#32235
Research in Technical Communication: Perspectives and Thoughts on the Process 
Technical communication can be viewed as both a discipline and a profession. As a discipline, it concerns itself with the pursuit of knowledge and the development of theory. As a profession, it attempts to meet the needs of the individuals it serves through the application of knowledge and theory. Research links the discipline and the profession and sustains both by providing the bases from which to develop new areas of inquiry and to find solutions to problems.
Barclay, Rebecca O. Technical Communication Online (1992). Articles>TC>Research>Body of Knowledge
#32236
The State of Research in Technical Communication 
There have been many attempts to assess the state of research in our field. This article is our attempt to both (1) synthesize recent analyses, opinions, and conclusions concerning the status of technical communication research and (2) propose an action plan aimed at redirecting our field's agenda for its research. We explore these questions: What are the recent research trends in our field? What is and is not promising about our recent approaches to research? Where do we need to go next? What are the critical components for a new agenda for our research?
Blakeslee, Ann M. and Rachel Spilka. Technical Communication Quarterly (2004). Articles>TC>Research
#32256
With an inundation of tools for technical communicators to choose from, what are the best ones for specific tasks? And what should be the focus of technical communication—content, design, style?
Doyle, Deborah Lewis Baxley. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>Software
#32257
Read about STC's new strategic goals and the direction in which the organization is heading.
Rutkowski, Ed. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>Organizations>STC
#32260
Carole Beaudin-Hayes thought her job as a technical writer would lead her to a life of sitting behind a desk. Little did she know that there was much more to the world of technical communication in the transportation field.
Beaudin-Hayes, Carole. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>Traveler Information
#32261
Teaching Students in Trades and Technologies 
Teaching students in academic settings can be very different than teaching technical communication to nonacademic students. Campbell gives tips on how to teach those in trades and technologies effectively.
Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>TC
#32386
STC Body of Knowledge Site Map (draft)
A draft site map to attempt to represent the field(s) of technical communication within a hierarchical tree diagram.
STC (2008). Articles>TC>Information Design>Body of Knowledge
#32593
Improving Our Ethical Choices: Managing the Imp of the Perverse
Psychologists and ethics researchers say we can take simple steps to align our Want and Should Selves over the three phases of decision making and help keep the Imp of the Perverse in check.
Lamantia, Joe. UXmatters (2008). Articles>TC>Ethics
#32616
Pedagogical and scholarly representations of collaborative writing and knowledge construction in technical communication have traditionally recognized consensus as the logical outcome of collaborative work, even as scholars and teachers have acknowledged the value of conflict and "dissensus" in the process of collaborative knowledge building. However, the conflict-laden work product of a Denver task force charged with recommending changes to the city police department's use-of-force policy and proposing a process for police oversight retains the collaborative group's dissensus and in doing so, illustrates an alternative method of collaborative reporting that challenges convention. Such an approach demonstrates a dissensus-based method of reporting that has the potential to open new rhetorical spaces for collaborative stakeholders by gainfully extending collaborative conversations and creating new opportunities for ethos development, thus offering scholars, teachers, and practitioners a way of reimagining the trajectory and outcome of collaborative work.
Knievel, Michael. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2008). Articles>TC>Collaboration>Rhetoric
#32687
Why Certification by the STC Won’t Work
The virtues of certification cannot be ignored, but they are outweighed by the drawbacks: There’s no evidence that employers will value certification; it can be highly subjective; and it requires ongoing renewal, even for experienced practitioners, to avoid diluting its value. The more important task must be to demonstrate our value to employers. Only once they understand our value will certification provide a means to assure employers that they can expect to receive that value.
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2008). Articles>Certification>TC>Professionalism
#32688
Certification - Why We Need to Begin
I believe certification of technical communicators is unavoidable, given the current status of related professions and our technological environment. Either the STC develops a certification program, or someone else will do it.
Rosenberg, Nad. Intercom (2008). Articles>Certification>TC>Professionalism
#32701
Getting Everyone’s Foot in the Door with SIN (Shy, Inactive, and New) SIG 
In addition to providing a welcoming atmosphere, SIN SIG offers newcomers a jump-start to networking. As a new member, Thuy Vu took advantage of SIN SIG for exactly that purpose. She says, "To have the support and resources of SIN SIG from day one was very valuable to me as a new member. SIN SIG made it much easier to connect with the group and to learn my way around." We've found that the casual SIN SIG meeting with its small group provides an avenue to get to know a few faces and learn about opportunities for involvement without intimidating new people.
Miller, Elisa. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#32739
Technical Communication Culture: A Review
Mike Unwalla reports on the presentations that he attended at the ISTC conference in Liverpool, UK, 2-4 October 2007.
Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2007). Articles>TC
#32764
Four More Reasons Your Company Needs Technical Communicators
A few months ago I posted seven reasons an organization needs technical communicators. This week, a program manager I work with provided a few more ways that technical writers provide value to organizations and projects, so I wanted to pass along his wisdom—with my own discussion, of course. Because I gave seven reasons before, I’ll start with number eight.
Gryphon Mountain (2008). Articles>TC
#32765
Seven Reasons Your Company Needs a Technical Communicator
If you're in the business of developing and selling products that are in any way technical in nature, you probably spend most of your time planning or implementing specifications, development and release schedules, budgets, and engineering strategies. Or you may be directly involved in the day-to-day development and testing of the product. Whatever your role, the product is the most important thing.
Gryphon Mountain (2008). Articles>TC
#32784
A chat with technical communicator and blogger Anne Gentle in which we discuss wikis, DITA, the XO Laptop, documenting Open Source software, and a lot more.
DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Interviews>TC>Podcasts
#32786
A Technical Speaking Course in Mathematics
Development and Implementation of a Technical Speaking Course in Mathematics, will give students an opportunity to cultivate technical, discipline-specific, verbal communication skills and experiences needed to be successful in their chosen disciplines. They will develop skills in assessing an audience’s technical sophistication and adapting their own communications to accommodate the audience. Mathematics will become a familiar “vehicle” for development of general and technical communication competencies.
University of Pittsburgh (2004). Articles>Education>TC>Mathematics
#32793
DITA and the Technical Communicator
How will DITA conversion affect your work? Sigman shares what she's learned from her own survey of technical communicators.
Sigman, Christine Marini. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>XML>DITA
#32796
Ethics Case: The Engineered Résumé
A proposal specialist must decide whether to pursue more information about a new coworker whom she has reason to suspect was dishonest during the hiring process.
Kuszmaul, JoEllen. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>Ethics>Resumes
#33077
Is Communications Up to Job of Running Intranet?
The natural home of the intranet is in communications. However, intranet management requires particular skills that many traditional communications departments don’t have.
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2005). Articles>Web Design>TC>Intranets
#33302
A. Stanley Higgins and the History of STC's Journal
A profile of Stan Higgins, one of the first editors of STC's journal. Based on archival research and an interview with Higgins. Includes a table of journal titles (e.g., TWE Journal, STWE Review) and names of editors.
Malone, Edward A. IEEE PCS (2008). Articles>TC>Publishing>History
#33323
EServer TC Library: The Most Popular Technical Communication Website in the World
The EServer TC Library dwarfs all other tech comm sites. Granted, EServer TC Library is a library, which people primarily use to browse content located elsewhere, so it’s perhaps not in the same category as the other sites. Still, the sheer amount of traffic is impressive. I caught up with Geoffrey Sauer, the creator of the EServer TC Library, and chatted with him over email.
Sauer, Geoffrey and Tom H. Johnson. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Interviews>TC>Body of Knowledge
#33380
Interview with the Creator of the EServer TC Library
Tom Johnson has an interview the site's creator, Geoff Sauer, who explains some of the details behind the site. I found the discussion of their taxonomy particularly interesting, as it's a problem I've struggled with in my own site.
Soltsys, Keith. Core Dump (2008). Articles>TC>Information Design>Databases
#33561
Relocating the Value of Work: Technical Communication in a Post-Industrial Age
This article analyzes the location of “value” in technical communication contexts, arguing that current models of technical communication embrace an outdated, self-deprecating, industrial approach subordinating information to concrete technological products. By rethinking technical communication in terms of Reich's “symbolic-analytic work”, technical communicators and educators can move into a post-industrial model of work that prioritizes information and communication, with benefits to both technical communicators and users.
Johnson-Eilola, Johndan. Technical Communication Quarterly (1996). Articles>TC>Assessment>Theory
#33562
Technical communication practices have been changed dramatically by the increasingly ubiquitous nature of digital technologies. Yet, while those who work in the profession have been living through this dramatic change, our academic discipline has been moving at a slower pace, at times appearing quite unsure about how to proceed. This article focuses on the following three areas of opportunity for change in our discipline in relation to digital technologies: access and expectations, scholarship and community building, and accountability and partnering.
Gurak, Laura J. and Ann Hill Duin. Technical Communication Quarterly (2004). Articles>TC>Research>Online
