Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 2005

The Plain Style in the Seventeenth Century: Gender and the History of Scientific Discourse

Denise Tillery University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

This article analyzes the statements on plain style made by Royal Society writers and seventeenth-century women writers. Using scholarship in feminist rhetorical theory, the article concludes that Royal Society plain stylists constructed scientific discourse as a masculine form of discourse by purging elements that were associated with femininity, such as emotional appeals. The article also discusses how women writers, particularly Margaret Cavendish, embraced a plain style more out of concern for their audience than out of a desire to eliminate undesirable feminine attributes. The implications of this historical study for understanding of current practice are noted.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2005-07-01
DOI
10.2190/mrqq-k2u6-ltqu-0x56
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Open Access
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Topics
modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism discourse analysis feminist rhetorics voice and style gender and writing
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Moran et al. (2011)
    A Bibliography of Works Published in the History of Professional Communication …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Malone (2007)
    Historical Studies of Technical Communication in the United States and England:…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

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CrossRef global citation count: 13 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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