An Axiomatic Theory of Cognition and Writing

Abstract

A great deal of empirical research has been done in the past to test writing rules commonly taught in the classroom. To date, however, no one has constructed a deep theory of the relationship between cognition and writing that confirms the writing rules and explains why they work. Grunig, Ramsey, and Schneider construct a deep theory of the relationship between language, cognition, and writing — based upon theories and research in the fields of cognitive psychology, social psychology, philosophy of language, information theory, reading theory, rhetoric, and systems theory. The authors build a theory of writing that contains fifteen definitions, eleven premises, and eleven principles. The eleven axiomatic principles subsume practical writing rules, especially science writing rules, and offer a broad framework for research. The article concludes with results of several exploratory studies using the “signaled stopping technique” to observe the cognitive effects of writing.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
1985-04-01
DOI
10.2190/u69h-v85u-96c5-1rpp
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (9)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Show all 9 →
  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

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