Journal of Business and Technical Communication Oct 2000

Tactics for Building Images of Audience in Organizational Contexts

Marjorie Rush Hovde Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

Abstract

Discourse theories frequently emphasize the importance of understanding audience but seldom delve into how writers form conceptions of their audiences, especially in organizations. This study examines computer documentation writers’ tactics for conceiving of their audiences. Based on two ethnographic case studies and insights from activity theory, the author describes and evaluates technical communicators’ tactics for understanding audiences, constrained and supported by their organizations. She discusses the advantages and limitations of each tactic, looking at how each tactic might answer questions about audience. This research should be useful to technical communication educators as they expand students’ options for audience research in nonacademic settings. In addition, the findings of this study can enhance theories about the ways writers create images of their audiences.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2000-10-01
DOI
10.1177/105065190001400401
Open Access
Closed
Topics
genre theory multimodality technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Hovde (2010)
    Creating Procedural Discourse and Knowledge for Software Users: Beyond Translat…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (10)

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    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Philbin et al. (1995)
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    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Zimmerman et al. (1993)
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Show all 10 →
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Also cites 8 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/358093
     ↗
  2. Grice, Roger A. (1988)
    Text, Context, and Hypertext: Writing with and for the Computer
     ↗
  3. Kirsch, John (1988)
    Text, Context, and Hypertext: Writing with and for the Computer
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  4. 10.2307/358094
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  5. 10.1177/0893318990003004005
     ↗
  6. 10.2307/461344
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  7. 10.2307/357405
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  8. 10.1109/TPC.1981.6447817
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 8 View in citation network →

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