Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 1993

Medical Text and Historical Context: Research Issues and Methods in History and Technical Communication

Jennifer J. Connor McMaster University

Abstract

Identifying problems in recent technical communication studies of historical medical text, this article suggests ways for researchers to overcome them. Its approach uses five steps for conducting sound historical research: establishing originality for historical textual analysis; adopting an authoritative text for analysis; understanding the genre or form of a historical text; understanding the intellectual or social context for a historical text; and understanding the publishing and readership context of a historical text. These steps are discussed within the context of related fields of inquiry, namely history of medicine, history of the book, literary criticism and historical linguistics, and analytical bibliography. The article concludes by exploring new directions for research in technical communication and history of medicine.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
1993-07-01
DOI
10.2190/0p4q-07x0-r2ev-wrd2
Open Access
Closed
Topics
technical communication multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

  1. Raign (2022)
    The Art of Ancient Mesopotamian Technical Manuals and Letters: The Origins of I…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. McKenzie (2009)
    The Public Presentation of a Hybrid Science: Scientific and Technical Communica…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Lippincott (2003)
    Rhetorical Chemistry
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Todd (2003)
    Teaching the History of Technical Communication: A Lesson with Franklin and Hoover
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. HAGGE (1995)
    Early Engineering Writing Textbooks and the Anthropological Complexity of Disci…
    Written Communication
Show all 7 →
  1. Connor (1994)
    Research on Technical and Scientific Communication in Canada: A Bibliographical…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Connor (1994)
    Self-Help Medical Literature in 19th-Century Canada and the Rhetorical Conventi…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Cites in this index (7)

  1. TEBEAUX (1991)
    Visual Language
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Allen (1991)
    Thematic Repetition as Rhetorical Technique
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Lipson (1990)
    Ancient Egyptian Medical Texts: A Rhetorical Analysis of Two of the Oldest Papyri
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Hagge (1990)
    The First Technical Writer in English: A Challenge to the Hegemony of Chaucer
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Connor (1988)
    Poetry at Work: Historical Examples of Technical Communication in Verse
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 7 →
  1. Connor (1987)
    Technical Writing Kits: Their Origins, Functions and Context
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Lipson (1982)
    Descriptions and Instructions in Medieval Times: Lessons to be Learnt from Geof…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
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CrossRef global citation count: 12 View in citation network →

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