Introduction to Professional Writing

This course is designed to be an introduction to professional/technical communication as a profession and academic discipline. We will examine current issues, theories and practices, career opportunities, professional development, significant tools, and UNI's curriculum.

Williamson, William J. University of Northern Iowa (2003). Academic>Courses>Writing>Business Communication

Introduction to the Forum on Meaning/ful Work Studies in Organizational Communication    

On the first day of Nikki's undergraduate seminar, Organizing Work, she Oasks students to list the idioms and phrases commonly used to make sense of the 'work' experience. She shares the example of her father repeat- edly using the phrase 'daily grind' when she was growing up (important to note, he was not referring to the ubiquitous Starbucks of today). Slowly but surely, the chalkboard fills with an array of idiomatic expressions: 'on the clock,' 'work like a dog,' 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,' 'work your fingers to the bone,' 'all in a day's work,' and a host of others, including the Marxian favorite, 'a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.' Students are asked to reflect on the meanings embedded within the list and how language constitutes cultural meanings and values of work. As such an exercise should make abundantly clear, work and meaning would seem to be central to our study of organizational communication. Our talk about work both embodies and structures individual and social under- standings, attitudes, and actions. Yet, the meanings associated with work and the notion of work as meaningful have not been foci of study within our dis- cipline. Indeed, the term work is not even indexed in the New Handbook of Organizational Communication (Jablin and Putnam, 2001), and a search of the EBSCO database found not a single article with work and either meaning or meaningful in the title in a communication journal. Given contemporary devel- opments that make work more central to people's lives as well as less secure, the question of what work means to people and how such meanings contribute to or detract from a sense of purpose or dignity in people's lives is important to consider.

Zorn, Theodore E. and Nikki Townsley. Management Communication Quarterly (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Organizational Communication>Rhetoric

Investigating Presentational Change in U.K. Annual Reports    

This article examines structural and format changes in annual reports of U.K. listed companies from 1965 to 2004 with a particular focus on graph use. The article compares a new sample of 2004 annual reports with preexisting samples by Lee and by Beattie and Jones. Lee's identified trends continue. There has been a sharp increase in page length, voluntary information, and narrative information, particularly among large listed companies. A detailed analysis of voluntary disclosure indicates changes in the incidence and pattern of generic sections. Graph usage is now universal. However, key financial graph use has slightly declined, replaced by graphs depicting other operating issues. Impression management through selectivity, graphical measurement distortion, and manipulation of the length of time series graphed are common. Overall, annual reports continue to exhibit many features of public relations documents rather than financially driven, statutory documents, and the analysis of graph usage suggests a need for policy guidelines to protect users.

Beattie, Vivien, Alpa Dhanani and Michael John Jones. JBC (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Document Design>United Kingdom

Is "Intercultural" Communication a Moot Point?  

Good writing is good writing in any language, and focusing on the quality of the writing in your own language is a great start to any communication with people from other cultures.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2007). Articles>Writing>Communication>International

Is E-Mail Still Effective?

With recent press surrounding the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and possible future charges for sending e-mail as well as virus creators competing with each other for infection rates, how can you ensure that your e-mail communications are still effective and reach their intended recipients? E-mail has qualities that make it an ideal communication vehicle. But for all of these positive characteristics, e-mail has taken a serious blow over the past six years. An anti-spam technology company estimated that 62 percent of all e-mail sent across the Internet was identified as some sort of spam by users of their technology.

Hoy, Richard. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email

Is It Safe to Email Editors? Spam Filters Are Causing Unexpected Problems

It wasn't so long ago that freelance writers hesitated to email editors because email queries and other communications might not be the right form. Now comes word that as many as one email in four never gets delivered, even email that the intended recipient wants. This startling number comes from 'More e-mail scandal' an article by Brian Livingston on InfoWorld's web site. Granted, most of the comments and research there is aimed at opt-in email, but it's apparent that other, legitimate emails are also going missing. The problem is twofold: spam and spam filters.

Wayman, Anne. About.com (2001). Articles>Communication>Email>Spam

Is Professional Writing Relevant? A Model for Action Research    

This article argues that engaged 'action research' can help professional writing researchers both develop new and interesting collaborative models and help our profession develop a greater relevance to those not reading our journals and attending our conferences. I outline one particular, localized approach in the hope that our troubles, struggles, and failures at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee can help others to develop their own programs and can further our discussion of community engagement.

Clark, Dave. Technical Communication Quarterly (2004). Articles>Research>Writing>Business Communication

Is Risk Communication Nothing but Green-Washing?  

Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA), a process for cleaning up contaminated sites, is not widely understood. To better communicate with the public about RBCA, a research team sought to measure people’s comfort with the role of risk in decision-making by administering a risk-response survey to inhabitants of two US towns. The survey’s most unusual finding was that people seem more comfortable with environmental risks than with other kinds. Because the survey’s wording probably affected the outcome, the finding raises issues about the responsibility of technical communicators in developing the tools and language of responsible environmental communication.

Hart, Hillary. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Risk Communication>Environmental

Is Scientific Writing on the Fast Lane of the Information Highway? An Analysis of Electronic Publishing  

Because of the advances of computer technology and the accessibility of the Information Information Superhighway, electronic publishing is surpassing print literature. Electronic publishing includes libraries, on-demand publishing and journals. This paper specifically covers the purpose of electronic journals and the techniques for publishing. It also focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of electronic journals, and asks 'Is it a viable form of written communication?'

Burdan, Amy L. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Scientific Communication>Publishing>Online

Is Spam Ordinary Commercial Speech?

An informal poll within the U.S. indicates that more than half of respondents favor a law restricting "spam," that is, unwanted electronic advertising that everyone with an e-mail address has been exposed to but does not know how to stop. In the poll, 30 percent favor making false e-mail headers illegal, but only slightly more than 11 percent said spam restrictions would violate the First Amendment.

Morris, Stan. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email

Is the Employee Publication Dead?

Over the past decade, hundreds of employee magazines and newsletters have gone by the wayside as corporate communicators rushed to embrace digital communication. Today, many large organizations do not publish any regular print vehicles for employees. But did they eliminate their publications for the right reasons? And has the rush away from print strengthened or weakened organizations' connection with employees?

Shewchuk, Ron. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Workplace>Newsletters

Is the New CEO Allowed to Care?

The brand experts and advertising gurus tell us that "caring is commercial," but this has not changed the behavior or profile of many chief executives. One new chief immediately canceled the daily VIP lunch delivered to his office and instead went down to the staff canteen, sitting among his workforce. In another case, a tough CEO confronts an aggressive media at an annual meeting and declares, "Our task it to manage the business to provide maximum return for our shareholders -- end of story." In these cases, communicators provide support and advice, yet in many instances, the decision about profile is made before they are called in.

Manallack, Stephen. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Articles>Business Communication>Management>Marketing

Is Your Design Really Working? How To Make Sure Your Branding Efforts Are Paying Off

There are few things in life more subjective than graphic design and color. You like blue, but the client likes green. You want to use illustration, but the client prefers photography. You like a serif typeface, the client doesn’t. As the designer, you believe the choice should be yours because that’s why you went to college and have spent years working on design and branding projects for other clients. The client feels because it’s their money, it’s their call. However, the truth lies somewhere in between. In spite of client/vendor differences, you are both trying to achieve the same goal: to create design and branding elements that make the strongest, most memorable impression to generate maximum visibility and produce the most sales possible.

DeVeau, Richard. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing

Is Your E-Mail Getting Through?

Ever had an e-mail message go missing in cyberspace? With about half the e-mail messages sent daily being spam, it's no wonder that Internet Service Providers are installing spam blocking software. But are your legitimate messages being blocked too? Find out how to avoid triggering spam alerts with your everyday mail.

Bennaco (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email

Issues in Medical Writing

In this country several factors influence the medical writing of medical professionals, professionals in a field that prides itself on combining art with science. The fairly exclusive culture of the medical professional, the power and highly competitive nature of publishing within that discourse community, and the need for accurate, reliable information for immediate use in solving problems, and a strong inclination to put medical 'facts' first and communication of those facts second create interesting dynamics and rhetorical complexities in medical writing.

Taaffe, Maura. Michigan Tech University (1998). Articles>Scientific Communication>Biomedical>Writing

Issues in Medical Writing

In this country several factors influence the medical writing of medical professionals, professionals in a field that prides itself on combining art with science. The fairly exclusive culture of the medical professional, the power and highly competitive nature of publishing within that discourse community, and the need for accurate, reliable information for immediate use in solving problems, and a strong inclination to put medical 'facts' first and communication of those facts second create interesting dynamics and rhetorical complexities in medical writing. For over a century the quality of medical writing has been a great concern to both medical professionals and lay readers. According to Dr. Lester King, physician and retired, long-time editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 'more than a century ago critics deplored the repulsive quality of medical prose' to such an extent that the AMA set up committees to evaluate the problem of medical literature as early as 1851.

Taaffe, Maura. Michigan Tech University (1998). Articles>Scientific Communication>Biomedical

Issues In Scientific Communication  

We identify and discuss issues related to substantive editing of scientific material, and examine how technical communicators can support the development and communication of scientific information.

Armbruster, David L., Murrie W. Burgan, LaVonna F. Funkhouser, Mary Fae McKay Carolin Middleton, Barbara J. Miller, Margaret Boone Nestor and Elizabeth A. Smith. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Scientific Communication

Issues in Scientific Communication  

Communicators working with scientific researchers are faced with diverse working environments and issues. The panelists discuss five issues of current interest in scientific communication.

Armbruster, David L., Murrie W. Burgan, Christine M. Farmery, Jeffrey L. Hibbard and David E. Nadziejka. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Scientific Communication

Issues in Scientific Communication  

Communicators working with scientific researchers are faced with diverse working environments and issues. The panelists discuss five issues of current interest in scientific communication.

Armbruster, David L., Murrie W. Burgan, Christine M. Farmery, Jeffrey L. Hibbard and David E. Nadziejka. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Scientific Communication

Issues in Technical Writing

Now it is very important to recognize the vital role of a technical writer and services expected to provide to justify the requirements of this profession. Since technical writer is a sub category of technical communication, that involves other categories involved in documentation, like content writer, software configuration manager, technical editor, information designer and many more.

Albing, Bill. KeyContent.org (2005). Articles>TC>Communication>Technical Writing

Issues of Online Research Repositories from the Perspective of the Biomedical Sciences  

This commentary on Joseph Y. Halpern's proposal for a computing research repository discusses difference in traditions and practices of online publishing and repositories between computing and biomedicals sciences. Issues of accessibility and archiving are also discussed.

Armbruster, David L. Journal of Computer Documentation (2000). Articles>Scientific Communication>Online

It's a Matter of Policy

Policies set boundaries for what is acceptable and unacceptable. But what makes a policy effective? Discover the basic components of a good corporate policy.

Zvalo, Peter. Writer's Block (1999). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures

It's Not What You Know: A Transactive Memory Analysis of Knowledge Networks at NASA    

Much of America was stunned into mourning on February 1, 2003 as the space shuttle Columbia was reported to have broken up over Texas. The ensuing investigation revealed that debris at liftoff was the cause of the crash, but the official report suggested that NASA's organizational communication was just as much to blame. This article uses transactive memory theory to argue that there were significant gaps in the knowledge network of NASA organizational members, and those gaps impeded information flow regarding potential disaster. E-mails to and from NASA employees were examined (the 'To' and 'From' fields) to map a network of communication related to Columbia's damage and risk. Although NASA personnel were connected with each other in this incident-based network, the right information did not get to the people who needed it. The article concludes with extensions of theory and practical implications for organizations, including NASA.

Garner, Johnny T. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2006). Articles>Knowledge Management>Scientific Communication>Government

It’s the Communication, Stupid: Lessons in Communication-Driven Product Development  

Changes in software design and development are creating new opportunities for technical communicators at DDS. Writers have become an integral part of product teams, evaluated on their ability to help get products out the door. In some cases writers’ deliverables have themselves become full software development projects. As technical writers take on new roles they’re getting increased visibility, more interesting and varied work and a chance to move up ladders outside of the traditional technical writing group.

Dykstra, Peter. STC Proceedings (2000). Articles>Communication>Collaboration

The Journal of Business and Technical Communication    

The Journal of Business and Technical Communcation keeps you informed about the latest communication practices, problems and trends in both business and academic settings. It covers written, oral and electronic communication in all areas of business, science and government. Created over a decade ago to meet the growing demand for research and analysis in this expanding field, JBTC covers topics of fundamental interest and key issues such as: managerial communication; collaborative writing; ethics of business communication; technical writing pedagogy; business-communication education; gender differences in writing; international communication; graphic design; ethnography and corporate culture.

Journal of Business and Technical Communication. Journals>TC>Business Communication>Rhetoric