Textual Grounding: How People Turn Texts into Tools

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2004

Textual Grounding: How People Turn Texts into Tools

Jason Swarts North Carolina State University

Abstract

The author argues that users see texts as tools when they recognize the texts' specific value and function within highly localized use settings. The author argues that users “ground” their texts to local use settings by altering the ways in which the texts structure and represent information (e.g., underlining, annotation, and sketching). The author discusses three practices by which texts are grounded as tools in document reviews: mode shifting, layering, and marking. These practices reflect different ways by which users add, subtract, and restructure information in a text so that it is usable under very specific conditions. This article explores document review as a practice in which grounding is the object of discussion (how others use the reviewed documents) and a practice by which review is facilitated. These observations will be important for exploration of technology to support “grounding” practices.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2004-01-01
DOI: 10.2190/eg0c-quey-f9fk-2v0d
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multimodality multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

Weedon (2017)

Representation in Engineering Practice: A Case Study of Framing in a Student De…

Technical Communication Quarterly
Karatsolis et al. (2016)

Supporting Technical Professionals’ Metacognitive Development in Technical Comm…

Technical Communication Quarterly
Swarts (2014)

The Trouble with Networks: Implications for the Practice of Help Documentation

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Whittemore (2012)

Immutable Mobiles Revisited: A Framework for Evaluating the Function of Ephemer…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
McNair et al. (2010)

Activity Theory, Speech Acts, and the ‘‘Doctrine of Infelicity’’: Connecting La…

Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Show all 7 →

Berg (2010)

Writing Degree Binary: An Argument for Interscription

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Swarts (2008)

Information Technologies as Discursive Agents: Methodological Implications for …

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (7)

GEISLER (2001)

Textual Objects

Written Communication
Winsor (2001)

Learning to Do Knowledge Work in Systems of Distributed Cognition

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
WINSOR (2000)

Ordering Work

Written Communication
Smart (1999)

Storytelling in a Central Bank

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
SAUER (1998)

Embodied Knowledge

Written Communication

Show all 7 →

GEEST et al. (1997)

Review as a Method for Improving Professional Texts

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
MEDWAY (1996)

Virtual and Material Buildings

Written Communication

Also cites 9 works outside this index ↓

10.1017/CBO9780511620539

↗
10.1177/016224399101600402

↗
Yates J. (1993)

Control Through Communication: The Rise of System in American Management

↗
10.1080/001401300409143

↗
10.1145/353485.353487

↗
10.7551/mitpress/1881.001.0001

↗
10.1145/501516.501528

↗
10.1007/978-1-4471-1482-6_9

↗
10.1109/FIE.2001.963905

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 14 View in citation network →