Gender Bias in Naval Fitness Reports? A Case Study on Gender and Rhetorical Credibility

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 1994

Gender Bias in Naval Fitness Reports? A Case Study on Gender and Rhetorical Credibility

Robert Shenk University of New Orleans

Abstract

This article is a case study of a small controversy involving a 1983 government research report on gender biases in naval officer fitness reports. The research at issue indicated that male commanding officers customarily wrote differently in naval fitness reports about women than in fitness reports they wrote about men, and the researchers concluded that the commanding officers needed to change their writing habits. But the objectivity of the researchers was soon challenged. In this survey of the controversy, the writing of several groups—male commanding officers, female naval officers, male newspaper editors, and female personnel researchers—is both illustrated and critiqued. The main focus here is rhetorical credibility in professional communications when gender is the issue at hand.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 1994-10-01
DOI: 10.2190/f9jx-n8b6-wa0a-4c4r
Open Access: Closed
Topics: qualitative research professional writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

Smith et al. (2002)

Feminist Theory in Technical Communication

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
THOMPSON (1999)

Women and Feminism in Technical Communication

Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (1)

Shenk (1988)

Ghost-Writing in Professional Communications

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Also cites 2 works outside this index ↓

10.7312/clar92654

↗
Rowe M. A., letter, Navy Times, p. 20, August 1, 1983.

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