Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2006

Legitimizing Technical Communication in English Departments: Carolyn Miller's “Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing”

Patrick Moore

Abstract

Carolyn Miller's oft-cited “Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing,” published in 1979, tries to give technical communication faculty more cultural capital in English departments controlled by literature professors. Miller replaces a positivistic emphasis in technical communication pedagogy with rhetoric. She shows how technical knowledge is produced by individual activity and social affirmation and not by objective descriptions of sensory impressions. Her “Rationale” is an attempt to change institutional and discursive structures by persuading literature professors that technical communication can have as much distinction in the academy as literature.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2006-04-01
DOI
10.2190/e1w4-wbxn-htnc-u7ed
Topics
technical communication

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. St.Amant et al. (2016)
    Addressing the Incommensurable
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Garrison (2014)
    The Scientist, Philosopher, and Rhetorician: The Three Dimensions of Technical …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Moore (2008)
    Cruel Theory? The Struggle for Prestige and its Consequences in Academic Techni…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (6)

  1. Moore (2004)
    Rethinking the Idea of Profit in Professional Communication and Cultural Capitalism
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Faber (2002)
    Professional Identities
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Nelson et al. (2002)
    Between Anonymity and Celebrity: The Zero Degrees of Professional Identity
    College English
  4. Moore (1999)
    Myths about instrumental discourse: A response to Robert R. Johnson
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Hagge (1990)
    The First Technical Writer in English: A Challenge to the Hegemony of Chaucer
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Connors (1982)
    The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 3 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1007/978-1-137-07810-0_1
     ↗
  2. 10.2307/375964
     ↗
  3. 10.7208/chicago/9780226310015.001.0001
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 3 View in citation network →

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