Journal of Business and Technical Communication Apr 1997

Intertextual Connections to “A Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing”

ELIZABETH OVERMAN SMITH

Abstract

Carolyn Miller's “A Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing” serves as an example of text that has influenced the knowledge-making activities within technical communication. The 68 references, or intertextual connections, to “Humanistic Rationale” between 1979 and 1995 demonstrate its influence and show the evolution of technical communication and the issues important to technical communication professionals. The authors respond to questions of the purpose of technical communication, the influence of the canons of rhetoric, the importance of audience, and the impact of social constructionism on technical communication. This analysis of the academic prose surrounding “Humanistic Rationale” reveals part of the discipline's discussions and the “communal rationality” (617) that shapes the activities of its members.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1997-04-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651997011002003
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Topics
classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism technical communication
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (6)

  1. Bourelle et al. (2015)
    Multimodality in the Technical Communication Classroom: Viewing Classical Rheto…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Spigelman et al. (2006)
    Why We Chose Rhetoric: Necessity, Ethics, and the (Re)Making of a Professional …
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Abbott et al. (2005)
    How Academics and Practitioners Evaluate Technical Texts: A Focus Group Study
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. EUBANKS (1999)
    Conceptual Metaphor as Rhetorical Response: A Reconsideration of Metaphor
    Written Communication
  5. Thompson (1999)
    Interpreting Textual Data in Writing Research
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Bushneil (1999)
    A contrary view of the technical writing classroom: Notes toward future discussion
    Technical Communication Quarterly

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CrossRef global citation count: 6 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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