Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 2010

I, Pronoun: A Study of Formality in Online Content

Alexander Thayer University of Washington ; Mary B. Evans ; Alicia A. McBride ; Matt Queen University of Washington ; Jan H. Spyridakis University of Washington

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study that investigated readers' perceptions of tone formality in online text passages. The study found that readers perceived text passages to be less formal when they contained personal pronouns, active voice verbs, informal punctuation, or verb contractions. The study reveals that professional communicators can impact their readers' perceptions of tone in online passages. This study provides useful guidance for writers who wish to understand the impact of their stylistic decisions on audience perceptions of passage formality.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2010-10-01
DOI
10.2190/tw.40.4.e
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
grammar and mechanics
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Andrews (2020)
    Why major in writing? Hyperpragmatism and writing program websites
    Computers and Composition
  2. Campbell (2016)
    Flipping to Teach the Conceptual Foundations of Successful Workplace Writing
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  3. Jones et al. (2012)
    Plain Language in Environmental Policy Documents: An Assessment of Reader Compr…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

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CrossRef global citation count: 10 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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