Communication Design Quarterly May 2014 Open Access

Communicating complexity in transdisciplinary science teams for policy: applied stasis theory for organizing and assembling collaboration

Marybeth Shea University of Maryland, College Park ; Cameron Mozafari University of Maryland, College Park

Abstract

This paper presents an application of stasis theory for the purpose of consulting with interdisciplinary teams of scientists working in the early stages of composing a science policy advisory document. By showing that stasis theory can be used as an organizing conceptual tool, we demonstrate how cooperative and organized question-asking practices calm complex interdisciplinary scientific disputations in order to propel productive science policy work. We believe that the conceptual structure of stasis theory motivates scientists to shift their viewpoints from solitary expert specialists toward that of allied policy guides for their advisory document's reader. We further argue that, through the use of stasis theory, technical writers can aid interdisciplinary scientists in policy writing processes, thus fostering transdisciplinary collaboration.

Journal
Communication Design Quarterly
Published
2014-05-01
DOI
10.1145/2644448.2644453
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Topics
classical rhetoric argument collaborative writing
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