Theory and Curriculum

Abstract

Business and technical communication have conventionally been separated in academe—a separation that formalist rhetorical theory has supported. Epistemic rhetorical theory, however, suggests that this separation does not reflect the profession's current understanding of workplace discourse. This article demonstrates that the labels business and technical communication are not helpful in understanding two workplace documents: a memorandum and a report. The article then explores the increased explanatory power in two epistemic theoretical approaches, social construction and paralogic hermeneutics, after which the article discusses the radical implications of these approaches for a curricular dialogue concerning workplace writing. Finally, the article describes interests inside and outside academe that preserve the status quo and thus mitigate against curricular change, positing that such change would be difficult, but not impossible, to achieve.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1993-04-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651993007002003
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (15)

  1. Rhetoric Review
  2. College English
  3. Rhetoric Review
  4. Written Communication
  5. Rhetoric Review
Show all 15 →
  1. Written Communication
  2. Rhetoric Review
  3. Written Communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. College English
  6. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  7. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  8. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  9. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  10. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 12 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/376723
  2. 10.2307/357812
  3. 10.2307/357516
  4. 10.2307/377963
  5. 10.2307/376773
  6. 10.2307/357716
  7. 10.2307/357995
  8. 10.1080/00335638409383686
  9. 10.2307/375964
  10. 10.2307/377298
  11. 10.2307/377955
  12. 10.2307/357747
CrossRef global citation count: 5 View in citation network →