Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2021

“Subjects” in and of Research: Decolonizing Oppressive Rhetorical Practices in Technical Communication Research

Godwin Y. Agboka University of Houston - Downtown

Abstract

Despite the recent surge in social justice and decolonial scholarship, technical and professional communication (TPC) research remains a potential site of oppression. This article is meant to be a call to action; it attempts to (re)ignite discussions about what we value and how we express what we value. It encourages the field of TPC to be more responsive to the experiences and struggles of research participants—those we engage during our knowledge production process. I explore what I call oppressive rhetoric in TPC research with a specific focus on the term subjects in institutional review board forms and in the reporting of some TPC research about research participants. I assert that in spite of our best efforts in advancing the goals of marginalized groups and despite the forward-looking trajectory of progressive research, more work needs to be done to address oppressive rhetoric in TPC scholarship.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2021-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0047281620901484
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical criticism decolonial rhetorics technical communication professional writing race and writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (10)

  1. Hedquist et al. (2026)
    Tuning In: Rhetorical Attunement as a Methodological Practice for Collaborative…
    Written Communication
  2. Tijerina (2025)
    A Case for Open Educational Resources in Technical and Professional Communicati…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Hedquist (2025)
    Inviting Participation: From Sample-Building to Relationship-Building in Partic…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. Aguilar (2025)
    Building Translator Repertoire Across a Humanitarian Translation App: Transling…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Vail (2022)
    Book Review: Equipping Technical Communicators for Social Justice Work: Theorie…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 10 →
  1. Phelps (2022)
    Concomitant Ethics: Institutional Review Boards and Technical and Professional …
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Dorpenyo (2022)
    Local Knowledge as Illiterate Rhetoric: An Antenarrative Approach to Enacting S…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Rea (2022)
    Coding Equity: Social Justice and Computer Programming Literacy Education
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. Thominet (2021)
    Open Video Game Development and Participatory Design
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Itchuaqiyaq et al. (2021)
    Decolonizing decoloniality: considering the (mis)use of decolonial frameworks i…
    Communication Design Quarterly

References (39) · 13 in this index

  1. Agboka (2014)
    Decolonial Methodologies: Social Justice Perspectives in Intercultural Technica…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Andeweg et al. (1998)
    “May I have your attention?”;: Exordial techniques in informative oral presentations
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Barton et al. (2018)
    Do Community Members Have an Effective Voice in the Ethical Deliberation of a B…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Blyler (1995)
    Research as ideology in professional communication
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Blyler (1998)
    Taking a political turn: The critical perspective and research in professional …
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 39 →
  1. 10.1136/bmj.317.7171.1521a
     ↗
  2. Boynton, P. M. (2016). The research companion: A practical guide for those in the socia…
     ↗
  3. 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302403
     ↗
  4. Byrne (2005)
    Evaluating the Effect of Iconic Linkage on the Usability of Software User Guides
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Challenging oppressive language. (2017). rabble.ca . Retrieved fr…
  6. 10.1097/00002800-198800210-00025
     ↗
  7. 10.1080/00909889809365501
     ↗
  8. Cross (2004)
    Protecting the Voices of Our Research: Appropriately Verifying Qualitative Data
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  9. Danner (2020)
    Story/Telling with Data as Distributed Activity
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  10. Denzin N. K. (2005)
    The Sage handbook of qualitative research
  11. 10.1080/07399339209516006
     ↗
  12. Durá L. (2013)
    Journal of Rhetoric, Professional Communication and Globalization
  13. Freire P. (1972)
    Pedagogy of the oppressed
  14. Haas (2012)
    Race, Rhetoric, and Technology: A Case Study of Decolonial Technical Communicat…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  15. 10.2307/358988
     ↗
  16. Jones (2016)
    The Technical Communicator as Advocate: Integrating a Social Justice Approach i…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  17. Kastman L. M. (1999)
    Technical Communication
  18. Krippendorff K. (2004)
    Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology
  19. Mngomezulu M. S. (2015)
    Journal of Public Inquiry
  20. Mustafa Z. (2011). The oppressive power of language: How the words you use can help perpetuate an imbalanced …
  21. Mutua K. (2004)
    Decolonizing research in cross-cultural contexts: Critical personal narrative
  22. Roy (2008)
    Designing Procedural Graphics for Surgical Patient-Education Modules: An Experi…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  23. Rude (2009)
    Mapping the Research Questions in Technical Communication
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  24. 10.1002/nur.4770180211
     ↗
  25. Schaffner A. C. (1994)
    Information Technology and Libraries
  26. Smith L. T. (1999)
    Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples
  27. Sullivan D. (1990)
    Journal of Advanced Composition
  28. Thralls C. (1993)
    Professional communication: The social perspective
  29. Tuck E. (2013)
    Challenging status quo retrenchment: New directions in critical research
  30. Walton (2013)
    Stakeholder Flux: Participation in Technology-Based International Development P…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  31. Walton R. (2014)
    Journal of Rhetoric, Professional Communication, and Globalization
  32. Walton R.
    Equipping technical communicators for social justice work: Theories, methods, and topics
  33. Walton R. (2013)
    Journal of Rhetoric, Professional Communication and Globalization
  34. Walton R., Thatcher B. (Eds.). (2014). Methodologies for intercultural research: Reflexivity, flexibility, an…
CrossRef global citation count: 17 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Pedagogy Jan 2022
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory discourse analysis african american rhetorics decolonial rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing writing across the curriculum graduate education teacher development argument collaborative writing transfer assessment portfolios writing program administration writing centers peer tutoring technical communication professional writing archival research digital rhetoric social media grammar and mechanics literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies public rhetoric community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  2. Pedagogy Oct 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy advanced composition creative writing writing across the curriculum graduate education two-year college service learning teacher development technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions archival research multimodality artificial intelligence literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  3. Pedagogy Apr 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism african american rhetorics cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing graduate education two-year college teacher development writing centers technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions digital rhetoric multimodality social media literacy studies race and writing gender and writing community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly Oct 2024
    ’F---- Shark Tank:’ Rethinking the Centrality of the Business Pitch in Microenterprise Entrepreneurship ↗
    Mason T. Pellegrini
    rhetorical criticism genre theory graduate education technical communication professional writing qualitative research race and writing affect and writing editorial matter
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly Oct 2024
    Editors’ Use of Comprehensive Style Guides: The Case of Singular They ↗
    Jo Mackiewicz; Shaya Kraut; Allison Durazzi
    rhetorical criticism discourse analysis first-year composition writing pedagogy graduate education teacher development writing centers technical communication professional writing digital rhetoric multilingual writers grammar and mechanics literacy studies race and writing public rhetoric editorial matter