Journal of Business and Technical Communication Oct 1994

The Value of Formal Conventions in Disciplinary Writing

JOHN HAGGE

Abstract

The value of formal writing conventions has been diminished in mainstream composition scholarship; although research on occupational writing suggests that formal conventions are important, these findings are hard to generalize. This study, a content analysis of 12 professional style manuals, achieves generalizability by elucidating the institutional norms of disciplinary writing (a subset of occupational writing to which much scientific and technical writing belongs). Formal conventions prove to be highly valued. More important, the use of formal conventions often is justified on rhetorical grounds, suggesting that the dichotomy between formalist and rhetorical axiologies posited in composition scholarship is false.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1994-10-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651994008004003
Open Access
Closed
Topics
technical communication voice and style

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Miller et al. (1998)
    Responding to technical writing in an introductory engineering class: The role …
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. HAGGE (1995)
    Early Engineering Writing Textbooks and the Anthropological Complexity of Disci…
    Written Communication

Cites in this index (7)

  1. HAGGE et al. (1989)
    Linguistic Politeness in Professional Prose
    Written Communication
  2. McDowell (1987)
    Perceptions of the Ideal Cover Letter and Ideal Resume
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. TOMLINSON (1984)
    Talking about the Composing Process
    Written Communication
  4. Perl (1979)
    The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers
    Research in the Teaching of English
  5. Pianko (1979)
    A Description of the Composing Processes of College Freshman Writers
    Research in the Teaching of English
Show all 7 →
  1. Davis (1978)
    How Important is Technical Writing? — A Survey of the Opinions of Successful En…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. (1974)
    Students’ Right to Their Own Language: Introduction
    College Composition and Communication
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CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network →

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