Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 1996

Competence and Critique in Technical Communication

ISABELLE THOMPSON

Abstract

This study uses qualitative content analysis to discuss current perspectives in technical communication pedagogy. It examines the 1990-94 issues of five major scholarly journals—a collection of 563 articles—to identify 98 articles mentioning teaching in undergraduate technical communication courses. Influenced by differing theoretical and practical approaches, the 98 articles were classified according to four pedagogical perspectives: (1) the functional perspective, based on empirical research and workplace experience; (2) the rhetorical perspective, based on scholarship in the humanities and influenced by rhetorical theory; (3) the ideological perspective, also based on scholarship in the humanities but influenced by critical theory; and (4) the intercultural and feminist perspective, a bridging perspective based on both empirical research and critical theory. This article discusses the four perspectives in terms of the educational goals of communicative competence (the ability to use language to succeed in the workplace) and social critique (the ability to question existing social structures and to envision cultural change).

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1996-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651996010001003
Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical theory empirical research technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Thompson et al. (2000)
    Learning-To-Communicate and Communicating-To-Learn in Veterinary Medicine: A Su…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (41)

  1. Sauer (1994)
    Sexual dynamics of the profession: Articulating the<i>ecriture masculine</i>of …
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Gerson et al. (1994)
    Meeting Corporate Needs: How Technical Writing can Prepare Students for Today's…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Inkster (1994)
    Rhetoric of the classroom: The exigencies of the technical writing class as top…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Brown (1994)
    Facing Multiple Audiences in Engineering and R&amp;D Writing: The Social Contex…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Elliot et al. (1994)
    The Assessment of Technical Writing: A Case Study
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 41 →
  1. Jordan (1994)
    Toward Plain Language: A Guide to Paraphrasing Complex Noun Phrases
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Sides (1994)
    QUO Vadis, Technical Communication?
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Tippens (1993)
    Interculturalizing the Technical or Business Communications Course
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Moore et al. (1993)
    Using Gestalt theory to teach document design and graphics
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Walters (1993)
    Scientific Method and Prose Style in the Early Royal Society
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  6. Ornatowski et al. (1993)
    Teaching technical communication in the 1990s: Challenges and perspectives
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  7. Sims (1993)
    Linking ethics and language in the technical communication classroom
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  8. Thralls et al. (1993)
    The social perspective and pedagogy in technical communication
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  9. Thrush (1993)
    Bridging the gaps: Technical communication in an international and multicultura…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  10. Barton (1993)
    New Avenues in Teaching Written Communication: The use of a Case Study in Crisi…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  11. Fesmire (1993)
    Transitions as Speech Acts
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  12. Battalio (1993)
    The formal report project as shared‐document collaboration: A plan for co‐authorship
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  13. Moran (1993)
    The road not taken: Frank Aydelotte and the thought approach to engineering writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  14. Ryan (1993)
    Using environmental impact statements as an introduction to technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  15. Bosley (1993)
    Cross‐cultural collaboration: Whose culture is it, anyway?
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  16. Gerson (1993)
    Commentary: Teaching Technical Writing in a Collaborative Computer Classroom
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  17. Smith (1992)
    Rhetoric as Social Act: Cicero and the Technical Writing Model
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  18. Allen (1992)
    Bridge over troubled waters? Connecting research and pedagogy in composition an…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  19. Dombrowski (1992)
    <i>Challenger</i>and the social contingency of meaning: Two lessons for the tec…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  20. Norman et al. (1992)
    Structured document processors: Implications for technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  21. Speck (1992)
    The professional writing teacher as author's editor
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  22. Weiss (1992)
    “Ourselves among others”: A new metaphor for business and technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  23. Pixton (1992)
    Technical Writing and Terminal Modification
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  24. Dragga (1992)
    Evaluating pictorial illustrations
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  25. Reynolds (1992)
    Classical rhetoric and the teaching of technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  26. Thompson (1992)
    An educational philosophy of technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  27. Coletta (1992)
    The ideologically biased use of language in scientific and technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  28. Ornatowski (1992)
    Between efficiency and politics rhetoric and ethics in technical writing
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  29. Elliot et al. (1991)
    Technical Writing in a Technological University: Attitudes of Department Chairs
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  30. Markel (1991)
    A Basic Unit on Ethics for Technical Communicators
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  31. Thralls (1991)
    Bridging Visual and Verbal Communication: Training Videos and Written Instructi…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  32. LaDuc (1991)
    Infusing Practical Wisdom into Persuasive Performance: Hermeneutics and the Tea…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  33. Smith (1991)
    Functional Teaching: Using Obsolescence to Teach Definition
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  34. Possin (1991)
    Ethical Argumentation
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  35. Manning (1990)
    Abstracts in Relation to Larger and Smaller Discourse Structures
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  36. Markel (1990)
    The Effect of the Word Processor and the Style Checker on Revision in Technical…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 5 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1007/BF00988269
     ↗
  2. 10.1177/074171369404400402
     ↗
  3. 10.2307/358988
     ↗
  4. 10.3102/00346543060003345
     ↗
  5. 10.2307/375964
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 5 View in citation network →

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