Teaching Technical Communication: Theory, Practice, and Program Design
  25. Stevenson Dwight (1981)
    Courses, Components, and Exercises in Technical Communication
  26. Storms Gilbert C. (1984)
    Technical Communication
CrossRef global citation count: 19 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Rhetoric Review Jun 2026
    Rhetoric of Technical Communication and Technical Communication of Rhetoric: Implicit, Explicit, and Contextual Rhetoric in Technical Communication Service Course Pedagogy ↗
    Jeremy Rosselot-Merritt; Jarron Slater
    rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy technical communication
  2. Computers and Composition Mar 2026
    Shifting rhetorical agency in multimodal UX composition with AI: Sharing rhetorical authority with technologies ↗
    Nupoor Ranade; Daniel L. Hocutt
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy technical communication multimodality
  3. 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
  4. Written Communication Jan 2026
    Modeling Writing Processes and Predicting Text Quality in Technical Communication ↗
    Zhijun Gao; Lin Dong; Jiangying Wang
    writing pedagogy assessment technical communication
  5. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2026
    How Biometrics Travel: Reimagining Opt-Out Logics ↗
    Morgan C. Banville; Kimberlyn Harrison
    writing pedagogy technical communication