Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 1996

Teaching Technical Writing with Only Academic Experience

Keith Grant-Davie Utah State University

Abstract

Can technical writing still be taught credibly by teachers with only academic experience? This article draws a distinction between courses designed for students expecting to be full-time technical communicators and general-purpose service courses designed for students in a variety of fields. The article then argues that teachers of service courses can teach credibly without having worked as writers in nonacademic workplaces if they fulfill these conditions: they should have a critical command of research into nonacademic writing, rhetorical theory, and reading theory; they should define technical writing broadly enough to see themselves as technical writers; they should seek and take advantage of everyday opportunities to practice technical writing and reading; and they should carefully consider the sense in which their courses reflect reality.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
1996-07-01
DOI
10.2190/aa5p-ca40-gv64-qpht
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Closed
Topics
modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism teacher development technical communication
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References (35) · 3 in this index

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